Website cost checklist: 20 checks before you sign

Key takeaways

This website cost checklist has 20 yes or no checks in five groups of four, following the GBL five-line website budget: build, content, platform, care and growth. Score one point for each yes. 16 or more means the quote is ready to sign; 12 to 15 means ask questions first; under 12 means the budget or quote has gaps.

• 20 checks in five groups of four.
• 16 or more: ready to sign.
• 12 to 15: ask questions first.
• Under 12: fix gaps before signing.

How does the website cost checklist work?

The website cost checklist works by asking 20 yes or no questions about a quote and your budget, grouped into the five lines of the GBL five-line website budget. Each yes scores a point. The score shows whether the quote is complete enough to sign or still hides costs and risks.

• The five-line website budget for small businesses
• How much does a business website cost in the UK?

Build and content checks

The first eight checks cover what is being built and who provides the words and images.

• Is the scope written, with pages and features listed?
• Are costs itemised by phase?
• Are exclusions listed?
• Is there a fix period after launch?
• Is it clear who writes the copy?
• Is photography or imagery covered?
• Is content loading included or priced?
• Are revision rounds stated?

• What a website quote should include, line by line
• Website extras that are rarely in the first quote

Platform and care checks

The next eight checks cover running costs and ownership.

• Is the domain registered in your name?
• Is copyright assigned to you on payment?
• Are hosting costs stated?
• Are plugin and app licences listed?
• Is a care plan priced?
• Are updates and backups covered?
• Is there an exit and handover clause?
• Are payment stages tied to deliverables?

• Who owns your website, domain and content?
• Website payment stages: deposits and final invoices

Growth checks

The final four checks cover whether the site can be measured and improved.

• Is enquiry tracking set up as key events?
• Is basic SEO set-up included?
• Are redirects from any old site included?
• Is budget kept back for launch marketing?

• How much to keep back for marketing after launch

When is a lower score acceptable?

A lower score can be acceptable for a small fixed package where some items are deliberately excluded and you will supply them. Mark those as covered by you rather than leaving them blank.

What does this look like in practice?

At Global Bridge Labs (GBL), a UK groundworks firm scored its preferred quote at 11. The gaps were ownership, licences, tracking, redirects and launch marketing. After the supplier added four items in writing and the firm budgeted the fifth, the score reached 17 and they signed.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Scoring checklist

• Answer all 20 checks for each quote.
• Score one point per yes.
• Mark items you will supply yourself.
• Ask suppliers to fill gaps in writing.
• Re-score after answers.
• Sign at 16 or more.

• Do AI tools make websites cheaper to build?
• A small business website budget worksheet

Next step

Score your current quote now. Every no is a question for your supplier before you pay a deposit.