WHAT'S INCLUDED IN A PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE BUILD

You've decided your business needs a website. You've asked around, maybe got a few quotes. And now you're staring at proposals that might as well be written in a foreign language.

One developer quotes $2,000. Another quotes $8,000. They both say "professional website" but the details are vague at best. What are you actually paying for? What's included? What's not?

I've had plenty of clients come to me confused after getting quotes that list "design and development" without explaining what that actually means. So let's break it down properly.

Here's what a professional website build should include as standard. If any of these are missing from a quote, ask why.

Custom design. Not a template with your logo slapped on. An actual design that reflects your business, your brand, and what makes you different. This usually means a homepage design plus internal page layouts.

Mobile responsiveness. Your site needs to work on phones, tablets, and desktops. More than half your visitors will be on mobile. If a developer doesn't mention this, run.

Basic SEO setup. Page titles, meta descriptions, proper heading structure, alt text for images, and a sitemap. This won't get you to page one of Google overnight, but it gives you a fighting chance. Check out how to show up on Google Maps for more on local SEO.

Contact forms. A way for customers to get in touch that actually works. Forms should send you an email notification and ideally show a confirmation message to the customer.

Analytics setup. Google Analytics or similar, so you can see who's visiting your site, where they're coming from, and what they're looking at. Without this, you're flying blind.

Speed optimisation. Images compressed, code cleaned up, site loading in under three seconds. Slow sites lose customers.

A good web developer follows a process. Here's roughly what to expect:

Discovery. This is where we figure out what you actually need. What does your business do? Who are your customers? What do you want people to do when they land on your site? A developer who skips this step is just guessing.

Design. Usually starts with wireframes (basic layouts showing where things go) and moves to full designs with colours, fonts, and images. You should get a chance to review and give feedback before anything gets built.

Development. The actual building part. Turning designs into a working website. This is where all the behind-the-scenes stuff happens — code, databases, server setup.

Review and revisions. You test the site, click everything, check it on your phone. You give feedback, the developer makes changes. Most quotes include two or three rounds of revisions.

Launch. Site goes live. DNS gets pointed, SSL certificate gets installed, everything gets double-checked. You should get a handover that explains how to make basic updates.

This is where quotes get tricky. These items are often extra, but not always made clear upfront:

Ongoing hosting. Your website needs to live somewhere. Hosting costs anywhere from $10 to $50 per month depending on your needs. Some developers include the first year, others don't. Ask.

Domain name. Your web address (like yourbusiness.com.au). Usually around $20-50 per year. You should own this yourself, not have it in the developer's name.

Content writing. The words on your site. Many developers assume you'll provide this. If you need someone to write it for you, that's usually extra. Same goes for editing or restructuring content you provide.

Photography. Professional photos of your business, team, or products. Stock photos can work in a pinch, but they won't look as good as the real thing. If you need a photographer, budget for it separately.

Future updates. Once the site launches, you might want to change things. Add a new service page, update your prices, add team members. Some developers include a few hours of updates, others charge hourly. Clarify this before you sign.

Advanced features. Online booking systems, e-commerce, member logins, custom calculators. These add significant time and cost. If you need them, make sure they're in the quote. For more on costs, see how much a website costs in Gippsland.

I'll be straight with you about what you get when you work with me.

Every project includes: custom design, mobile responsiveness, basic SEO setup, contact forms, Google Analytics, speed optimisation, and a proper handover so you understand how everything works.

I'll also include two rounds of revisions after the initial design, and I won't disappear once the site goes live. If something breaks or you need a hand with something small, I'm a phone call away.

What's not included (unless we agree otherwise): ongoing hosting, domain registration, content writing, photography, and major updates after launch. I'll always be clear about what's in the quote and what isn't before we start.

No hidden fees. No surprises when the invoice arrives. Just straight talk about what you're getting for your money.

Before you sign anything, get answers to these:

What exactly is included in this price? Get them to list everything. Design, development, hosting, domain, content, revisions — the lot.

What's NOT included? This is just as important. Better to know now than get a surprise invoice later.

How many revision rounds do I get? And what counts as a revision versus a new feature?

What happens after launch? Who handles updates? What does support look like? Is there a maintenance plan?

Who owns the website? The answer should be you. Ask about access to hosting, domain, and all the files. Check out choosing a web developer for more red flags to watch for.

What's the timeline? When will I see designs? When will it launch? Build in some buffer — things always take longer than expected.

A professional website build should leave you with something that works for your business, looks good on every device, shows up in search results, and doesn't fall apart the moment you want to change something.

The price difference between developers usually comes down to experience, quality of design, and what's included in the quote. A cheaper option isn't always better value if you have to pay extra for basics.

Get everything in writing. Ask questions. And if a quote is vague about what's included, that's a red flag.

Got questions about what you actually need for your business? Get in touch — I'm happy to have a chat, even if you end up going with someone else.

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