Web design projects drift because "a five-page site" means different things to different people. The client adds a blog after the homepage is approved. The About page becomes three pages. Copy never arrives, so you write it. Stock photos, a contact form that posts to a CRM, and a fourth round of homepage changes all get squeezed in for free. Without a written scope, every one of these is a negotiation you lose.
This page gives you a working scope of work for web design. It covers what to put in, what to leave out, and a worked example of how revisions, access, and approvals should read. There are pricing notes on when to quote fixed versus hourly, answers to common questions, and a fill-in-the-blanks template at the end. Copy it, replace the brackets, and send it before you quote.
Scoping a new web design job right now?Paste the email or chat thread. One-page scope in under a minute. Free preview, then $19 for 10 scopes.
Page list with a count, named pages, and the number of unique layouts versus repeated templates. A ten-page site with three layouts is a different job from ten unique pages, and the client will not know that unless you write it down.
Platform and build method (custom theme, page builder, static site) and which reusable templates you will deliver. The platform decides how the client edits the site later and what you can reasonably promise on speed, plugins, and cost.
Revision rounds per stage, with a definition of what one round is and the rate for extra rounds. Unlimited feedback from five stakeholders is the single biggest cause of unpaid hours on a web design job.
Content responsibilities: who writes copy, who supplies images and logo files, in what format, and by what date. Late or missing content stalls more websites than any technical problem, so the scope has to say whose job it is.
Access the client must provide: hosting, domain registrar, platform admin, analytics, and any third-party accounts. You cannot launch a site you cannot log into, and chasing logins for two weeks should not count against your timeline.
Functionality and integrations listed by name: forms, where they send, newsletter signup, maps, booking, payment, analytics. "Just a contact form" becomes a CRM integration with conditional logic if the scope does not name exactly what the form does.
Testing, launch, and acceptance criteria: browsers and devices tested, staging review window, sign-off, and what happens after launch. Without a defined finish line the project stays open, the final invoice stays unpaid, and every small fix becomes your problem.
What to put under “out of scope”
These are the things web design clients most often assume are included. Listing them up front is what keeps the project
from growing after you've quoted.
Copywriting, proofreading, and editing of client-supplied text
Logo design, brand identity, and creating a color palette or type system from scratch
Photography, video production, and sourcing or licensing stock images beyond a stated number
E-commerce setup, product entry, payment gateway configuration, and shipping or tax rules
Migrating blog posts, product pages, or archives from the old site beyond a stated page count
Hosting, domain registration, SSL, email accounts, and DNS changes on the client's provider
Ongoing maintenance, plugin and platform updates, backups, security patches, and post-launch content changes
Example: from a messy client email to a one-page scope
This is the kind of request that usually lands in your inbox:
hi! we're a 3 location dental practice and our website is from like 2016. Dr. Patel wants online booking and it needs to look good on phones. We have some photos from a shoot last year but not of the new office. Also can you make sure we show up on google?? Our old guy has the login somewhere. Ideally live before the new office opens in March. What would something like this cost
And this is the one-page scope ScopeSnap produced from it, unedited:
Three-Location Dental Practice Website Redesign
A mobile-first replacement of a 2016 dental practice website with integrated online booking, three location pages, and basic local SEO, launched before the March 2027 office opening.
In scope
Custom responsive website on WordPress: Homepage, Services, About/Team, Contact, plus one page per location (3), ~8 pages total
Online booking integration embedding the practice's existing scheduling system (or a chosen third-party booking widget) on every location page
Mobile-first design tested on iPhone and Android phones, tablet, and desktop; two design concepts, one direction chosen
Two rounds of design revisions and one round of post-build revisions
Migration of existing text and last year's photo assets into the new site, edited and formatted for web
Local SEO foundation: Google Business Profile setup/cleanup for all 3 locations, on-page metadata, schema markup, XML sitemap, Search Console
Domain, DNS, and hosting transfer from the previous developer; SSL and launch checklist
60-minute admin training call and a two-week post-launch bug-fix window
Out of scope
Booking software subscription fees and any practice-management (Dentrix, Open Dental, NexHealth, etc.) licensing or setup
Photography of the new office; new-location photos are supplied by the client or a stock-photo placeholder is used
Writing new copy for services, bios, or the new location; existing site text is reused and lightly edited
Ongoing SEO, monthly reporting, blog content, review generation, or Google Ads management after launch
Guaranteed Google rankings; only the technical and local-listing foundation is delivered
Patient forms, HIPAA-compliant intake, patient portal, or insurance verification tools
Hosting, domain renewal, and plugin costs beyond the launch; monthly maintenance is quoted separately
Recovering logins from the previous developer; client is responsible for obtaining domain, hosting, and Google access
Assumptions
Client provides domain registrar, hosting, and Google Business Profile logins within the first week of the project
Dr. Patel (or one named person) is the single decision-maker; feedback is consolidated per revision round
The practice already uses or will select a booking system with an embeddable widget or link; no custom booking build
Last year's photo shoot is usable and rights are cleared; new office photos arrive at least 3 weeks before launch
Logo and brand colors exist and are supplied; no logo or brand identity work is included
Project starts by early November 2026 to allow a comfortable launch before the March 2027 opening
Open questions
Which scheduling or practice-management software do you use today, and does it offer online booking that can be embedded?
What is the exact opening date for the new office, and is a hard launch date before it required?
Do you have the domain, hosting, and Google Business Profile logins, or do we need to plan for recovery from the previous developer?
Are all three locations sharing one brand and phone number, or does each need its own branding, hours, and staff listing?
Do you need patient intake forms or HIPAA-compliant features on the site, or only appointment requests?
Is there a budget range in mind, and do you want ongoing maintenance and SEO after launch?
Suggested price band
Low$7,500
Likely$11,000
High$16,000
Driven by an 8-page custom mobile-first build with three location pages, booking integration complexity, and how much login recovery and content cleanup the previous site requires.
Reply to send the client
I understand you need a modern, phone-friendly website for all three locations with online booking and a solid local Google presence, live before the new office opens in March. This covers design, build, booking integration, migration of your existing content and photos, and Google Business Profile setup; it does not include new photography of the new office, ongoing SEO, or your booking software's subscription fees. Based on this, you are looking at roughly $7,500–$16,000 depending on which scheduling system we integrate with and whether it offers embeddable online booking. To get started, please let me know which booking or practice-management software you use and whether you can get the domain and hosting logins from your previous developer.
How to price web design work
Most web design work is priced one of five ways. Fixed price suits a defined page count with copy and assets in hand. Hourly or day rate suits discovery, ongoing changes, or projects where the client cannot commit to a page list. Retainers cover post-launch updates. Packages bundle a set number of pages, templates, and revisions. The number goes up with page count, unique layouts, custom functionality, integrations, copywriting, and short deadlines. Until the client has answered the open questions on content, integrations, and hosting, quote a range. A single figure given too early becomes the ceiling, and you absorb every surprise.
Free web design scope of work template
Copy this, fill in the brackets, and delete anything that doesn't apply.
PROJECT
Client: [CLIENT NAME] | Prepared by: [YOUR NAME] | Date: [DATE] | Valid until: [DATE]
SUMMARY
Design and build a [NUMBER]-page marketing website for [CLIENT BUSINESS] on [PLATFORM], replacing [CURRENT SITE URL OR "no existing site"].
IN SCOPE
Discovery call and sitemap for [NUMBER] pages: [LIST PAGES, E.G. HOME, ABOUT, SERVICES, CONTACT]
[NUMBER] unique page layouts, designed for desktop and mobile, delivered as [FORMAT] for approval
Build of approved layouts on [PLATFORM] with [NUMBER] reusable templates the client can edit
Contact form sending to [EMAIL ADDRESS]; basic on-page SEO (page titles, meta descriptions, alt text)
Placement of client-supplied copy and images; up to [NUMBER] licensed stock images if needed
Testing on current versions of [BROWSERS] and on [DEVICES]; launch to client's hosting
One [DURATION] handover session and [NUMBER] days of post-launch bug fixes
OUT OF SCOPE
Copywriting, logo design, photography, e-commerce, member areas, integrations beyond [LIST], hosting, domain, ongoing maintenance, and content migration beyond [NUMBER] pages
ASSUMPTIONS
Client supplies final copy, images, logo files, and brand colors by [DATE]
Client provides hosting, domain, and platform admin access by [DATE]
One named client contact, [NAME], consolidates all feedback
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Deliver content in [FORMAT]; review each stage within [NUMBER] business days; pay invoices on the terms below
TIMELINE
Discovery and sitemap: [DATES] | Design: [DATES] | Build: [DATES] | Testing and launch: [DATES]
Timeline pauses when client content or feedback is late and resumes at the next available slot
REVISIONS
[NUMBER] rounds on design, [NUMBER] rounds on build; a round is one consolidated list of changes
Additional rounds, new pages, or changes to approved work billed at [RATE] per [HOUR/PAGE]
PRICE AND PAYMENT
Fixed price: [AMOUNT], excluding [TAXES/STOCK IMAGES/FONTS/PAID PLUGINS]
[PERCENT]% deposit to book; [PERCENT]% on design approval; [PERCENT]% on acceptance or launch, whichever is first
ACCEPTANCE
Client signs off in writing on the staging site within [NUMBER] business days of review; no response in that period is acceptance
Site launches after final payment clears; all files and admin logins transfer to the client on launch
Rather not fill in the blanks by hand?Paste the email or chat thread. One-page scope in under a minute. Free preview, then $19 for 10 scopes.
How many revision rounds should a web design scope include?
Two rounds per stage is the common default: two on the design concept, two on the built site before launch. Define what a round is, such as one consolidated list of changes from one named contact. State that changes to approved pages, new pages, or a new direction count as new work. Put the hourly or per-page rate for extra rounds in the scope so there is no argument later.
What do I do when the client does not deliver the website copy on time?
Make content delivery a client responsibility with a date in the scope. State that the timeline pauses when content is late and restarts when it arrives, with your next available slot rather than the original dates. Offer copywriting as a priced add-on. If the client wants you to build with placeholder text, say in writing that populating final copy later is billed separately.
Should the web design scope include hosting, domain, and maintenance?
Usually not, and the scope should say so. Hosting and domain accounts should be in the client's name and paid by the client, so they own their site if you part ways. You can offer setup as a line item. Maintenance, plugin updates, backups, and security patches belong in a separate monthly retainer with its own scope. Mixing them into a build quote leads to unpaid support requests for years.
How do I define when a website is finished and accepted?
Tie acceptance to a checklist, not a feeling. List the pages, the browsers and devices you tested, form submissions working, and the client's written sign-off on staging. Give the client a fixed review window, such as five business days, after which the site is deemed accepted if you hear nothing. Make the final payment due on acceptance or launch, whichever comes first, so a delayed launch does not delay your invoice.