The proposal checklist
- Pages and layouts
- What to look for: The pages included and how many distinct layouts they use.
- Why it matters: Distinct layouts, not page count alone, drive much of the design and build effort.
- Content
- What to look for: Who writes and edits copy, who supplies photos and logos, and when content is due.
- Why it matters: Content decisions affect both the cost and the launch date.
- Features and integrations
- What to look for: Forms, booking, maps, and connections to other tools, plus which outside services they rely on.
- Why it matters: Each integration adds build work and may add a subscription.
- Migration and search
- What to look for: An inventory of existing pages, redirects for changed addresses, and carried-over titles and descriptions.
- Why it matters: It protects pages that already bring in visitors.
- Ownership and access
- What to look for: Whose name the domain, hosting, and accounts are in, who owns the code and content, and any licenses.
- Why it matters: You should know what you control before work begins.
- Recurring costs
- What to look for: Domain renewal, hosting, paid plugins or platforms, and any maintenance plan.
- Why it matters: The build price is not the full cost of running the site.
- Launch and testing
- What to look for: Checks for mobile use, accessibility, performance, forms, and search essentials before launch.
- Why it matters: Problems found after launch reach customers first.
- Support after launch
- What to look for: Who makes updates, how requests are handled, and whether support is included or priced separately.
- Why it matters: It avoids surprises the first time something needs to change.
- Exclusions
- What to look for: What is not included, such as advertising, brand identity, photography, or ongoing content.
- Why it matters: A clear list of exclusions is as useful as the list of inclusions.
Content responsibilities look different on every project
There is no single right split of content work, but it should be written down. Three LearnCenter projects show how much it can vary:
Electrical service business · Owner wrote, LearnCenter edited
The client wrote the core service copy. LearnCenter edited and organized it for the web, and the site launched with the content available.
Read the case study: Electrical service businessBuilding supplier · North Bay · Photography gathered together
LearnCenter helped the client gather real photography to replace unrelated stock images.
Read the case study: Building supplier · North BayAutomotive service business · Petaluma · LearnCenter recorded video
LearnCenter recorded a drive-in video showing the route to the shop’s entrance for a new Find Us page.
Read the case study: Automotive service business · PetalumaOngoing costs to plan for
- Domain renewal.
- Hosting.
- Outside services the site depends on, such as booking, forms, email, or a website platform subscription.
- Any agreed maintenance, updates, or other paid services after launch. LearnCenter’s website care plans start at $200/month.
Ask for these to be listed separately from the build price, with who pays each provider and whose account it sits in.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What exactly is included, page by page?
- Who provides the content, and by when?
- In whose name are the domain, hosting, and other accounts?
- Who owns the code and content after launch, and how would another developer take over?
- What will I pay each month or year after launch, and to whom?
- What happens to existing pages and addresses?
- Who do I contact for changes after launch, and how is that work priced?
How LearnCenter handles this
Before work begins, LearnCenter confirms the pages, content work, responsibilities, timing, and price in writing. The proposal identifies ownership and access for the website, domain, hosting, code, and content, plus any third-party licenses, and confirms handoff and support responsibilities.
Advertising, full brand-identity work, photography, ongoing content campaigns, and third-party platform fees are separate unless the proposal names them. Published starting points are $200 for a written assessment, $1,000 for a focused website improvement, $2,000 for a new business website or full redesign, and $200/month for a website care plan.
A second opinion on your site
Send the site and what is bothering you about it.
Send your website and a little context. LearnCenter will take a brief personal look and reply within one to two business days; this is not the paid written assessment.