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8 scope items that determine the price of a corporate website
Feels · · 6 min read
It’s no surprise to see a big gap between two quotes for the same job; more often than not, the difference lies in the scope rather than the price. We explain the eight items that determine the price of a corporate website, how to read what a quote includes and excludes, and how to compare quotes on equal scope.
A manager collecting quotes for a corporate website often runs into the same question: why is there such a gap between two quotes for the same job? The answer usually lies in the scope. One quote may cover only the design and page setup, while another also includes content preparation, integrations and post-launch support. When the figures are placed side by side, that difference is invisible.
We deliberately don’t give prices in this post. A fixed package price quoted without knowing the project’s scope hides either missing work or unnecessary cost. Instead, we go through the eight items that determine the price one by one and show what to look for in a quote for each of them.
Page and content scope
1. Page layouts. The size of the site is the first thing that drives the price, but what matters here is less the number of pages than the number of different page layouts. Ten service pages with the same structure can be built from a single layout, whereas the home page, a project detail page or a careers page each need their own design and development. Ask for the number of layouts, not just the number of pages, to be stated in the quote.
2. Content preparation. Who will prepare the texts, photos and documents? Placing the content you already have onto pages is not the same job as copywriting, photo shoots or organizing product data. Content is one of the items that affects the timeline most: a site whose design is finished but which is still waiting for copy is a common cause of delay. That’s why clarifying content responsibility at the quote stage protects both the budget and the schedule.
Custom design and functionality
3. Design approach. Adapting a ready-made theme to your corporate colors and designing an interface from scratch around your brand and your visitors’ tasks are different workloads. Custom design involves mapping visitor scenarios, structuring page flows and working on the desktop and mobile layouts separately. Ask which approach the design will follow and how many rounds of revisions are included.
4. Functionality. Every site has a contact form; but quote and application forms, project or product filtering, site search, appointments, dealer locators or memberships each mean separate development, testing and maintenance. Writing down the actions you expect the site to support is the most reliable way to compare quotes.
5. Content management. Who will update your site after launch? A management panel where your team can add new projects, products or announcements, which fields can be edited, user permissions and the training given to your team are all part of the scope. In our post on corporate website examples, we described the flexible setup we built for a growing portfolio.
Integration, language and content costs
6. Integrations. If the site needs to talk to other systems, the scope grows: sending form requests to a CRM, connecting to an ERP or stock system, payment infrastructure, newsletter tools, appointment systems. On the other side of every integration there is a system, and often that system’s technical team. A connection set up with a ready-made plugin and one developed specifically for you are not the same job either; that’s why integrations should be listed by name in the quote.
7. Number of languages. Every new language means translating the texts, setting up the menu and page addresses for that language, language tags for search engines and separate content fields in the management panel. For right-to-left languages such as Arabic, mirroring the interface is additional work. Always ask who is responsible for translation.
8. Launch and after. Domain name, hosting, SSL certificate, basic SEO settings, measurement setup (Google Analytics, Search Console, conversion tracking) and technical support after launch are the items most often left “excluded” in quotes. Check in the quote for how long and on what terms maintenance and updates are provided; for details, see our support and maintenance service.
Comparing quotes on equal scope
The easiest way to compare quotes is to put each one into the same table. The table below is an illustrative example: it shows which items might be included and which excluded in a quote for the corporate website of a mid-sized manufacturing company.
| Scope item | Included | Excluded or priced separately |
|---|
| Page layouts | Home, company, service, product, references and contact layouts | Campaign and landing pages |
| Content preparation | Placing the texts and visuals supplied by the company onto pages | Copywriting and photo shoots |
| Design approach | Custom interface for desktop and mobile, two rounds of revisions | Logo and corporate identity design |
| Functionality | Contact and quote forms, product filtering | Membership and online payment |
| Content management | Management panel and a short training session for the team | Additional user roles and approval workflow |
| Integrations | Forwarding form requests to email and the CRM | ERP and stock integration |
| Number of languages | Turkish and English interface | Translation of the English texts |
| Launch and after | Setup, SSL, basic SEO and measurement setup | Hosting, monthly maintenance and content updates |
Illustrative example; not a real quote or Feels’ standard scope.Fit every quote you receive into these eight rows. A row left empty in a quote shows that the item is either missing or will be priced separately later. Comparing the figures only makes sense once the table is filled in. As you fill it in, also ask these questions:
- Is the scope in writing? Are page layouts, functions and integrations listed one by one in the quote?
- Is there a revision limit? How many rounds of changes are planned for design and development?
- Who handles content? Does the quote clearly state who is responsible for preparing texts, visuals and translations?
- Who owns the accounts and files? Will access to the domain, hosting, management panel and design files be handed over to you?
- What happens after launch? Are the duration and scope of support and the maintenance terms that follow clearly defined?
If you’d like to define your project’s scope together, explore our web design service or contact us and ask us to call you.
