Two proposals for the same website can differ in price by a factor of three, and both can be honest. The difference is usually in what they leave out. A proposal is a description of work and a promise about how it will be done. Reading it carefully before you agree is the cheapest protection you have.

Here is what a good proposal contains, and the questions that show what is missing from one that does not.

It starts with your problem, not the studio's CV

The first part of a proposal should describe your situation in your words: what is not working, who you serve, what success looks like. If it opens with five pages about the designer's background and process, you are being sold to, not listened to.

Ask: does this describe my problem accurately enough that I could hand it to a colleague?

Scope: what is and is not included

Scope is the heart of the document and the source of most disputes. Look for a list of deliverables, named concretely.

Vague: "A modern, responsive website."
Clear: "A sitemap and page outlines for eight pages, responsive designs for desktop and mobile for each, and a component library covering buttons, forms, cards and navigation."

Check for each of these:

  • How many pages or screens, and which ones.
  • What states are covered: empty, error, loading, hover, and mobile.
  • What is not included, written down. Copywriting, photography, development, hosting, translation and ongoing support are common exclusions.
  • Who provides the content, and what happens if it arrives late.

Ask: if I wanted one more page, how would that be priced and agreed?

Process and your part in it

A proposal should say how the project runs: the stages, what you will see at the end of each one, and what is expected from you. Designers cannot work without timely feedback and decisions, so a good proposal also says who decides, how many rounds of revision are included and how feedback should be given.

Ask: what do you need from me, and when? What happens if we disagree?

Timeline

Dates should be tied to stages, not just an end date. Look for the start condition ("work begins once the scope is agreed and the deposit is paid"), the length of each stage and the points where the timeline depends on you.

A timeline with no dependencies on the client is a warning sign. Every project has some.

Ask: what are the two or three things most likely to delay this?

Price

Prices come in three common shapes.

  • Fixed price for a defined scope. Good when the scope is clear. The risk sits with the studio, so changes are priced separately.
  • Time and materials. Good when the scope will change, but you need a cap or regular reporting.
  • A retainer. Suits ongoing work and requires clear monthly hours and outcomes.

Look at how the price is split and when it is due, and what is refundable. Check what a change costs. Be wary of a price that is far below the others without an explanation, because the gap usually reappears as extras.

Ask: what is included in this price and what are the likely extras?

Ownership and handover

At the end, what do you own? A proposal should state who owns the finished files, fonts and image licences, and what you receive: source files, a style guide, documentation. If the work is to be built by someone else, it should say what the developer will be given.

Ask: what exactly will I have in my hands at the end, and can I take it elsewhere?

Warning signs

  • A price without a scope, or a scope without deliverables.
  • "Unlimited revisions", which is a promise nobody can keep, or no mention of revisions at all.
  • No named person responsible for the work.
  • A very short timeline for a large scope, with no explanation.
  • No mention of what happens when something changes.
  • Pressure to sign quickly.

How to compare two proposals fairly

Put the proposals side by side and make a table of scope items. Mark which items each one includes. Then compare the prices of the same scope, not the headline numbers. Often one proposal is cheaper because it covers only the screens, and the other includes the system, the states and the handover.

If you cannot tell what is included, that is your answer. Ask for it in writing before you decide.

What a good one feels like

You should finish reading with no major surprises ahead of you. You know what you will receive, when, from whom, and what to do if you want something different. The best proposals are specific, short and calm.