Should I pay up front for my website to be designed?

Monday, 10 January 2011 16:38

I received this question from someone who had been quoted £1000+ for their website to be designed and they were expected to pay in full before work would start. This is unusual and I would advise against it!

A website is very personal and you need to ensure that you have some control over how it is progressing. In this regard, it is similar to having work done on your home and a payment schedule in line with the progress of the work is the best way to go.

It is usual to pay a non-refundable deposit when the agreement is made with the balance on launch or 'go-live'. This will cover the designer's costs (hosting, software etc.) as well as a percentage of his fee.

This is the way that I work and I even allow clients to hold back some of the payment until 30 days after completion to allow for minor changes at no extra cost. This protects the client and the designer.

I also offer an option to pay monthly but this is unusual.

All web designers have a portfolio. This makes getting references easy so don't be afraid to ask for them.