What's Included in a Website Design Package? What to Expect, What Costs Extra and What to Check
What's included in a website design package: design, build, content, SEO setup, hosting and support, plus the extras that often catch UK businesses out.
A typical website design package includes planning, design of the key page layouts, the build itself, mobile responsiveness, basic on-page SEO, a contact form, a set number of pages, testing and launch. Copywriting, photography, hosting, ongoing support and extra features such as booking or e-commerce are often separate, and that is where quotes differ most.
Packages with the same name can contain very different work. This guide goes through what each part should mean in practice, what is commonly left out, and the questions that make two quotes comparable.
Key takeaways
- Package names mean little; the scope document is what counts.
- Copy, photography and hosting are the most common items left out.
- Check who owns the domain, hosting account and site files after launch.
- Ask how many revision rounds are included and what counts as a change.
- A cheaper package often means a template with less planning and testing.
Discovery and planning
A good package starts before any design. Expect a conversation or workshop about your customers, services, competitors and goals, followed by a sitemap showing which pages the site will have and how they link together.
This part is often the first thing trimmed in cheap packages, and it shows. Without it you get a generic layout with your logo dropped in. If a quote does not mention planning, ask what happens between you paying the deposit and seeing a design.
You will get far more from this stage if you arrive with a written brief. Our guide to writing a website design brief covers what to include.
For a site replacing an old one, planning should also include a look at what the current site already ranks for and which pages bring enquiries, so nothing valuable is lost in the move. It takes an hour or two with Search Console and analytics access, and it is easy to skip.
Design: how many layouts and how many revisions
Design is usually priced around a number of unique page layouts, not a number of pages. A typical small business site might have a homepage design, an inner page template, a service page template, a contact page and perhaps a blog layout. Twenty pages can come from those five designs.
Check two things in any quote:
- How many layouts are designed before build, and if you see them as full mock-ups (in Figma, for example) or only once the site is built.
- How many rounds of revisions are included. Two rounds is common. Ask what counts as a revision versus a change of direction.
Template-based packages skip bespoke design and adapt an existing theme. That is not automatically bad for a tight budget, but you should know which you are buying.
Build, responsiveness and content management
The build turns designs into a working site, usually on WordPress for small businesses, though some agencies use Webflow, Shopify or their own systems. The package should state the platform. It affects who else can work on the site later.
Every package should include a site that works properly on phones and tablets, tested on real devices and the main browsers. Mobile friendly should not be an add-on in a modern quote.
Ask how you will edit the site. Some builds are easy for staff to update; others need the developer for every change. A short training session or video walkthrough at handover is common and worth asking for if it is not listed.
Content: the item most often missing
Most packages assume you supply the text and images. That is fine if you have them ready, but it is the main reason projects stall. Sites wait weeks for an About page.
Look for what the quote says about:
- Copywriting: written for you, edited from your notes, or not included.
- Content upload: some packages include loading a set number of pages; extra pages or product listings cost more.
- Images: stock photos included, licensed in your name, or your own photos only.
- Photography: rarely included, but real photos of your team and work beat stock every time.
If you plan to write the copy yourself, ask for page-by-page guidance on length and structure. It saves rewrites later.
SEO setup, analytics and legal basics
'SEO included' can mean almost anything. In a design package it should usually cover technical foundations: clean URLs, page titles and meta descriptions, heading structure, an XML sitemap, image alt text, fast loading, redirects from old URLs if replacing a site, and submitting the site to Google Search Console.
It does not normally include ongoing SEO such as keyword research for new content, link building or monthly reporting. That is a separate service, and anyone promising first-page rankings inside a design package is overselling. Our post on how Google ranking works explains why.
Also check for Google Analytics 4 setup, a cookie consent banner that actually blocks tracking until consent, a privacy policy and SSL. These are basic requirements for a UK site collecting enquiries.
Hosting, domain and ownership
Some packages include a year of hosting; others expect you to arrange it. Either is fine, but get clear answers on who owns what:
- The domain should be registered in your business name, with you having access to the registrar account.
- You should be able to get a full copy of the site files and database.
- Paid themes and plugins should be licensed so you can keep using them if you move supplier.
We have taken on many sites where the previous designer held the domain and hosting and then became unreachable. Sorting that out is slow and stressful. Our guide to web hosting in the UK covers the hosting side in more detail.
Testing, launch and aftercare
Before launch, expect testing of forms (do enquiries actually arrive, and not in spam?), links, mobile layouts, page speed and basic accessibility. Launch should include moving the site live, checking redirects and confirming Search Console and analytics are recording.
Most agencies include a short snagging period after launch, often two to four weeks, to fix bugs at no charge. After that, updates, backups and security monitoring are usually covered by a separate care plan. Ask what happens if you do not take one: who updates WordPress and plugins, and what it costs to call someone in when something breaks. Our post on website care plans explains what a sensible plan covers.
Questions to ask before you sign
Whatever the package is called, these questions turn a vague proposal into something you can hold a supplier to:
- Which pages are included, by name, and how many unique layouts does that involve?
- Who writes and uploads the content, and what happens if ours is late?
- How many revision rounds are there at design stage and at build stage?
- What platform will the site use, and could another developer take it over?
- Whose name are the domain, hosting and licences in?
- What is tested before launch, and on which devices?
- What is covered after launch, for how long, and what does support cost after that?
A good agency will answer all of these in writing without fuss. Our list of questions to ask a web designer goes further if you are still choosing who to work with.
Common extras and what drives the cost
These are usually quoted separately because the work varies so much:
| Feature | What makes it bigger or smaller |
|---|---|
| Online shop | Number of products, variations, payment and delivery rules |
| Booking system | Staff calendars, deposits, reminders, links to existing tools |
| Customer login or portal | What customers can see and do once logged in |
| CRM or accounts integration | Whether the other system has a usable API |
| Multilingual content | Number of languages and who translates |
| Custom animation | How much motion and how many pages use it |
If you need any of these, mention them at the start. Adding them mid-project usually costs more than planning them in. For more on pricing factors, see our guide to understanding a website design quote.
Frequently asked questions
Does a website design package include hosting?
Sometimes. Some agencies include the first year of hosting, others expect you to arrange your own. Either way, make sure the hosting and domain accounts are in your name or that you can move them freely.
Is copywriting included in a website design package?
Usually not by default. Most packages expect you to provide the text, with copywriting offered as an extra. Check the quote, because waiting for content is the most common cause of delays.
How many revisions should a website design package include?
Two rounds of design revisions is common. More important is a clear definition of a revision, so a small tweak is not confused with redesigning a page from scratch.
Do I own my website after it is built?
You should, once you have paid in full, but check the contract. Confirm you will receive admin access, the domain, the site files and transferable licences for any paid themes or plugins.
What is not usually included in a website package?
Common exclusions are copywriting, photography, ongoing SEO, monthly maintenance, e-commerce, booking systems and integrations with other software. These are quoted separately because their size varies so much between businesses.
Get a clear, itemised quote
Our website design quotes list exactly what is included and what is not, so there are no surprises later. See how we work or request a quote for your project.
