In this part of “Working With a Web Development Agency,” Holly Cordner of SEO.com offers some ideas on how to budget and schedule your project.
The next consideration is how much you can afford to spend and when you expect to have the project completed. Obviously, the more “bells and whistles” you want to include on your website, the more you’ll have to spend. You’ll also need to budget more if you plan on asking your development agency to create a custom e-commerce purchasing system vs. creating a purely informational website. On the other hand, if you don’t have a lot to spend, you may be able to save some money by asking the agency you’re working with to customize a template for you rather than building a completely new website from the framework up.
Additionally, you should also consider what will happen if the project is delayed or goes over budget. Keep in mind that the more changes you make to your original agreement with the development agency after work has started, the longer it will take to complete the project and the more money it will cost you. That being said, if you see your agency going down a road that you didn’t agree on, don’t be afraid to ask for changes.
Something else you’ll want to budget for is long-term maintenance. Find out what it will cost to make future (small or large) changes to the website. Find out how far in advance you will need to give notice to your agency for them to make changes.