How do you write a quote request, and how is it different from a brief?

One of the first things you need before commissioning a website is writing a quote request. In this material you will learn what it is, what a model quote request contains, and how it differs from a brief.

Differences between a brief and a quote request

A quote request and a brief are often confused. That is why it is so important to know the essential difference between them.

It comes down to this: a quote request should answer the question of WHAT should be on the site.

A brief should explain HOW it should be on the new website.

The comparison below shows that difference well:

That means that to write a quote request you do NOT need to focus on image aspects such as the colour palette or how the site should look (for example modern, professional, minimalist).

Those things belong in the brief. They do not affect the quote for building a website.

So what should a sample quote request contain?

A quote request for building a website: a template

Here are 5 elements a model quote request should include.

1. The address of your current site

The best way to describe what needs to be done and to find out what it might cost is examples. If you already have a website, attach a link to it in the quote request. Even if you plan to change it completely.

That matters because your site will still sell the same services and products as before. And it lets the developer understand the nature of your business precisely.

2. The address of a direct competitor’s site

It is also worth using the competition as a reference. That is especially important if you do not have a website yet.

When pointing to competitor sites, consider the type of business they run (ideally the same as yours), not the graphic layer of their sites.

Above all, pay attention to price-driving aspects, for example the number of pages or features.

In the competitor description it is also good to say which elements will be useful for you too, for example a newsletter or translation into other languages. That way the developer will know what to use as inspiration when preparing the spec for the quote.

Remember that look, colour, typography or photos do not affect the quote.

Pointing to a competitor’s site is the best way to help with a reliable website project quote.

3. The size of the site (number of subpages)

In our company the size of the site is one of the key quote factors. It determines how much work and time finishing the project will take, and how much it will cost.

In a model quote request, a list of subpages is very useful because it helps define the scale of the project.

Importantly, a subpage is not a tab. A subpage always has a unique URL. A single subpage can contain many tabs (for example a news list and a single post).

To understand the planned number of subpages, it is worth making a sitemap. For example like this:

4. Features on the website

This is the second main factor that affects the quote. Every project can assume a completely different set of features.

The graphic below shows the features we implement most often in the projects we deliver:

It lists both general features that can appear on any site (for example multilingual support) and specialist features that only make sense in a given industry (such as apartment mapping for developers).

In the quote request, list every feature you want on the site. A good practice is also to attach a link to a site where that feature has already been implemented.

If you want a unique feature that nobody else on the market has, tell the agency and build the quote request with them from scratch.

That way specialists can suggest what may work in a given situation from the start, so the project can be priced more precisely.

5. Extra services

This group includes every other service that affects the quote for building the site and that you should mention. For example:

• Google search visibility (SEO);
• content preparation (copywriting);
• logo design (for example a brand book) or other graphic elements;
• organising a photo shoot or video materials.

How do you write a quote request? Summary

A model quote request should include the 5 elements below, which make it easier to price the job:

1. A link to your current site (if it exists).
2. A link to direct competitors and the elements worth using as inspiration (focusing on features and site size, not look).
3. A description of the expected site size (number of subpages).
4. A description of the expected features.
5. Every extra service, for example related to graphics, video or copy.