A website development contract turns verbal "we'll make it pretty and fast" into obligations: what the vendor builds, when, for how much, and what you receive. For SMBs without in-house legal, what matters is not all 40 pages of a template but 10–15 clauses that prevent common fights: endless revisions, missing access, "that's not the site we agreed on".
Practical SMB guide only — not a substitute for legal advice on your case.
NUGU is a digital agency in Sochi; we work with sole props and companies across Russia. Below: what to check before signing and how it ties to the brief and choosing a vendor.
Subject of the contract
Must be clear:
- product type — landing, service site, store, redesign;
- reference to appendix — spec, estimate, page and feature list;
- exclusions — copy, photos, domain, ads, SEO beyond base.
"Website development" with no appendix is a red flag. Update the appendix from the brief before signing.
Timelines and stages
Document:
| Stage | Deliverable | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype / structure | Approved scheme | date |
| Design | Key page mockups | date |
| Build | Staging on test URL | date |
| Content | Copy on staging | date |
| Launch | Live on domain | date |
State who supplies materials — delays often come from late client copy and photos. Normal if the contract says so.
Payment
Typical SMB patterns:
- 50 / 50 — advance and final after acceptance;
- 30 / 40 / 30 — start, after design, after launch;
- by stage — good for long projects.
Check: currency and VAT, bank details, invoice terms, client delay rules, pause rights.
Revisions and acceptance
- Revision rounds for design and build (e.g. 2 rounds on mockups).
- Revision vs new scope — new section = change order.
- Acceptance criteria — matches appendix, forms work, responsive, baseline speed.
- Defect window — often 5–10 business days after staging handoff.
- Silent acceptance — if no defect list in N days, work deemed accepted.
Accept using a checklist, not "looks fine on laptop".
Rights and source files
Core section — see website rights and source files. Contract should state:
- exclusive rights (or license) on commissioned design, build, copy — after full payment;
- source handoff — Figma, code, repo or archive;
- access — hosting, CMS, domain on client account;
- exceptions — stock, fonts, CMS licenses, restricted modules.
NUGU policy: materials and rights stay with the client after payment — no "site only works with us".
Warranty and support
Clarify:
- warranty period for technical bugs (often 1–3 months);
- excluded — new features, content changes, breach from weak client passwords;
- retainer — separate agreement if needed.
Liability and termination
- realistic delay penalties both ways;
- on termination: paid stages, interim material transfer;
- confidentiality and personal data if forms collect PII.
Pre-sign checklist
- Appendix with pages and features attached.
- Deadlines tied to stages.
- Payment and invoices clear for accounting.
- Revision rounds capped.
- Rights and sources after payment — explicit.
- Domain and hosting on your account or will transfer.
- Named contact on both sides.
Typical client mistakes
- Sign without spec "because urgent".
- Skip form and notification tests before acceptance.
- Accept without mobile test.
- No source clause — cannot change vendor later.
- Dispute design when references were not in appendix.
How NUGU structures projects
After brief — scoped estimate, contract, payment stages, staging for acceptance, access and sources after final payment. We do turnkey websites from structure through Metrica.
Request a proposal via contacts — scope attached to the contract before kickoff, no surprises at the finish line.
A website contract is not paperwork for accounting. It is how the project ends in a launch, not a messenger thread six months later.