A web design invoice has two failure modes on the money side: a fixed price with no revision limit, and recurring costs the client did not realise were recurring. Both are billing problems, not delivery problems.
A web design invoice bills milestones, not hours
Tie each payment to something the client can see:
| Milestone | Typical share |
|---|---|
| Deposit on acceptance | A third |
| Design approved | A third |
| Build complete, on staging | Remainder less final |
| Site live and handed over | Final payment |
Invoicing monthly against hours on a fixed-price project invites a conversation about how the hours were spent. Invoicing against approved milestones does not, because the client already signed off the thing they are paying for.
Revisions are the scope
Name a number on the quotation. Two rounds of revisions at design stage, one after build. Beyond that, an hourly rate stated up front.
Without a stated limit, revisions are unlimited by default, and the client is not being unreasonable in assuming so. Most scope disputes on web work trace back to this single omission.
Separate the once-off from the recurring
- Once-off: design, build, content loading, migration, training
- Recurring: hosting, domain renewal, SSL, maintenance, backups, support retainer
- Usage-based: email seats, third-party services, licences billed per user
Put the recurring items on their own quotation and their own recurring invoice, with the annual cost stated in rands. A client who discovers a hosting invoice eleven months after launch will treat it as a surprise even if it was in your original document, unless it was unmistakable.
Handover, and what happens after
State on the quotation what the client receives at handover and what remains yours. Domain and hosting account ownership, source files, admin credentials, and any licensed components with their own terms. Disputes at the end of a project are almost always about access rather than money.
Exclusions
Content writing and photography, third-party plugin or theme licences, stock imagery, ongoing SEO, email hosting, and anything dependent on a client-supplied asset that has not arrived. Add a clause about project delays caused by outstanding content, because that is the most common reason a fixed-price project runs into a second quarter.
Common questions
Should I invoice a deposit before starting?
Yes. It is the point at which a project becomes real for both sides.
How do I handle a client who keeps adding scope?
Quote each addition separately, before doing it. A small quotation takes ten minutes and removes the argument.
Should hosting be billed annually or monthly?
Annually is simpler to administer. Monthly is easier for the client to absorb. Either works if the recurring nature is unmistakable.
Bill milestones as they complete, and set hosting up as a recurring invoice.
Create your invoiceDisclaimer: This content is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Always confirm important requirements with SARS, the relevant authority or a qualified professional.
