Here is a comprehensive Website Design Contract Template that can help any IT Service Provider to prepare a professional website design contract while delivering services. A Website Design Project requires careful planning and accurate scope of the project to deliver expected results in a timely fashion. It is a very common reason for the failure of the project if the scope is not finalized or agreed upon at the start of the project. When both parties are on different pages as far as what is being delivered, probability says a failure is ahead.
Whether you are a web designer or graphic designer, you always work for a client which means you have to deal with a number of different people on regular basis. If you are working on more than one project, it’s possible that unconsciously you neglect one client or give priority to another. This will make the clients angry and unsatisfied with the services you are providing and it may result in losing clientele. To avoid those kinds of situations, when a client hires a designer for a project, they both need to prepare and sign a designer contract. This is a legal document that states that the client has hired you for the stated services and you are bound to provide those services and deliver the finished project within the time limit provided by the client.
Here is a preview of this Website Design Contract Template created using MS Word,
Essential elements of a Web Design Contract:
- Non-partnership clause:
this helps to clarify that although you are doing this project together you are not going into a partnership. It’s not uncommon that sometimes your client can refuse to pay as he will say that you agreed to work continuously with him or her and that’s the time when this contract comes in handy as it proves that you just did this one project together and you are not partners in any way. - Standard indemnification clause:
it’s important for the designer to add this section in the agreement as if any of his clients publish any news on his behalf whether it’s true or false, he will not be considered accused of it. On the client’s side, this clause bounds the designer to deliver the project on time. - An exclusivity clause:
if your client wants you to only work on his or her project and not to do any of his competitor’s projects, this clause bounds the designer to only work on a single client’s project at once. This clause is especially helpful for the client as with this section he bounds the designer to dedicate himself only to one client. - A force majeure clause:
what if the client meets an accident and dies or what if the designer’s studio catches fire and that burns everything and every lead in the project? This clause helps to negotiate at those times when something uncertain like the above-mentioned situation happens.
How to prepare a Design Contract:
- As a designer working on more than one project at once means during that time, one client may think that you have neglected him. That’s why it’s essential that you give a timeframe for the completion of the project. This on one hand satisfies the client that you are working on his project although you are not in touch with him and on the other hand, it keeps the designer on track to deliver the project on time.
- Which designer will work on a project without getting money in return? This is why it’s important that you mention the financial expenses in the contract it’s not necessary to give an exact amount but you can provide an estimated figure which you both can negotiate later when the project is about to complete.
- If the designer is allowed to make a few changes to the project, it should be mentioned here. This section clears the boundary and decision power of the designer. Some clients want to approve every change in the project by themselves whereas others just trust the designer and don’t want to be bothered by tiny changes or amendments.
- If the client wants to keep the project hidden until it’s finished and launched in the market by him, it’s essential to add this section to the contract. Every designer wants to show the projects he is working on in his portfolio and that may violate the confidentiality of the contract so it’s better to clear it in the beginning.
- Discussing the warranties is also very important as you may ask to fix a problem or error once you have delivered the project to the client. This section makes it clear if you will be responsible for the faults that happened after you have delivered the project or not.
- It’s not uncommon that a client or even the designer to violate any of the contract’s clauses and that can result in a serious mess. So it’s important to notify both parties what kind of violation will result in the termination of the agreement and what will happen to the accused.
- In the end, both parties are required to sign at the bottom of the contract along with their thumb impressions. This makes it legal and authenticated and by doing this both the client and designer agree to obey the rules and regulations discussed above.
Here is the download link for this Website Design Contract Template,