Web Design Contracts
There are a lot of web designers out there and the majority
of them are sole traders, working alone from home offices. If you’re just starting
out and finding your feet then the chances are you might not have a web design
contract in place. But this is a risky omission.
Why a web designer needs a web design contract
Beginning web designers often shy away from having a web design contract because they don’t want to commit to particular things, because
they’re not sure if they’ll be able to deliver. They may never have tried
creating this or that feature or function, so they don’t want it in writing
that they’re going to put it in.
But not having a contract means that it’s easy for clients
to say that they assumed something would be done, and refuse to pay if it’s not
added in. If everything’s in writing you can point out that a particular
feature wasn’t specifically included. Of course, in most cases you’ll still
ending up doing it to keep the client happy, but when it comes to the crunch at
least you have a leg to stand on.
Why a web design client needs a contract
For pretty much the same reason as the web designer, the
client benefits from having a written contract. That way, they can prove that
an element or feature was included if the web designer is saying the project is
complete, but they don’t believe it is.
What should a web design contract look like?
The good news is that the contract doesn’t have to be very
complicated. Sure, if you can it’s best to get a professional lawyer to create
you something, but people starting out in business rarely have the money to
spend on that kind of thing.
One way is to find free template downloads of contracts that
are available on the web. But you can simply create a word document with a list
of the features that will be included, turn it into a PDF, and email it to the
client. This forms a basic agreement.
Is email communication contractually binding?
Remember that email communications can form the basis of a
contract or contract amendment, but only if you can prove that both parties
have seen and agreed the details. In other words, if you send information to
the other party but s/he never replies to that specifically, it is not legally
binding. But if they reply to the email and confirm agreement, then it is.
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