Commissioning a Website from a Freelancer: Costs, Ownership and Maintenance
Published:
Last Updated:
Category: Side Jobs
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
When commissioning a website from a freelancer, plan who updates it, pays recurring charges and handles problems after launch. This guide covers a multi-page business or store website. Supplier selection is addressed separately; here the focus is requirements, cost, ownership and ongoing operation.
Build a page and function inventory
Page or function | Required inputs | Completion check |
|---|---|---|
Home | Audience, business and next action | Visitors can find key information |
Services | Details, prices, conditions and images | Accurate and maintainable content |
Organization or store | Name, address and opening information | Consistent contact details |
Enquiry | Fields, recipients and data handling | Success and failure behavior verified |
News | Editor and approval process | Staff can publish and correct |
Migration | Existing URLs and content | Important destinations remain accounted for |
Page count alone omits writing, photography, forms and migration. Identify assumptions in the initial quote and how scope changes are priced when requirements become definite.
Separate initial and recurring costs
Category | Check |
|---|---|
Initial build | Structure, content, design, implementation and migration |
Subscriptions | Domain, hosting, CMS features and licenses |
Maintenance | Edits, backups, monitoring and incident work |
Later development | New pages, functionality or redesign |
Hypothetical JPY example: a ¥150,000 build plus annual hosting of ¥12,000, domain costs of ¥3,000, licenses of ¥12,000 and maintenance of ¥60,000 totals ¥237,000 in year one. Without additional development, the following year totals ¥87,000. These are illustrative amounts before tax or extras, not market rates or a minimum recommended budget.
Clarify what a maintenance fee includes: response hours, edit volume, emergency contact and restoration work. A monthly charge alone does not establish unlimited updates.
Document ownership and access
Item | Agreement |
|---|---|
Domain | Registrant, renewal notices and transfer on exit |
Hosting and CMS | Owner, payer, administrators and roles |
Code and design | Delivered formats and editing rights |
Images and fonts | License holder, duration and transfer limits |
Backups | Contents, location, timing and restoration owner |
Commissioning a website does not automatically transfer every third-party license or account. Arrange continuity for the business and use appropriate account roles rather than relying solely on a shared password. Obtain practical operating instructions.
Use staged approval
- Approve the inventory, functions, materials and responsibilities.
- Review desktop and mobile content, layout and navigation.
- Test display, input, notifications and editing in the agreed publishing environment.
Have one owner consolidate feedback. Agree what happens when source material is late, requirements change or the project ends early. Check applicable transaction requirements and keep responsibilities and costs in writing.
Launch and migration checks
- Mobile text, menus, links and buttons work.
- Enquiry success, errors and recipient-side receipt are confirmed.
- Contact details, prices, conditions and rights statements are accurate.
- Publishing and canonical settings are reviewed by the responsible person.
- Changed URLs have an agreed redirect and link-update plan.
- Backup, restoration and support procedures are documented.
A redesign alone does not guarantee better search rankings. Inventory important old URLs and content before migration. Likewise, a measurement tag being present is not evidence that intended actions are recorded correctly; have the responsible person verify the agreed events.
An operating handover sheet
Routine editor and instructions: [ ]
Domain and hosting owners and renewal dates: [ ]
Access roles and joiner/leaver process: [ ]
Included support, contact and hours: [ ]
Backup and restoration owner: [ ]
Annual costs and change quotation process: [ ]
Files and access transferred on termination: [ ]
Ask the actual editor to perform an update before handover is considered complete. A maintainable website requires both usable pages and an owner who can keep the information current.
Related guides
- Choosing a freelance web designer
- Commissioning a promotional landing page
- Outsourcing written content
Related Otame4 guides currently link to Japanese pages.
Sources and further checks
Public information checked on September 30, 2026. Some sources are in Japanese; verify current requirements for your situation.
