What Should a Website Build Contract Include?
A good website build contract writes down the scope of work, the price and payment schedule, the timeline, and who owns the site and the texts after handover. In Bulgaria, transferring exclusive copyright over the design and code requires an explicit written clause, not a general sentence about "all rights." This is not legal advice: for the exact wording of the contract, ask a lawyer.
What should the contract say about scope of work?
Scope is the point most disputes circle back to. A guide by HubSpot on web design contracts states that "the scope of work is a key element in any service contract... specifies what the designer is agreeing to provide, as well as what's not included." A guide by Slider Revolution frames the risk of skipping it directly: "to work without such a scope can be dangerous. The client might ask you to start performing services or adding features that you did not sign up for."
In practice, scope lists page count, languages, who writes the text and who supplies photos. It also lists which features are in the price and which are not. A website build with us writes down exactly these points before work starts, not as an estimate after the fact.
What should the contract say about price and payment schedule?
HubSpot describes a common payment model: a 50 percent deposit at signing, 25 percent at design approval, and 25 percent at delivery, with larger projects sometimes broken into more steps. The contract should state exactly when each instalment is due and what happens on late payment. One example is a daily late fee after a short grace period, up to a stated cap.
Third-party costs belong here too. Per HubSpot, the contract should clarify who pays for hosting, the domain, paid plugins and subscriptions after launch. That way, it does not become a dispute after the fact.
What should the contract say about ownership and copyright?
Ownership is the point where a website contract most easily drifts from what the client expects. Slider Revolution puts the question directly: the contract should say "who will take ownership of the project when your products are delivered. Usually, the client will do so after the completion of all payments."
In Bulgaria, payment alone is not enough by law. The Law on Copyright and Related Rights, Article 36, paragraph 4, states explicitly: "the assignment of an exclusive right under paragraph 2 is carried out explicitly and in writing." Without that form, only a non-exclusive right is presumed to have been granted. In plain terms, exclusive rights over the design, text or code do not pass to the client automatically just because the invoice is paid. The contract must explicitly and in writing transfer it, or it stays with the author. The ownership clause deserves its own clear paragraph for this reason, not one line at the end.
What should the contract say about revisions and scope after launch?
Slider Revolution recommends the contract define "what constitutes minor or major revisions to avoid endless cycles of changes." HubSpot adds a practical rule: typically two to three rounds of revisions per phase, with a clear price for any round beyond that, because "scope creep can kill a project" without such a limit.
The contract should also state how many days the client has to review and approve each phase. Silence with no deadline stalls a project just as surely as a dispute does.
What should the contract say about termination?
Both sources recommend a termination clause stating the conditions under which either party can exit, and what is owed to the other in that case. Slider Revolution describes the purpose directly: the clause "provides exit strategies with clear implications if either party needs to withdraw." HubSpot adds that a termination dispute often moves faster and more cheaply through mediation or arbitration than through court.
Questions
Is a verbal agreement enough instead of a written contract?
For an ordinary commission, the law does not require a written form, but a written contract protects both sides with proof of exactly what was agreed. For transferring exclusive copyright, the law requires a written form explicitly, Article 36, paragraph 4 of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights.
Who writes the actual contract text?
The list above states which points to include and why. The legally binding text itself should be written by a lawyer familiar with Bulgarian law; this article is not a substitute for that review.
Do font and stock photo licenses transfer automatically to the client?
Not automatically. Per TealMarketingLLC, a stock image typically stays owned by the photographer or the licensing company. It does not become the client's just because the website work has been paid for. Every asset on the site should have clearly defined usage rights. The contract should explicitly state how software licenses and other third-party tools are handled.
Sources
- How much does a website cost?Three price guides from European web firms point to EUR 800 to 8,000 for a small business website, with wider ranges for online shops. See what moves the price.
- Do you need an accessibility statement?Since 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act requires a written statement from service providers such as e-commerce sellers. What it must actually say.
- Freelancer or Agency for a Website: What's the Difference?A freelancer usually costs 30 to 50% less due to lower overhead, but an agency brings a cross-discipline team and more reliable continuity on a long project.
Next step
The decision we sign at step two covers these points.
A website build with us writes down the scope, the price and the acceptance test in writing before you pay the last instalment. For the contract itself, with legal force, we recommend a lawyer.
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