How many questions should a website project questionnaire have?

Enough to make a reliable next-step decision. The 20 questions above provide a thorough starting point, but a first-contact form may need only five to eight. Don't ask clients to make technical decisions they're not qualified to make; use the form to discover what needs discussion.

Should I send it before or after a discovery call?

Usually before, with a few essential questions. A longer follow-up form can come after the call if you need details for the proposal. This keeps the first interaction manageable.

Do I need to ask clients for their budget?

It's useful when you need to determine whether a proposed solution fits their investment range. Explain why you're asking, offer realistic ranges, and allow “Not decided” where appropriate. Budget alone doesn't define the work.

What if the client changes the requirements after I quote?

Treat early responses as discovery information, not an approved statement of work. Confirm requirements in the final proposal, and agree on a change process for additions or revisions after sign-off.

What's the difference between a project questionnaire and a client intake form?

The project questionnaire helps you decide what to build and how to quote it. The client intake form collects the practical information and assets you need as the relationship begins. They can share some questions, but they serve different stages of the project.

Project questionnaire

Website Project Questionnaire: 20 Questions to Ask Before You Quote

A prospect says they need “a simple five-page website.” Does that include copywriting? Online booking? Two languages? Migrating hundreds of blog posts from an old platform? Those details change the work—and the price.

A website project questionnaire helps you identify requirements, assumptions, and missing decisions before you write a proposal. It isn't a substitute for a discovery call; it makes that call more productive.

Create a website project questionnaire

Field types that match the question

Short text, long text, multiple choice, checklist, link, date and file upload — each question gets an answer shaped the way it should be, not a blank text box.

Mark what's essential

Required questions can't be skipped; exploratory ones stay optional, so a prospect isn't blocked on something they genuinely don't know yet.

See what's still missing

Your prospect responds without registering, and you can see exactly what's been answered and what's outstanding.

What should a website project questionnaire cover?

A useful pre-quote questionnaire should establish five things: why the website is being built, what it needs to include, who will supply the content, what constraints affect delivery, and who approves the work. If an answer won't affect your quote, scope, or process, you probably don't need it at this stage.

20 website discovery questions to ask clients

Business goals and audience

1
Why are you creating or replacing this website now?Long text
A new business, an outdated platform, falling enquiries, and a rebrand all suggest different starting points.
2
Who is the website's primary audience?Long text
Ask the client to describe the people they want to reach, not just list an industry or demographic.
3
What is the single most important action visitors should take?Multiple choice
Examples: Enquire; Book; Buy; Request a quote; Sign up; Find a location.
4
How will you decide whether the new website is successful?Long text
A specific outcome—more qualified enquiries, fewer support questions, better mobile usability—is more actionable than “a modern design.”

Pages, features, and scope

1
Which pages or content sections do you need at launch?Checklist
Offer typical pages, plus “Other” and “Not sure.” Ask whether the proposed page count includes individual service or product pages.
2
Which features must work on day one?Checklist
Examples: Contact forms; Appointment booking; E-commerce; CMS/blog; Search; User accounts; Multilingual pages; None of these.
3
Are we replacing an existing website, and what needs to be carried over?Long text
Existing URLs, content, images, customer records, and SEO considerations can turn a redesign into a migration project.
4
Does the website need to connect to other tools or services?Long text
Ask for the names of booking, CRM, email, payment, analytics, or other systems—not access credentials.

Design and content responsibilities

1
Do you have an existing visual identity or brand guidelines?Multiple choice
Possible answers: Complete brand kit; Logo and colours only; Nothing yet; Rebrand needed.
2
Are there websites whose design or user experience you admire?Long text
Ask for links and specific reasons, such as navigation, layout, tone, or photography.
3
Who will write, edit, and approve the website copy?Multiple choice
Distinguish between client-supplied copy, your team's copywriting, and content that still needs to be commissioned.
4
Who will provide images, video, product information, and other assets?Long text
A missing photo library or product catalogue can have significant cost and scheduling implications.

Technical needs and delivery

1
Do you already have a domain, hosting, and an existing website platform?Multiple choice / short text
Find out what is already in place and what the project must provide.
2
Who needs to update the website after launch, and how often?Long text
This helps you judge whether the client needs a CMS, training, or an ongoing maintenance arrangement.
3
Are there legal, accessibility, privacy, or organisational requirements we should plan for?Long text
Examples could include multilingual policies, consent requirements, internal security reviews, or accessibility standards. Ask what requirements apply; don't assume.
4
What is your ideal launch date, and is it tied to a fixed event?Date + text
A preferred date is different from a non-negotiable trade show or campaign deadline.

Budget, approval, and support

1
What budget range have you allocated for this project?Multiple choice
Use realistic ranges for the type of work you offer, plus “Not decided.” Explain that the answer helps you recommend a suitable scope, not automatically set the price.
2
Who will review the proposal and approve the project?Short text
Identify the final decision-maker early so your proposal reaches the people responsible for signing off.
3
Who will provide design and content feedback, and how will approvals work?Long text
A project with one approver works differently from one reviewed by multiple departments.
4
What support will you need after launch?Checklist
Examples: Training; Maintenance; Hosting management; Content updates; Analytics reporting; No ongoing support; Not sure.

What answers should change your quote?

A questionnaire is valuable only if you use the answers to shape the proposal. Here are a few common scope differences:

Client answer	What to clarify before quoting
“Five pages, with content ready.”	Is the copy approved? Are images and translations included?
“We want customers to book online.”	Booking provider, payment needs, staff calendars, cancellation rules, and testing.
“We need two languages.”	Who supplies translations, who approves them, and which pages need localisation?
“We want to keep our Google rankings.”	Current URLs, redirects, migration scope, content changes, and SEO responsibilities.
“Our team will update the site.”	Editing permissions, CMS requirements, training, and support after launch.

For example, two clients may both ask for a five-page site. One has approved copy and needs a straightforward brochure site. The other needs booking, a second language, new photography, and content migration. The page count may match, but the projects should not receive the same quote.

How to turn responses into a clear proposal

Use the questionnaire to write down the following before you commit to a price:

1
Deliverables
Pages, components, features, integrations, and launch tasks included.
2
Content ownership
Who supplies copy, imagery, branding, translations, and approvals.
3
Assumptions
What you're expecting the client to have ready and when.
4
Exclusions
Work that isn't included, such as a new brand identity or extensive data migration unless specifically quoted.
5
Milestones
Review dates, feedback windows, and any hard deadline.
6
Ongoing work
What happens after launch, including hosting, maintenance, and training.

If a response is ambiguous, ask a follow-up question. Avoid using silence as an assumption that the work is included.

When to send the questionnaire

For most freelance projects, send a short version before the discovery call so you can identify likely fit and prepare informed questions. Use the call to explore the answers that affect feasibility or scope. If the project is complex, send a follow-up questionnaire covering the details you need for a fixed-price proposal.

Once the scope is agreed, you can move on to a web design client intake form for onboarding basics and then a website content collection checklist for production files and approved page copy.

Build the questionnaire in WebIntake

You can create the questions in WebIntake with short-text, long-text, multiple-choice, checklist, link, date, and file-upload fields. Mark essential questions as required and leave exploratory questions optional. Start with a template if one fits your process, then edit it for the kind of websites you build.

Send your prospect a single link. They can respond without registering, and you can review what has been supplied and what remains outstanding. Automatic reminders for incomplete requests are available on eligible paid plans.

Weighing WebIntake against other options? See the client intake software comparison against Content Snare, Jotform, Google Forms and Dubsado.

Create your project questionnaire for free

Frequently asked questions

Know what you're quoting before you commit

A good questionnaire doesn't eliminate every surprise. It reveals the questions worth asking while changes are still cheap and expectations can still be aligned.

Build your website project questionnaire