What a custom website engagement typically includes

A starting figure is a floor for a defined scope: homepage, a set of inner templates, copy direction, forms, analytics, and a launch window. It is not an unlimited design studio on retainer.

It typically does not include a custom application, a full brand identity, original photography, or a year of editorial writing. Those are add-ons or separate engagements, and they should be priced that way in the quote.

If two quotes differ by thousands, you are probably not comparing the same pages, the same copy, or the same months of care after launch. Ask for the sitemap, not only the number.