Educate me - when building a site/app for someone, how do you set it up and transfer to the client?
I’m actually curious for both a WP built site and a codes side in say… React, for discussions sake.
I’ve always wondered how it’s done 😅 how do you build the site and transfer the domain/code/build over to the client once finished? I’ve heard of devs charging a fee to maintain, in which case they likely hold onto the code and update it based on client requests… but what if the client wants all of the data after?
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For every new project I make a brand new gmail address. Any accounts that need to be made are made with this one instead of having to use my personal or use the clients and connect for any verification codes or 2FA, etc.
Passwords they will need get saved to this account, bookmarks of important URLs, can use the Drive for any assets and files , google sheets or docs etc so I’m not using my personal storage space and having to find everything at the close of the project and change ownership. Then when the project wraps up the account becomes theirs to do with as they please and they know where to find anything they might need in regards to the project.
For maintenance, whether it’s coded or using a CRM like Wordpress I hand everything off and if they want me to continue maintaining , that’s outside the scope of the original contract to build the thing , and becomes a monthly invoice for maintenance and updates. As long as I have an admin account and access to the files , I don’t need to be storing it to maintain it.
I always make the client buy their domain name if they haven't, then add me to manage it so I can mess with DNS..
If I'm hosting/maintaining it I push it live when I get final payment. Then they pay annually based on xyz.
If they want to host it and its a one off job where I turn it over to them, again like domain I make them get hosting and add me as a managing account, then have them remove me after its done. (only after being paid in full)
Sidenote I always recommend to anyone to lease the domain from a different company than hosting...
As with most things…It Depends™
If you're just building it and not hosting/maintaining it, then you give them all the code AFTER THEY PAID IN FULL per the terms of your contract. You do have a contract, right? If not, you need one yesterday. Get one before you go any further. Do you have one? No? Go get one. Have one now? Good! You can now continue reading.
So, like I was saying, if your contract says you're only building and not hosting then you give them the code when you're done and they've paid in full. If they've never hosted a site before you usually add "teach how to do that" to the contract so you get paid to teach them. I suggest having a "this is the host I can teach you to use" then record a video showing how to do it. You can then re-use that video for other clients! Less work, same pay! Yay!
If you're also hosting, then—after they pay you in full—you put the site up! As b1 suggests, you should have them pay for the domain and add you as a manager so you can point the DNS to your hosting provider. Also, be sure that your hosting contract includes a premium on the hosting cost. You're not just hosting, but you're also sys-admin'ing for them! Your time is valuable—get paid for it.
If your ongoing arrangement includes X hours per month of "on-call" then include that in your contract. And usually that's at a discount. Say, 10% to 20% off since you won't be doing all that work every month.
And again, make sure you have a contract for everything! That way both parties know exactly what is expected and what the procedure for cancelation is. You should have one contract for the work done and a seperate contract for the hosting and/or post-support you offer. And if they ask for anything outside the scope-of-work of the contract you offer to write up an amendment to the contract to include the extra work for the appropriate increase in cost to them. You DON'T work for free.
Great addition about the contract. Its absolutely crucial. With every client ive learned something that prompted me to edit/add to/refine my contract template. My very first project was a one page "Design/Development" templste I found while googling. It has since evolved into 7 pages of iron clad agreement and ive been relieved to have the protection on more than one occasion. May be overkill but its better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.
Anything changes in scope of work which then changes the cost and rate, as 13eck says, make an amendment document!
I use docuseal (like docusign but free) and save the Audit Log along with the agreement for my records.
Personally I break up the build contract and the maintenance contract into two , mostly because the maintenance is a billed subscription so we set that up once and they can throw it on autopay. But youll find what works best for you. 13 and b1 have great advice in this thread.