Yes, a thousand times yes! Always have a contract prepared and have it signed by both parties before starting a project. The contract should detail the budget, the project scope of work, and a detailed timeline with all estimated feedback times from the client.

The contract should include all the necessary legal details that protect and benefit both you and the client (even after the project is completed) regarding nondisclosure agreements, ownership, handover processes, as well as copyright issues related to images, typography, and other resources used in the website. The contract should be friendly while including all essential details to keep both parties accountable, show commitment, and ensure the project is successful and finished on time.

As a professional, you should have a contract template ready for your services. You can make the process of signing the contract more friendly by including only the legal terms and conditions in your contract and referring to your proposal, which you sent to the client prior to the contract. That way, your proposal—which includes the important project details clients actually care about, such as budget, timeline, and deliverables—combined with your legal contract, forms a sort of two-part contract. This makes it easier to digest and understand from the client’s point of view.

I would suggest listening to podcast episode #254 of Web Design Business with Josh Hall—”The Legal Side of Web Design” with Ann Koppuzha—where they discuss contracts for web design projects, what should be included, and more legal insights for web design businesses. Despite covering legal topics, the episode is easy to understand, light, and friendly: