How to write a project brief that gets you an accurate quote

Two developers can quote the same project and be several times apart. Usually, that is not because one of them is expensive. It is because each imagined a different platform from the same short message. A clear brief fixes that, and it takes less than an hour to write.

What to include

1. What the platform is for

One or two sentences: who it serves and the problem it solves. “A marketplace where homeowners in Lyon hire verified cleaners” says more than a page of features.

2. Who uses it

List every type of user, such as buyers, sellers, admins, teachers or students, and what each one can do.

3. The main journey

Walk through the most important path from start to finish: sign up, find, order, pay, receive, review.

4. Must-haves and later

Split features into what you need on launch day and what can wait. This single list has the biggest effect on the price.

5. Payments

Who pays whom, when, and how much you keep. Mention escrow, subscriptions or instalments if you need them.

6. Content and languages

Which languages the platform needs, and who writes the text, photos and emails.

7. Connections

Any outside systems: payment providers, calendars, email tools or data feeds.

8. Examples

Two or three sites you like, and what you like about each one.

9. Budget and deadline

A range is fine. It lets a developer suggest what fits instead of guessing.

A short template you can copy

What happens next

With a brief like this, I can send a build plan with modules, a timeline and a quote. You can also get a first range yourself with the estimate on this site.

Ready to share your brief? Send it here and I will reply with a plan and a quote.