TL;DR
Packages usually come in basic, standard and full tiers. The items that bring customers are service pages, SEO setup, AI-search readiness, lead capture with tracking, and speed. Get the out-of-scope list and the ownership terms in writing. A Verlua build runs $2,500 – $5,000 one-time, or $2,500/mo for launch months and $1,500/mo after.
This guide is about what goes into a package. If you want prices first, see what a website costs in Sacramento or the national website cost guide. If you are comparing agency tiers side by side, our website design packages and pricing page lists ours.
What Does a Website Design Package Include?
Most website design packages include design, a set number of pages, mobile layouts, basic SEO setup, a contact form and launch. The tiers differ in how many pages you get, how custom the design is, and whether SEO, AI-search readiness and call tracking are built in or left out. Package names vary by agency; this is how the tiers usually split.
| Deliverable | Basic | Standard | Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pages | Home, about, contact and one services page | A page for each main service | A page for each service and each town you serve |
| Design | Template with your logo and colors | Custom layouts for your key pages | Custom design system across the whole site |
| Mobile | Responsive template | Tested on phones and tablets | Built and tested phone-first |
| SEO setup | Titles and descriptions | Plus sitemap, Search Console and internal links | Plus schema markup and a Google Business Profile tied to the right pages |
| AI-search readiness | Rarely included | Sometimes: crawlable text, FAQ sections | AI crawler access, answer-first pages, FAQ schema, llms.txt |
| Lead capture | One contact form | Quote form and click-to-call on every page | Plus booking or a multi-step estimate form |
| Call and form tracking | Not included | Form tracking | Tracked calls and forms by page and source |
| Editing | Ask the designer | A CMS for text and images | A CMS plus training and documentation |
Typical split based on the packages we see local businesses compare. Read each quote's own list; the tier name tells you little.
A basic package can be the right call for a brand-new business that needs a credible page fast. If you want the site to bring in calls from Google, the standard tier is the floor, because one services page can't rank for ten different jobs.
Which Parts of a Website Package Actually Bring in Customers?
Six items do most of the work: a page for each service, SEO setup, AI-search readiness, lead capture on every page, call and form tracking, and speed on a phone. Everything else is presentation. When two quotes differ in price, check these six first, because they decide whether the site produces inquiries or just looks good.
| Brings customers | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A page for each service | People search for the job, not your company name. A roof repair page can rank for roof repair; a single services page rarely ranks for anything. |
| SEO setup | Titles, descriptions, a sitemap and Search Console are the minimum for Google to find and understand your pages. |
| AI-search readiness | Some buyers now ask ChatGPT or read a Google AI Overview before they click anything. Pages need readable text and direct answers to be quoted. |
| Lead capture on every page | A visitor should never scroll to find the phone number. Click-to-call and a short quote form on every page. |
| Call and form tracking | Without it you can’t tell which pages bring inquiries, so you can’t tell whether the site is paying for itself. |
| Speed on a phone | A slow mobile page loses the visitor before your offer loads. |
Nice to have, not essential
- Animations and video backgrounds: They can look good, but they rarely change how many people call, and heavy ones slow the page.
- Custom illustrations or icons: Worth it for a brand that sells on look. For most service businesses, real job photos do more.
- A blog on day one: Useful later. Service pages come first; an empty blog with two posts helps no one.
- Unlimited revisions: Sounds safe, but a clear brief and two structured rounds usually get a better site faster.
A cheaper quote that drops the service pages or the tracking is not cheaper in practice. A site that produces no calls costs the full price and returns nothing. Our website design services start from these six and add the presentation on top.
Want a site built around those six? See how we build websites that bring in calls and quote requests.
What Is Usually Billed Separately From a Website Package?
Copywriting, professional photos, hosting after year one, maintenance and SEO after launch are the items most often left out of a website package. Integrations such as booking software or a CRM, and extra revision rounds, are common add-ons too. None of that is a problem if the quote says so. Surprises are the problem.
| Item | Why it's often separate | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Copywriting | Writing every page takes real time, and many packages assume you supply the text. | Who writes the service pages, and is that in the price? |
| Photos | Professional photography is a separate trade. Stock photos are often included instead. | Can you use my job photos, and who edits them? |
| Hosting | Some packages include the first year; most bill hosting monthly or yearly after launch. | What does hosting cost after year one, and whose account is it in? |
| Domain | Usually renewed yearly at the registrar. | Is the domain registered in my name? |
| Maintenance | Updates, backups, security and small edits after launch. | What is the monthly cost, and what counts as a small edit? |
| SEO after launch | New pages, reviews, profile work and reporting are ongoing work, not a one-time setup. | What exactly happens each month, and how is it reported? |
| Integrations | Booking tools, CRMs and payment systems each need setup and testing. | Which integrations are included, and what does each extra one cost? |
Copy is the one people underestimate most. A designer can make a page look right, but the words on it decide whether Google matches it to a search and whether a visitor calls. If you're writing it yourself, start with the service pages, then the home page.
Who Owns the Website, Domain and Code?
You should own all of it: the domain registered in your name, admin access to the site and hosting, and your own Google Business Profile, Search Console and analytics accounts. If the agency holds any of these in its name, leaving later gets expensive or impossible. Ask before you sign, and get the answer in writing.
- Domain: registered to you, at a registrar where you have the login.
- Website and code: admin access, and a copy of the code or an export if the site is custom-built.
- Hosting: in your account, or a clear process to move it to yours.
- Google accounts: Business Profile, Search Console and Analytics owned by you, with the agency added as a manager.
- Templates and plugins: licenses in your name, or a note on which ones stop working if you leave.
Google's own guide to hiring an SEO warns site owners about shadow domains and says to be careful with any company that is secretive or won't clearly explain what it intends to do. The same caution applies to web designers: if you can't get a straight answer on ownership, that is your answer.
What Should You Ask Before Buying a Website Design Package?
Ask how many service pages you get, who writes the copy, what SEO setup includes, whether calls and forms are tracked, what happens after launch and what it costs, and who owns the domain, code and accounts. The answers tell you more than the package name or the price.
- How many pages are included, and is there a page for each service I sell?
- Who writes the copy, and how many revision rounds are included?
- What SEO setup is included: titles, sitemap, Search Console, schema, Google Business Profile?
- Is the site built to be read and quoted by AI search tools?
- How will I know which pages bring calls and form leads?
- What do hosting and maintenance cost after launch?
- Who owns the domain, the code and the accounts if we part ways?
- Can I see live sites you've built, and their results?
That last one matters. Sacramento Gutter Guard, a site we built and run, went from 60 to 776 Google clicks over the same 12 weeks a year apart (Jul 27–Oct 18, 2025 vs Jul 26–Oct 17, 2026). The Sacramento Gutter Guard case study shows what the site includes. It's one site, not a forecast for yours.
Built to be found and to convert
What does a Verlua website include?
Every Verlua website is built to bring you customers: set up to be found on Google and in AI answers, with a call or quote button on every page and tracking so you see which pages bring inquiries. You own the domain, code and accounts. Builds run $2,500 – $5,000 one-time, or $2,500/mo for launch months.
Found on Google
A page for each service and area you serve, clean titles and descriptions, internal links, schema markup and a Google Business Profile that points to the right pages.
Found in AI answers
Built for ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews (AEO): text AI crawlers can read, crawler access in robots.txt, answer-first pages, FAQ schema and an llms.txt file.
Built to turn visitors into leads
One clear next step on every page: click-to-call, short quote forms or booking, with call and form tracking so you see which pages bring inquiries.
Fast on every phone
Mobile-first and tested on phones, tablets and desktop, because most people searching for a service do it on a phone.
A design that looks like you
A visual identity and layouts shaped around your business and customers, so you look like the obvious choice in the search results.
Yours to own and manage
A CMS your team can update, plus your code, domain, accounts and documentation. No minimum contract.
How Much Does a Website Design Package Cost at Verlua?
A one-time Verlua website build runs $2,500 – $5,000, scoped after discovery. If you prefer monthly billing, launch months run $2,500/mo and usually last 2 months (design, build and SEO setup), then ongoing SEO is $1,500/mo. Billing is month to month, with no minimum contract.
| Option | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| One-time build | $2,500 – $5,000 | A new or rebuilt site on a project invoice, quoted after discovery |
| Launch months | $2,500/mo | Design, build and SEO setup billed monthly, usually for the first 2 months |
| Ongoing SEO | $1,500/mo | New pages, Google Business Profile, reviews and a monthly report after launch |
Exact pricing depends on scope, competition, and timeline. These figures reflect what we typically quote for local service businesses; every engagement is confirmed after a free audit or discovery call.
We build for businesses in Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin and Folsom. If you're local, our Sacramento web design agency page covers how we work in the region. If you're weighing a builder like Wix against hiring someone, see what a Wix website really costs and our DIY builder vs web designer guide. For a single campaign page rather than a full site, landing page pricing works differently.
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Design Packages
What should a website design package include?
At minimum: a page for each service you sell, a mobile-first design, basic SEO setup (titles, descriptions, sitemap, Google Search Console), a clear call or quote button on every page, form and call tracking, and a CMS you can edit. You should also own the domain, the site and every account it runs on.
What is usually not included in a website design package?
Copywriting, professional photos, hosting after the first year, ongoing maintenance and SEO after launch are the items most often billed separately. Integrations like booking software or a CRM, and extra revision rounds, are common add-ons too. Ask for a written list of what is out of scope before you sign.
How much does a website design package cost?
At Verlua, a one-time website build runs $2,500 – $5,000, quoted after discovery. If you prefer monthly billing, launch months run $2,500/mo (design, build and SEO setup), then $1,500/mo for ongoing SEO. No minimum contract.
Who owns the website after it is built?
You should. The domain should be registered in your name, and you should have admin access to the site, hosting, Google Business Profile, Search Console and analytics. Get the ownership terms in writing before the project starts, not when you want to leave.
Do I need SEO if my website package includes SEO setup?
SEO setup makes a site ready to rank: clean structure, titles, schema and a sitemap. Ranking for competitive local searches usually takes ongoing work after launch, like new service and town pages, reviews and Google Business Profile updates. Whether you need it depends on how much of your work you want to come from search.
What is AI-search readiness in a website package?
It means the site is built so ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews can read and quote it: text in the page HTML rather than locked in images or scripts, AI crawlers allowed in robots.txt, answer-first pages and FAQ schema. It makes your pages easier to cite; no one can promise an AI tool will recommend you.
Want a website that brings in customers?
Service pages, SEO and AI-search setup, lead capture with call and form tracking, and a site you own. Builds run $2,500 – $5,000 one-time, or $2,500/mo for launch months. No minimum contract.
Founder & Technical Director
Mark Shvaya runs Verlua, a web design and development studio in Sacramento. He builds and runs websites for local service businesses, from gutter and painting crews to clinics and contractors.
California real estate broker, property manager, and founder of Verlua.
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