Terms & Conditions
Effective date: 6 April 2026
Website Technical Support & Additional Work
1. Purpose of this policy
This policy explains how additional website work, technical support, troubleshooting and development services are charged when they fall outside an existing website hosting or maintenance agreement.
The aim is to provide a clear and transparent approach to additional work, ensuring clients understand the costs involved before work commences.
2. Hourly rates
The standard hourly rate for additional website work and technical support is:
£40.00 per hour + VAT
This rate applies to services including, but not limited to:
- – WordPress and WooCommerce troubleshooting.
- – Investigating website errors and technical problems.
- – Plugin and theme configuration.
- – Website functionality amendments.
- – WooCommerce product, payment and shipping configuration.
- – Third-party integrations and API configuration.
- – General website administration and technical assistance.
- – Researching and resolving compatibility issues.
More complex bespoke development or specialist work may be subject to a different rate. Any alternative rate will be agreed with the client before work begins.
3. Minimum charges and billing increments
To ensure time spent on even relatively small tasks is accounted for fairly, the following charging structure applies:
– A minimum charge of **30 minutes** applies to each support request.
– Following the initial 30 minutes, additional time is charged in **15-minute increments**.
– Time is calculated based on the actual time spent working on the request, including investigation, testing and implementation.
For example:
Time Spent | Charge excl. VAT |
Up to 30 minutes | £20.00 |
45 mins | £30.00 |
1 hour | £40.00 |
1 hour 30 mins | £60.00 |
1 hour 45 mins | £70.00 |
2 hours | £80.00 |
4. Estimates and authorisation
Where possible, an estimated time requirement or cost will be provided before work commences.
Estimates are provided as a guide and are not guaranteed fixed-price quotations unless expressly agreed in writing.
If it becomes apparent that additional time will be required beyond the original estimate, the client will be contacted and approval obtained before proceeding with the additional work.
No significant additional work will be undertaken without the client’s authorisation.
5. What is included in chargeable time?
Chargeable time includes all reasonable work necessary to investigate, diagnose, test and resolve the reported issue.
This may include:
- – Reviewing website settings and configurations.
- – Investigating plugin or theme behaviour.
- – Reviewing error logs and technical information.
- – Contacting third-party plugin or service providers where necessary.
- – Testing potential solutions.
- – Implementing changes and checking the results.
- – Communicating technical findings and recommendations.
Time spent investigating an issue is chargeable even where the investigation does not result in a successful resolution, provided the work has been authorised.
6. Maintenance packages
Existing website maintenance packages cover only the services specifically included in the relevant maintenance agreement.
For example, a basic maintenance package may include:
- – WordPress core updates.
- – Plugin updates.
- – Routine website upkeep.
Unless expressly included in a maintenance agreement, the following are excluded:
- – Investigating and resolving website errors.
- – Troubleshooting plugin or theme conflicts.
- – WooCommerce configuration and amendments.
- – New functionality or development.
- – Changes to website design or layout.
- – Third-party service configuration.
- – General technical consultancy.
7. Third-party costs
Any additional costs associated with third-party services, plugins, software licences, hosting upgrades or external providers are not included in the hourly rate.
Where applicable, these costs will be discussed with the client and authorised before being incurred.
8. Invoicing and payment
Additional work will be invoiced separately from any existing hosting or maintenance charges unless otherwise agreed.
Invoices will show the time spent, the applicable hourly rate and any applicable VAT.
Payment is due within the payment period stated on the invoice.
9. Client responsibilities
To help ensure work is completed efficiently, clients are expected to:
- – Provide accurate information about the issue or requested work.
- – Supply any necessary access credentials or permissions.
- – Provide relevant information from third-party providers where required.
- – Respond to reasonable requests for clarification or approval.
- – Maintain appropriate backups of their website and associated data.
- Delays caused by missing information, unavailable access or third-party providers may affect the time required to complete the work.
10. No guarantee of resolution
While every reasonable effort will be made to resolve reported issues, some problems may be caused by third-party software, hosting environments, external services or circumstances outside our control.
We cannot guarantee that every issue can be resolved.
Where an issue cannot be resolved, the client will be informed of the findings and any recommended next steps. Time spent on authorised investigation and troubleshooting remains chargeable.
11. Acceptance of terms
By requesting and authorising additional website work or technical support, the client acknowledges and accepts the terms outlined in this policy.
The applicable hourly rate and any estimated costs will be communicated before work commences.
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**Website Technical Support & Additional Work Policy**
These terms apply to additional services provided outside the scope of an existing website build, hosting or maintenance agreement. Where a separate written agreement exists, its specific terms will take precedence where applicable.