Website requirements checklist for an aesthetic and cosmetic clinic in New York before asking for quotes (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

An aesthetic clinic in New York that sends agencies a one-line brief gets quotes ranging from $8,000 to $45,000 that cannot be compared. A two-page requirements checklist (pages, content owners, compliance sign-off, integrations listed one by one, WCAG 2.2 AA, form rules, ownership, acceptance criteria) narrows that spread and shows what each provider leaves out. Write it before the first call, then score every reply on the same grid.

What goes into the checklist?

Copy this list into a shared document, fill in each line and attach it to every quote request. Each line answers a question an agency would otherwise guess.

• Goals and audiences: how many consultation requests per month you can handle, the patients you serve (Upper East Side residents, Midtown professionals, SoHo or Tribeca clientele, out-of-state visitors) and the two or three treatment categories to explain first.
• Page list and templates: list every page, then group them into templates (home, treatment category, treatment detail, practitioner profile, pricing guidance, contact). Fewer templates means a lower and more precise quote.
• Content ownership: who writes, who reviews medically, who signs off on compliance. Practitioner titles and who may perform each service are governed by New York State professional rules; the clinic confirms wording with its own adviser.
• Advertising guardrails: no promised results, no before/after shown as a guarantee, testimonials only with written patient consent, no promotion of prescription drugs (FDA rules restrict it): describe treatment categories in general terms and keep brand names off marketing pages.
• Languages: English only, or English plus Spanish, Mandarin or Russian depending on your neighborhood. Each extra language is a line in the quote.
• Integrations, one line each: online booking, deposits or payment, consultation photo upload, clinic software, CRM, email marketing, review feed. Ask for a separate price for each; complex ones are priced on quote.
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA, stated as a requirement with a test method (automated scan plus keyboard and screen reader checks). ADA Title III website claims are frequent in New York.
• Forms and data: forms collect name, contact details, treatment of interest and preferred time. No medical history and no photos in open forms. Whether HIPAA applies depends on whether the clinic is a covered entity; your adviser decides, and the brief simply says "no health data in public forms".
• Email: sign-up with explicit opt-in and an unsubscribe link in every send (CAN-SPAM).
• Ownership: domain, hosting, analytics and Search Console registered in the clinic's name, with admin access handed over at launch.
• SEO migration (if a site exists): full URL inventory, a 301 redirect map approved before launch, Search Console monitored for 6 weeks.
• Acceptance criteria: mobile performance target, accessibility report, every form tested, redirects tested, content approved in writing.
• Timeline and budget range: a launch window and a budget band (for example $5,000 to $15,000). Sharing the band is the fastest way to get honest proposals.

This is not legal advice.

How does a precise brief change the quotes?

These ranges reflect typical Manhattan agency quotes, not a survey.

How do you compare three quotes fairly?

Score each criterion from 1 to 5, then multiply by the weight.

A cheap quote that skips accessibility or migration usually costs more later.

How does the Kolonell grid map to the checklist?

Kolonell publishes a fixed international grid: Starter $2,900, Growth $4,900, Premium $8,900. Each tier includes a project manager reachable on New York time, native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support. Details are on the international offer page.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Maya Ortiz runs Halden Aesthetics, a fictional Upper East Side clinic with three practitioners. First round with a one-line brief: quotes of $9,500, $18,000 and $31,000, a $21,500 spread, with no way to tell what each one covered.

She spends 6 hours on the checklist: 12 pages, 5 templates, English only, existing booking tool embedded, no photos in forms, WCAG 2.2 AA, domain in the clinic's name. Second round: two local agencies at $11,500 and $14,000 (spread down to $2,500) and Kolonell Growth at $4,900, with the booking embed priced separately on quote. Adding a local photographer (third-party cost, $1,200), the Growth project reaches $6,100 before the booking line. Maya can finally compare identical scopes line by line.

FAQ

How long should the checklist be?

Two to three pages cover the 13 lines above. Allow 4 to 6 hours of writing, plus a review by whoever signs off on compliance.

Should we share our budget?

Yes, as a band, for example $5,000 to $15,000. Agencies then fit the scope instead of padding options.

Can the public site collect patient photos?

Not through an open form. If photos are needed before a consultation, ask for a separate secure channel priced on quote, often $2,000 to $8,000 at local agencies.

Does WCAG 2.2 AA cost extra?

Some agencies bill it at $1,500 to $6,000 as a separate line, others include it. Require it in the checklist so every quote prices it.

What if our current site already ranks well?

Require a URL inventory, a 301 redirect map and 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring. For 85 URLs, the inventory usually takes 1 to 2 days.

To get a line-by-line answer on your own checklist, request a free quote.

Let's scope your project. Send us your checklist and we will price every line, from Growth at $4,900 to integrations on quote, on a 3 to 4 week timeline. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.