You want to have a website built and you already have a developer in mind. Make the process easier for both you and your developer by providing them with a clear website requirement.

Step 1: Give them an overview. The developer could work better if they know:

1. Who are the target users or the website?
2. Who owns the website?
3. What is the nature of the website?
4. What is the goal of the website?
5. When is the possible deadline of completion?
6. Is it monetized by advertisement or another method?

Step 2: Provide work procedures and technological requirements

A website could be built from scratch or by use of CMS.  For website opting to work using existing CMS, this part should state:

1. The CMS of choice(WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc)
2. Framework of choice
3. Plug-ins required
4. Webhost

For websites to be built from scratch this part should state:

1. Webhost
2. FTP client
3. Framework of choice

Step 3:  State the “General Terms”

This is where the terms of how the work will go must be discussed.  If you want your website to be done using a child theme*, this is the time to state that. If support and maintenance will be needed after the project is done, tell them beforehand.

*a theme that inherits the functionality of the parent theme. It can be modified and not affect the original theme.

Step 4: Provide the Design

Pass a PSD with the web site design to the developer.  Colors, fonts, size and layouts should be explicitly stated here.

Step 5:  Provide details for each Page

Give the exact number of pages that the website needs to have.  What goes in on each of the page will require different methods and technologies, therefore; will require different times of completion. This will make it easier for a developer to visualize the project and will also help them provide a more accurate time estimation for the project completion.

Step 6: Be open to changes

Nothing is set in stone. Since updates and other outside factor may affect the eventual outcome of the project, it is wise to be open to any incompatibility that may arise as the project grows.