Start with the one thing your website has to do well. If customers book consultations through a form, ask each provider to explain how they would check that a test booking reaches your inbox after an update. If you sell online, ask them to walk through a test order. Use the same scenario with every provider so you can compare their answers.

Ask what happens after an update

Check whether the plan covers WordPress core, your theme and all active plugins, including paid plugins and custom integrations. Ask which checks follow a routine update and which updates are tested on a staging copy first. For a shop, that might mean testing the cart, payment and confirmation email with test data. For an enquiry site, it might mean submitting a form and confirming that the message actually arrives.

Agree who can roll back a failed update and how they will tell you. Ask what happens if an update exposes a conflict that needs a developer or a fix from the plugin vendor. For the recurring tasks to look for, see what a WordPress maintenance plan can include.

Find out what a restore would recover

Ask how often the provider backs up your files and database, how long copies are kept, where they are stored and who can restore them. Ask when the provider last tested a restore and whether the agreement includes the work of putting a site back online. A backup schedule alone leaves those questions open.

For a site that takes orders or bookings, ask how the provider would protect new records during a restore. For example, restoring yesterday’s database could overwrite orders taken this morning. A provider should be able to explain how they would assess that risk and what they would agree with you before restoring. See our guide on how often to back up a WordPress site for examples by site type.

Separate response time from repair time

Say your site stops taking enquiries late on a Friday. Check where to report the fault, which hours the provider covers and when you can expect an acknowledgement. Ask whether they will start investigating within that window, how often they will update you and who will deal with the host or plugin vendor if they need outside help.

Check whether a complete outage, failed checkout and a small content problem receive different priorities. If you need weekend cover, get the hours, contact route and any extra charge in writing before you rely on it.

Check the extras before comparing the fees

Ask how the provider would bill for three tasks: replacing a photo, diagnosing a failed checkout and recovering a compromised site. Find out which tasks use a monthly allowance, whether unused time carries over, and how you approve work outside the plan. Check whether VAT, hosting, premium licences and emergency work are included in the quoted figure.

Compare what you would pay in a normal month and what would happen in a month with a fault. Our UK website maintenance cost guide gives you more context for comparing the scope alongside the price.

Agree what happens if you change providers

Confirm who controls the domain, hosting, WordPress administrator accounts and paid licences. Ask which accounts and licences you can take with you, how to obtain a current copy of the site and database, and what happens to backups and monitoring when support ends. If the provider handles your hosting, ask how much time you have to move it and who can help with the handover.

A checklist to send with your quote request

• Which updates and post-update checks are included for my site?
• How often are backups taken, how long are they kept, and is a restore included?
• What are your support hours, response targets and escalation steps?
• Which repairs, edits, licences and hosting costs are billed separately?
• What access and files will I receive if I move to another provider?

Ask the provider to put their answers in the quote or service schedule so you have something specific to refer to when work starts. If you’re considering Ace Web Studio, read our website maintenance agreement alongside the scope in your quote.