AI Built My Site in an Hour, Why Are You Charging So Much? — 4 Questions That Usually End the Conversation

I've encountered this conversation more times this year than in the previous five combined, according to the source material. A client shares a link to a site that was built using an AI tool in just an hour. The site looks nice with a clean layout, good copy, and is responsive. However, when the actual project quote comes in, the client pushes back: "But I already built it. Why do I need to pay this much for web development?"

The reporter doesn't argue but instead asks four questions:

1. Where is this going to be hosted?

2. How does the contact form actually send an email?

3. Who is going to point the domain and set up DNS?

4. Who is connecting this to a database?

The reporter asks this version of these questions to maybe a dozen clients this year. None of them have answers to all four questions. Most have answers to none. The reporter emphasizes that the frontend built by the AI tool is just the front part of a website, not the entire product. The rest, like hosting, the contact form, DNS setup, and database connection, are not included in the AI-generated frontend.

The reporter explains that the AI tool generates a frontend, which is a working UI, but it's not a complete website. The rest of the website, including hosting, the contact form functionality, DNS setup, and database connection, needs to be done separately. The reporter suggests that after understanding what the client's actual needs are, the quote should cover making the site real, not just building the site.

The reporter advises developers to use these four questions to quickly understand the client's requirements and the scope of the project. These questions help identify the gaps between what the client thinks they have and what they actually need.