What should be in a WordPress engineer’s SOW?

Scope · exclusions · milestones · IP · subcontracting · indemnity. Sample SOW linked at the bottom.

The six required sections

1. Scope. Every page, every template, every CPT, every form, every integration, listed by name. No “etc.”
2. Exclusions. Explicit out-of-scope list: copywriting, photography, branding, paid ads, hosting fees, third-party plugin licences, content migration beyond N pages. This prevents 80% of scope creep.
3. Milestones. Day-one deposit, midpoint deliverable, handover. 40 / 40 / 20 is standard.
4. IP transfer. “All deliverables transfer to Buyer on final payment. No perpetual licence retained.” One sentence.
5. Subcontracting. “Vendor will not subcontract any portion of the work without naming the subcontractor and price in a written addendum.” Prevents the bait-and-switch.
6. Indemnity. Both directions, capped at total fees paid. Standard.

What shouldn’t be in the SOW

Hourly rates (you’re paying for outcomes), “unlimited revisions” clauses (they’re either a lie or a trap), and rights-grant language that lets the vendor reuse your code.

Download sample SOW ↗ · Drop-in template, fill in scope, ship in an hour.