Thanks for your input and no you are not to late with your advice.
I am not going to shut down the site. I agree that would be tacky and nasty.
As for the hosting, yes they are paid up, but I have no desire to keep hosting after they take it over. I feel it will give them a reason to spread the fault when the family member screws up everything. I will keep a copy of the site on my server and if they want to come back after kaos hits a simple redirect will put them back up with minimum effort.
Some things that do bother me are:
I agreed to build and design the site. Not be a content supplier, editor and writer.
They were supposed to supply content such as photos and all written content, articles, etc. They supplied very few photos and zero descriptions, articles, written content. So, after several requests & getting nothing I finally took my own photos, edited them, and became editor/writer and created descriptions, articles and all other writing on the site... for no extra charge.
Since I did this extra work and did not charge for these photos and written content, I feel they belong to me. I am leaning towards giving them everything except the photos I took and the content that I created. Basically that leaves the design of the site and a couple of photos they sent. Again I was hired to design and build a website, not be a writer, editor and photographer.
How does everyone feel about just giving them what they paid for, or should I just give them everything and be done with it until they start calling for advice.

Hi Andy, I have read the posts on this thread and find it interesting. I am a painting contractor and have to deal with giving the customers what they pay for and coming to agreements.
My conclusion or opinion on what you should do or what I would suggest to do in the future in a similar situation is: When the customer is not forthcoming with their content and pictures, then their web site stalls and does not get finished until they provide that material. If I decide to give the customer something extra on my own then I cannot whimper about it later. Customers rarely appreciate the value of the good services rendered. Every time I have pressure cleaned the fence for extra which is worth like 100 or even a couple of hundred they begrudgingly give a 25 dollar bonus.
These situations are good for developing policy for how to handle similar situations in the future, so they are valuable in that they provide experience.
I would give them everything and be exceptionally cordial, Then if they do come back later renegotiate and give them an appropriate fee.

Sounds good... thank you very much for your input. You are right. Just give them everything. Bottom line... make sure they are satisfied.

Andy,

Some customers are great and some are not. I agree with giving them everything and if and when they come back charge them a 'premium amount' and get everything in writing.

I took over 5 websites from someone who couldn't do the work due to health problems. Four of the five have never taken advantage and I have since at no cost built three of those websites with RSD. They are very happy. The fifth one has hammered on me numerous times with updates and doesn't know anything about website design.

If that one wants a responsive website they will have to pay extra.

All five of these sites were built on 1990's platforms so you know what they look(ed) like. The fifth one relies on their business for their retirement income. Go figure.

Just make sure you get paid and get it in writing.

Always a good idea to have a contract in place to spell out exactly what is provided.
Anyway... you could provide a "closing invoice" – a summary of what has been provided with the design and hosting.

Zip up the website files (just what's on the website, no need to supply original Photoshop files, for example). Include a written description of what is included. Here you could mention the web-optimized photos (supplied at no charge!), but make note that you still own the originals and could use these photos for other projects. Hi-res and/or exclusive usage rights would require a fee.

Also, note if anything relies on specific software or scripts, and provide that info. For example, let the client know that although you may include certain features on sites you host at no additional charge (WoWSlider could be an example), these products are licensed to you, so they they would need to purchase their own versions as these won't be included with the site files.

Keep it professional and friendly, and have a detailed contract ready for the next time around

Yep agree again with everyone so far. One thing I would once again reiterate though....

Let them stay on your server if they choose to. If all has worked so far on your server without any hitches, there will be no reason for them to come back to you on any issues with the site and they probably won't be stupid enough to try to blame you for any issues on it. Just make it very plain that you will not be involved after that point in any changes on their site or server without charging a fee, and make it very clear to them (don't over do it so they think suspiciously though lol) that you will not be doing any editing whatsoever without their permission and request from that point forward.

This truly would benefit you if they are a paying hosting client as you would retain that income. This would also very much benefit you if they opt to return to you with the editing of the site, simpler, less hassle, and keeps the peace between you much better as well. Try not to take their choice to do things on their own so personally, I am betting it has nothing to do with you personally, more that they just want to do whatever it is they want to do without a middleman and possible fee.

I understand your frustration with how much work you've done without being compensated for it, but that was your choice in the end, and I would have done exactly what GregB said, the site would sit incomplete until the work is finished OR you give them a quote for the work that needs to be done if you're willing to do it, which you obviously were willing to do. You definitely need to give them the entire site, they didn't ask you to do what you did, you volunteered and now it has become a part of a complete work which would not be right for you to say they cannot have those items you did for free.

Don't do anymore work for free for them, that was your first mistake, but it was "your" mistake not theirs so don't punish the client for that.

Don't - give them all the original work as Paintbrush already said, and also make sure your ending agreement includes a provision stating they are not allowed to use those photos for any other reason as well as the part about you keeping the rights to the original work of those photos. That you Can do since they did not provide that part of the site it can be looked at as a single use item and give them a price per photo should they wish to use them elsewhere.

And I loved Paintbrushes idea on the full disclosure of all the work done with inclusions of statements of what has been done at no charge. Show them exactly what they got for their money, tie up the loose ends, and keep the door open should they want to return. Leave them on your server for your own ease of transition should they wish to return as well as the income it will provide each year. It may not be much, but it's money someone else will get if you chase them away right?

Ok I'm done ranting my book as usual hahaha. Good luck and I wish all goes well for you on this situation.

I went down the same road myself once. And it cost me a lot of time and effort because I thought it was going to be a big deal. It could have been, but the lady who started the project dropped out on it. It was a constant process of adding more to the plate than what was agreed upon, with a minimal and far less than appropriate fee for each iteration.
We're talking bleeding edge content for the time, plus three different databases / portals being tied together for secure logins and transactions. I mean it was nearly a year of brain-searing work. LOL
In the end, the whole thing got pulled out from under everyone working on the project, and I kick myself for not having had a better contract written up along with a portfolio guarantee should the site go unused. Which it obviously has.
So don't feel too bad about it - I think we've all learned our lessons of one kind or another along the way and it just gives us better insight for future projects. It's nice to have a forum like this to exhale in too.
Later!
- John

John McHaffie, can't you get around the Portfolio Guarantee by replacing anything identifiable, such as the logo or any illustrations they gave you, with dummy or royalty free images?

Maybe halfways off topic, but since a written contract has been mentioned a number of times, does anyone of you have a good one that you'd like to share? I'm sure it would be helpful to many of us here.

Hey Inger

I had a similar question not long ago... check this out...

http://www.coffeecup.com/forums/welcome … contracts/
lots of good ideas there.

If anyone else has other I would like to see them as well.

Thanks,

MJ