Every new website I build follows this checklist from day one. It is based on the WCAG 2.2 AA best practices that Google, the ADA, and every major browser expect. If your existing site does not meet these points, I can walk through it with you and quote the fixes based on how many need attention.
Every new build passes all twenty points before I hand it off. Existing sites get checked against this same list during an audit. Nothing hidden, no black box.
Every informative image has descriptive alt text. Decorative images use empty alt text so screen readers skip them.
The logo in the header links back to the homepage. Every visitor expects this and every accessibility tool checks for it.
One H1 per page. Heading levels flow in order, no skipping from H2 to H4. Structure a screen reader can actually navigate.
At least 4.5 to 1 contrast for normal text and 3 to 1 for large text against its background. Checked on every page.
Text never sits directly over busy images without an overlay or dark tint behind it. If you cannot read it easily, neither can anyone else.
Buttons describe their action in the label. Reserve Now, Send Message, Add to Cart. Never a naked Submit or Go.
Links make sense out of context. Read our menu, not Click Here. Screen reader users hear links pulled out of the page and need them to still be clear.
The entire site can be used with only a keyboard. Tab to move forward, Shift plus Tab to move back, Enter to select. Nothing gets stuck.
Every form field has a visible label next to it. No placeholder text pretending to be a label.
Validation messages explain exactly what needs fixing in plain language. Not just a red border.
The main menu stays in the same place and the same order across every page of the site.
Keyboard focus indicators are always visible. When someone tabs through your site, they can see where they are.
Videos include captions where appropriate. Every visitor can follow along, sound on or sound off.
Nothing on the site flashes more than three times per second. Fast flashing can trigger seizures in some visitors.
Color alone never communicates important information. Red for error also has a word or an icon. Green for success does too.
The site stays usable at 200 percent zoom without content getting cut off or overlapping.
Tap targets are large enough for fingers, and text is readable without pinch to zoom.
Every page has a unique, descriptive title in the browser tab. Not every page named the same thing.
The page language is set in the code so screen readers know how to pronounce the words. Small detail, big impact.
Phone, email, and other contact details are easy to locate on the site. Not buried three clicks deep.
Pick what fits your site today. Every option is scoped on a short call first.
Every one of the twenty points is handled while I build. No extra line item.
I check your live site against all twenty points and send a plain language PDF report.
Price depends on how many points fail. A few small fixes is a low three figure job.
A dedicated page that shows visitors you take accessibility seriously.
Monthly scan, short report, small fixes handled that month. Cancel any time.
Fifteen minutes on the phone. I ask about your site, your visitors, and whether anyone has ever raised an accessibility concern. No cost.
You get a written quote listing exactly which services from the list above we agreed on. Nothing hidden. You approve it before I start.
Audit first, then remediation, then statement page. Each step ends with a check in so you know where we are. Most small business sites finish in one to two weeks.
You get the updated site, the audit report, and the statement page live. If you added monitoring, that starts on the same day.
In most cases yes. Any business open to the public that has a website falls under the same accessibility rules as your physical door and parking lot. Restaurants, salons, service providers, retail shops, tourism operators, contractors, all covered.
The little corner button that pops open an accessibility menu is not a real fix. The Department of Justice has said so, and hundreds of businesses have been sued anyway after installing one. Overlays paper over the problem, they do not solve it. Real accessibility comes from the code and the design of the site itself.
Once fixed, an unchanged site stays on the checklist. The trouble starts when new content, new pages, or new images get added. That is why I offer monthly monitoring. If your site never changes, one audit and one round of fixes may be all you ever need.
Yes. Audits work on any site I can view in a browser. Remediation works on sites I can edit, including WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, and custom builds. If your site is on a locked platform I cannot edit, I will tell you before we start.
Show them the audit report, the remediation notes, and the accessibility statement page. That paper trail is the strongest defense you can have. I am happy to answer questions from your lawyer at no extra charge for six months after handoff.
No. I am a web designer, not a lawyer. I follow the WCAG 2.2 AA best practice standard because that is what courts and enforcement agencies look at. For legal questions about ADA and your specific situation, talk to a Michigan business attorney.