Questions, answered

Everything clients ask us most, in one place. Pricing, timelines, accessibility, handoff, and what happens when something breaks. If your question isn't here, send it to us and we'll answer it.

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Getting started, consultations, and pricing

Is the consultation really free?

Yes. No cost, no invoice afterward, and no obligation to hire us. We spend the time because it's the only honest way for both of us to find out whether the work is a good fit.

If we can point you at a fix you can handle yourself, we will, and that's the end of it.

How long is the call?

About thirty minutes. That's enough to understand your business, look at your site together, and give you a real recommendation.

If your project needs longer, we'll schedule a second conversation rather than rushing the first one.

Who will I be talking to?

The people who would actually do the work. You will not be handed to a salesperson and then reintroduced to a delivery team later.

Do I need to know exactly what I want before booking?

No. Plenty of good calls start with "something about our website isn't working and I can't tell what."

Bring the symptoms. Figuring out the cause is our job, and it's a large part of what the call is for.

How quickly will you get back to me?

Within one business day. If you write over a weekend or a holiday, you'll hear from us the next business morning.

What's the minimum engagement?
Retainers start at $2,500 per month, on the Steady tier. We don't take on smaller engagements as retainers because the relationship doesn't have room to be useful at that size. If you have a one-off project, an audit or page build is probably a better fit (see Audits or Page Building).
What platforms do you support?
All of them, in the sense that we've worked across most major and a lot of niche ones. We're most experienced with WordPress, Shopify, and custom Ruby on Rails applications. If your stack is something we haven't worked in before, we'll tell you that on the consultation, and we'll be honest about whether we're the right fit.
Can we pause the retainer?
No. The retainer is what reserves our time and keeps us available when you need us, including for emergencies. Pausing breaks that arrangement, and we'd rather you adjust to a smaller tier than pause entirely.
What happens to hours I don't use in a given month?
Unused hours roll forward for up to twelve months. If your site is quiet for a stretch, those hours are still yours when something bigger comes up.
Do you charge extra for refreshes, integrations, or new pages?
Sometimes. Small additions usually fit inside your existing hours. Larger initiatives, like a full refresh or a multi-week integration, often expand scope. We talk about that explicitly when it comes up. There are no hidden charges.
What does it cost to build an application?
The pricing table above has starting points by application type. Discovery gives you a specific range for your build. For reference: focused applications typically land between $5,000 and $12,000. Member portals and dashboards run $15,000 to $40,000. Larger platforms start at $25,000 and scale from there. We don't give firm quotes before Discovery because scope surprises are expensive for both sides.
Is there a free or low-cost intro audit?
TBD
How do I know which one I need?
If visitors can find what they need but the site looks old, a refresh is probably enough. If people get lost or the content is organized around how your old organization worked, that points to a redesign. We can sort this out quickly in our free consultation.
Keeping a site healthy

Websites, maintenance, and audits

Will you maintain a site you didn't build?
Yes, often. Our retainer practice started largely with sites built by other teams. We'll do a short technical and accessibility audit before the retainer starts so we both know what we're working with.
What's the typical timeline for an audit?
Typically one to four weeks depending on scope.
Do I need an audit if I'm already planning a redesign?
Sometimes. An audit before a redesign tells you what to keep and what to throw out. Without one, redesigns often re-create the same problems in newer styling.
How do I prepare for the audit?
TBD: typically: site access, analytics access, list of known issues, stakeholder list?
How fast can you turn a page around?
For the first page we build for you, usually 1–2 weeks. We spend some of that time getting oriented: learning your platform, getting access, understanding how your site is structured. After that, subsequent pages can land in a few business days. Sometimes faster, depending on complexity and how ready the content is.
Do I need to bring copy, or can you write it?
We prefer you bring copy — having real content lets us build accurately and move faster. If copy isn't ready, the build waits, and that delay can range from a few days to a few weeks depending on where your team is. If you need us to provide it, we can: AI-assisted with human editing is the fastest and least expensive option; a dedicated human writer takes longer and costs more. We'll tell you which makes sense upfront.
Will the page work on mobile?
Yes, always. Mobile-responsive is a part of every build for us.
Is SEO included?
Basic SEO structure is built into every page: meta tags, schema markup, heading hierarchy, and content structure. Deep keyword research and ongoing SEO strategy is a separate engagement. See [SEO/AIO](../Growth Optimization/SEO-AIO) for that.
What about AI search? Will the page show up in AI-generated answers?
We structure pages with AIO in mind: clean content hierarchy, specific and factual copy, and proper schema markup all help AI systems surface your content. We build for it by default.
What if I need the same design element on multiple pages?
That's exactly what our page block tier is for. We build reusable components that drop anywhere on your site. If you have a page element you're going to use in five places, we build it once so you don't rebuild it five times.
Can you build on my existing WordPress/Wix/Squarespace/Webflow/etc website?
Almost certainly. We work across nearly all major CMS platforms. The consultation is the fastest way to confirm, bring us your platform and we'll tell you right away.
What if I start with a few pages and realize the whole site needs a refresh?
No worries, it happens! If we're working on a few pages and it becomes clear the site itself needs more, we'll say so. We offer full website redesigns and refreshes through our design services, and we'd rather tell you that than quietly keep building on a shaky foundation.
How is a refresh different from a redesign?
A refresh updates how the site looks while keeping its structure. A redesign rethinks the structure too. A refresh is faster and cheaper, and is the right call when your site's organized well but looks dated.
How long does a refresh take?
[TBD: typical range?]
Will a refresh hurt my SEO?
Done carefully, no... and it may even improve your SEO. Because we keep your structure and URLs, a refresh is much lower-risk for search than a full rebuild. We watch for the usual pitfalls regardless, and while we're looking at how your site looks we're also making sure to rebuild semantically.
Can you refresh a site you didn't build?
Usually yes. We'll take a quick look together first to understand how it's built, then scope the refresh against that.
Built in, not bolted on

Accessibility

What does an accessibility issue actually mean for my users?
It depends on the issue, but here is what it looks like in practice. A screen reader user hits a button with no label and has no idea what it does. A keyboard-only user reaches a modal they cannot close without a mouse and is stuck on the page. A user with low vision runs their browser zoom to 200% and your layout breaks. These are not edge cases. They are the everyday experience for a meaningful portion of your audience. The walkthrough we include with every audit is specifically designed to show you what is happening, not just list the WCAG criteria being violated.
I had no idea my site had accessibility issues. How bad can it really be for my business?
Worse than most people expect. Accessibility failures affect your conversion rate, your SEO (search engines rely on many of the same structural cues as assistive technology), and your legal exposure. ADA website lawsuits targeting small businesses have increased significantly year over year. Beyond the risk, there is a real and invisible customer loss: people who would have converted, didn't.... and you'll never know they even tried.
Is accessibility legally required for my business?
It depends on your business and where you operate. The ADA applies broadly to places of public accommodation, and courts have increasingly interpreted that to include websites, but the specifics matter. We can give you a general read in a free consultation. For certainty specific to your situation, talk to a lawyer.
Will my site be WCAG AA compliant after working with you?
For most engagements, yes. For some engagements, usually when legacy code or third-party platforms make full remediation cost-prohibitive in one pass, the realistic outcome is a documented plan that moves you toward AA over time. We let you know what's most likely for your situation before the work starts.
What if my site is built on a platform we can't fully control?
We work with what is controllable and document what is not. Even on locked-down platforms, meaningful improvement is usually available in the content layer, template overrides, and configuration. The audit report will tell you clearly what is fixable and what is a platform constraint.
How long does remediation take?
A few weeks for simpler sites with moderate issues. More complex sites or deeper problems can run six to eight weeks or longer. The audit findings determine the scope, which is why we don't skip the audit step.
Will it be accessible?
Yes. We build to WCAG standards on every project. If you have specific compliance requirements, tell us upfront and we'll scope accordingly.
Will the site be accessible?
Yes. Accessibility is part of the design brief, not a pass we do at the end. Contrast, readable type, and clear structure are designed in.
Will my new brand be accessible?
Yes. We check color combinations for contrast and choose type that stays readable. Accessibility is part of the brief, so your brand works for everyone who encounters it.
Making it look like you

Design, branding, and email

I just need a logo. Can you do that?
We can, but we usually suggest a little more. A logo with no color palette, type system, or rules around it tends to create the next problem: every time someone makes something, they guess. Even our smallest engagement includes the basics that keep a logo from drifting.
How long does a brand project take?
TBD: typically a few weeks to a couple of months depending on scope and how quickly feedback comes back?
Do you do rebrands, or only brand-new identities?
Both. A good amount of our work is tightening or modernizing a brand that already has recognition, which is its own kind of project. We are careful to not throw away equity you've already built.
What do I actually receive at the end?
Logo files in the formats you will need, your color and type definitions, and a brand guide. See "What you walk away with" above for the full list.
Do you design and build, or just design?
Usually both, and that is where the work is strongest. We can also deliver design files for your own developer to build, with the documentation they will need.
I do not have a brand yet. Can you still design my site?
We would start with the brand. A site designed without a defined brand ends up inventing one as it goes, which costs more in the long run. See Branding.
How long does a web design project take?
TBD: typical range by scope?
Can you match my existing brand?
Yes, of course! Templates are built from your brand. If you don't have a defined brand yet, you'd probably benefit more from a branding conversation with us first.
Which email platforms do you build for?
[TBD: Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, HubSpot, a CRM, transactional tools]
Will the template look right in every inbox?
We build and test for the clients your audience actually uses, on phone and on desktop. Email rendering is never perfectly identical everywhere, but we design so it stays on-brand and readable across the range that matters to you.
Do you write the email content too?
[TBD: copywriting similar to the Page Building approach (AI-assisted vs. human writer)]
When software has to talk to software

Integrations and custom applications

How long does an integration actually take?
Longer than most people expect. A simple one-direction sync between two platforms with a standard API can take a few days. Anything with custom auth, conditional logic, bidirectional sync, or a platform that requires generating keys through an admin account can stretch to a few weeks. We scope carefully before we start, so you know what you're in for.
What if the integration breaks because the third-party platform changed something?
This happens regularly. Inside a retainer, we fix it as part of normal work. For standalone integrations with a maintenance retainer, we fix it and document what changed. For one-time projects without a retainer, we'll let you know what happened and quote a fix. See Maintenance for how ongoing coverage works.
What if my platform doesn't have an integration for the tool I need?
That's exactly when we build one. If the platform has an API (even an undocumented one), we can usually work with it. If it doesn't, we look at export options, webhooks, or other data pathways. We'll tell you in the scoping conversation what's realistic.
Can you fix an integration someone else built?
Usually, yes. We'll need read access to whatever's there, and some time to understand how it was put together. Most integrations aren't complicated once you can see the shape of them.
Do you maintain the integrations you build?
Yes, with a maintenance retainer. For standalone projects, maintenance is not included at handoff, and we're clear about that before the work starts. If you want coverage, we'll set up a retainer. See Maintenance for what that looks like.
How do you make sure an integration doesn't corrupt or lose our data?
We work against copies of your data (not the live version) until the integration is tested and we're confident in its behavior. We write unit tests for the transformation logic, which is the part that maps data from one system's shape to another's, so problems show up in a test run before they reach production. We also instrument every integration with logging that's readable without a developer: when something goes wrong, the logs tell you what was sent, what came back, and where it failed.
How long does a typical application take to build?
A focused application, a simple intake system or directory, usually takes six to eight weeks from kickoff to launch. A mid-size application, a member portal with several integrations, typically runs three to four months. Larger or more complex builds stretch further. The wide range is honest: what drives it is how many edge cases your workflow has and how many integrations are involved. The requirements document from Discovery will give you a tighter estimate for your specific situation.
What if we want to change direction mid-build?
Small priority shifts happen sprint to sprint. Every two weeks you see what we've built, and you shape what comes next. If you decide a feature isn't worth building, we drop it. If something new is more urgent, we move it up. Big direction changes, where the core architecture or scope needs to change significantly, require a conversation about what that means for timeline and budget. We'll tell you clearly which category something falls into.
What if Discovery tells us we shouldn't build?
Then we'll say so. The goal of Discovery is to find the right answer, not to sell you a build. If there's a tool that already does what you need, we'll name it. If the economics don't work for custom development at your scale, we'll tell you that too. A $3,500 Discovery engagement that saves you from a $50,000 build that wasn't the right fit is a good outcome. We'd rather that than the alternative.
Can you take over a custom application someone else built?
Sometimes. We need read access to the codebase first. Once we've looked at what's there, we can scope what it would take to stabilize it and continue the work. Sometimes the right path is to keep going on what exists. Sometimes it's a rebuild. We'll tell you which, and why, before any work starts.
Why Ruby on Rails as the default?
We've shipped Rails applications that are still running a decade later. That history matters when you're making a long-term technology investment. Rails ships fast, scales reasonably for most of what our clients need, and stays maintainable as teams change over time. It's not the right tool for everything. When it isn't, we'll say so.
The relationship

Working together, handoff, and staying in touch

What do you need from us to get started?
Usually, admin-level access. That surprises people, but most platforms require admin permissions to generate API keys, configure OAuth credentials, or set up webhook endpoints. We'll walk you through exactly what we need and why before we ask for access to anything.
How fast do you respond to emergencies?
Response SLAs are tier-dependent and written into your contract. The Steady tier is within two business days for non-urgent work and within twenty-four hours for site-down emergencies. Active and In motion tiers tighten that further.
Can the report be shared with another vendor?
Yes. The report is yours.
Can my team update the page after you hand it off?
Yes, absolutely! We'd be sad if they didn't. We structure pages in your CMS so your team can make updates without touching code. For anything more involved, we also document the patterns and do a quick walkthrough before we close.
Can my team update the site after launch?
Yes. We build on a CMS your team can manage, and structure the design so new pages can reuse what already exists.
Can my team make things with this after you are done?
That's the goal! The guidelines are written for the people who will actually use them, with examples and common mistakes, so a small team can stay consistent without a designer on call.
Can my team edit and send the emails you build for us themselves?
Yes. The templates are built to be filled in and sent without a designer. We walk your team through it before we wrap up.
What happens after launch?
A thirty-day stabilization period comes with every build. After that, most applications need ongoing care: new features, bug fixes, integrations as new tools come up, and occasional dependency updates to keep everything secure. We typically transition into a retainer sized to match the application's complexity and how often things change.
How often does the newsletter go out?

Once a month, at the start of the month. One topic per issue, four hundred to six hundred words.

If we ever move to twice a month, we'll tell you before we do it.

What do you do with my email address?

We use it to send you the newsletter. We don't sell it, rent it, or hand it to anyone else.

Every issue has an unsubscribe link at the bottom and it takes effect immediately.

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Still have a question?

If your question isn't on this page, it's probably specific to your business, and that's the kind we like answering.

Bring it to a free consultation. Thirty minutes, no cost, and we'll be honest about whether we're the right people for the work.

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