How we scope and price a project
No mystery pricing, no padded estimates. Here’s exactly what happens between “hello” and a fixed proposal — and why we work this way.
Agency pricing has a reputation problem, and it’s earned. Vague estimates, scope that balloons, invoices that surprise. We think the fix is boring: decide what you’re building before you price it, then put the price in writing.
It starts with a conversation, not a form. You tell us where the business is and what you’re trying to make happen — more inquiries, a product launch, a brand that finally matches the work. We ask questions. Some of them will feel too commercial for a design studio; that’s deliberate. A website is a business tool, and we can’t scope one without understanding the business.
Then we write a short brief back to you in plain language: here’s what we heard, here’s what we’d build, here’s what we’d leave out. Getting the “leave out” list right is most of the skill. Almost every project we see is one-third smaller than the client first imagined, and better for it.
The proposal that follows is fixed: what’s included, what it costs, when it ships. If scope genuinely changes mid-project — it happens — we re-quote the change before doing the work, in writing, and you decide. No line items you didn’t approve.
Timelines get the same treatment. Most website projects run six to ten weeks from kickoff to launch; platforms and products take longer. We would rather tell you a real number now than a flattering one that slips later.
And if we’re not the right team for the job, we’ll say so in the first call and point you somewhere better. A project that shouldn’t be ours is worth exactly one honest email.