Stage 1: write the plan
Use the website planner to write down the goals, audience, pages and launch details, then the feature selector and the budget estimator to sort features and work out a budget. You keep the text files. Nothing is sent to us unless you choose to email it.
If you prefer to talk it through, a planning session covers the same ground on a video call and ends with a written summary of what was decided. A fuller written website plan is a separate service, priced on the pricing page alongside the session.
Stage 2: agree the brief
A brief is the plan turned into instructions a builder can price: the page list with what each page must say, the features with any services they depend on, who supplies the words and photos, and the launch date. If you ask for a build quote, the reply may include questions about your plan. The brief is agreed in writing before any price is fixed.
Stage 3: fix the quote
The quote states the work, the price, what is included, what is not, and the payment stages. The price is fixed in writing before any deposit is taken. If the work needs to change later, the change and its cost are agreed in writing first.
| Stage | What happens | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Quote accepted | You confirm the written quote | 40 percent deposit |
| Build | Pages are built from the agreed brief | None |
| Launch | The site goes live after your sign-off | Balance of 60 percent |
Invoices are due within 14 days. VAT is added where it applies, and each quote states the VAT treatment.
Stage 4: build and check
The site is built from the brief. Before launch, it is checked against the launch checklist: pages read on a phone, forms sent a test message, links followed, and the legal pages in place. You review the site and say whether it is ready.
Stage 5: launch and review
The site goes live once you sign off. A review date goes in the diary, so that you can look at what visitors do and what needs changing. Anything after launch, such as new pages or updates, is quoted separately.
Doing it all yourself
Every stage above can be done without us. The plan you write is yours, the checklist is free, and the guides explain each decision. If you hire another builder, give them the same plan and ask them to quote for the same list.