Questions, answered
If yours isn't here, ask it. Email or the contact form is fine.
Money
How much does a website cost?
A landing page starts at $1,200, a 5–10 page business site with a CMS at $3,800, and a site with booking, quoting or a small shop at $6,500. Hosting, your domain and third-party fees are extra and paid to those vendors directly. The estimator gives you a rough range for yours.
Why does a custom CRM start at $16,000?
Because even a small CRM is several systems at once: records, a pipeline, permissions, search, imports, an audit trail, usually an accounting sync. Expect $16,000–$35,000 for most scopes. Whether that beats a subscription depends on your seat count and how long you'll use it, and the 5-year math note shows how to check.
Do I have to do the discovery sprint?
For small, clear jobs, no. You'll get a written quote by email. For anything with logins, roles or more than one integration, yes, because without it I'd be guessing at a price, and guesses go wrong in your direction or mine.
What do I get if I do discovery but don't build with you?
The documents: written scope, screen sketches, data outline, integration notes, timeline. They're yours to take to another developer. The $1,500 is only credited if you build with me within 60 days.
How do payments work?
40% to book, 40% at the agreed midpoint review, 20% at launch. Projects under $2,000 are 50% to book and 50% at launch. Invoices go out by email and are due within 14 days.
Do you take card payments online?
Not on this site. Everything is invoiced. The invoice shows the ways to pay.
What isn't included in the price?
Hosting, domain, third-party subscriptions and API fees, stock photos and font licences, copywriting beyond light edits unless quoted, paid ads, ongoing SEO campaigns, hardware, and sales tax where it applies.
Owning it
Who owns the code?
After final payment, you own the custom code I write for you. You get the repository, credentials and docs. Third-party and open-source parts stay under their own licences, and I keep the right to reuse general know-how and my own pre-existing tools; you get a licence to use those as part of what I deliver. The project terms page has the plain-English version.
Where is it hosted, and who pays?
On a hosting account in your name, which you pay for directly. I'll recommend a provider that suits the project and set it up with you.
What happens if you get sick or stop working?
That's the right question to ask a solo developer. Your code is in your repository, your accounts are in your name, the stack is ordinary (PHP, Laravel, React, MySQL), and there's a README explaining how to deploy it. Another developer could pick it up without needing me.
Working together
Do you work with clients outside Delaware, or outside the US?
Yes. Everything happens by phone, video and email. I work on Eastern Time and invoice in US dollars.
Can you take over a site or app someone else built?
Usually. I start with a short paid review at $110/hour to see what's under the hood, then tell you whether to keep it, fix it or replace it. I'll quote the review before I start.
What if I want changes mid-build?
Tell me. I'll reply in writing with what it does to price and timeline, and nothing changes until you agree. Out-of-scope work is quoted or billed at $110/hour.
Do you sign NDAs, or work white-label for agencies?
Yes to both. I'm happy to sign a mutual NDA before you share details, and for agency work I can work under your brand with you as the client contact.