Process
Our Process
The four steps of our web development process, from discovery and strategy through design, development and launch, with clear scope and fixed pricing throughout.
- 5.0 on Google
- Reply within 24 hours
- Fixed prices in USD
- WCAG 2.2 AA
Every project is priced to its scope
We publish typical price bands so you can plan: about $2,000 for a small business website, $6,000 to $20,000 for an online store and $8,000 to $15,000 for a web app MVP. See the pricing page for every band. Your exact number comes in a clear, fixed-scope quote based on what you actually need. It is free, it takes a couple of minutes to start, and there is no obligation.
The four steps
Stage by stage
Durations are typical for websites and web applications. Your quote includes a milestone plan for your specific project.
Discovery & Strategy
What happens. We learn your goals, users and constraints, then agree on scope, features and a fixed-scope quote. This is where we decide what to build first and what can wait.
What you get. A written scope, feature list, milestone plan and a fixed quote with no surprises.
What we need from you. One or two calls, access to any existing site, analytics and systems we will connect to, and a named decision maker.
Typical duration. a few days to 1 week
Design & Prototype
What happens. We turn the scope into wireframes, then a clickable prototype you can try. We test it with users where it helps, and package the result as a design system.
What you get. Wireframes, an interactive prototype and a design system your developers can build from.
What we need from you. Brand assets, sample content and real data where possible, and feedback within a few days of each review.
Typical duration. 1 to 3 weeks
Development & Testing
What happens. Senior engineers build the site in short cycles, with the backend, APIs and integrations. We test across real browsers and devices and share working builds so you see progress every week.
What you get. A working site, tested across browsers and devices, with weekly demo builds and clear release notes.
What we need from you. Credentials or sandbox accounts for every integration, final content, and someone on your side to test each weekly build.
Typical duration. 1 to 12 weeks, from a landing page to a web app
Launch & Support
What happens. We deploy your site to production, set up hosting, domains and SSL, and run final checks. After launch we monitor the site and can keep improving it under a support plan.
What you get. A live website on your own domain, plus monitoring, updates and a support plan if you want one.
What we need from you. Registrar and hosting access, a launch window, and a decision on post-launch support.
Typical duration. ongoing
Where schedules slip
Writing the code is rarely the slow part. These are the factors that actually stretch a project, in the order we see them.
| Factor | What it does to the schedule |
|---|---|
| Unfinished content or data | Design and build both stall when real copy, images or sample records are not available. This is the number one delay. |
| Integration access | An API key, a sandbox account or a vendor's approval can take weeks to arrive while the code waits. |
| Review by committee | Every additional approver adds days to each review. One named decision maker keeps the cadence weekly. |
| Scope added mid-build | Fine, but each addition is quoted and slotted in, so it moves the launch date rather than surprising the budget. |
| Application complexity | Roles, permissions and workflows with many exceptions multiply test cases; we prune them in discovery. |
| Store and payment setup | Real products, tax rules, shipping and live gateway approval all need testing with actual orders. |
Decisions to make before the build starts
- Site or application. If users log in and data changes, it is an application, and the architecture, security and price follow from that.
- Platform or custom. We recommend hosted tools when they fit; custom code is for the parts that make your business different.
- Who owns content. Your team, a writer or us. It has to be settled before design so layouts fit real words.
- First release scope. A smaller version that ships in weeks usually teaches you more than a complete version that ships in months.
Problems this process exists to avoid
- Designing screens before the data model is understood, then redesigning them.
- Building for months without a working version anyone can click.
- Discovering an integration cannot do what was assumed, after the build depends on it.
- Launching without redirects, analytics or monitoring in place.
- Ending with code only the original developer can deploy.
Clear steps, no surprises
Because scope and price are set before development starts, you always know what comes next and what it costs. If you want to change scope along the way, we quote the change first so there are never surprise invoices. Every project includes a warranty period in which defects in what we built are fixed at no charge.
See what drives project cost, browse our work to see the results this process produces, or send us your requirements to begin discovery.
Fixed quote
Get a fixed quote in 24 hours
Free, with no obligation. We reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday, with a written fixed price or the questions we need answered first.
- Accessibility fixes, small site
- $500 to $2,000
- Small business website
- About $2,000
- Larger site or redesign
- $3,000 to $6,000
- Web app MVP
- $8,000 to $15,000
- Fixed price in US dollars, in writing, before work starts
- Built and fixed to WCAG 2.2 AA, tested by hand
- Code, content and accounts are yours on final payment
Prefer to talk? Call +1 (365) 440-1786 or email info@fourcents.ca.
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