Process
How I Work
Five stages, paid in milestones, from first enquiry to launch. Typically 2 to 6 weeks, with a working version and a written progress note at every step.
01
The Delivery Lifecycle
Five stages from first contact to launch and handover. Most small business sites run 2 to 6 weeks end to end.
Request and Discovery (1 to 2 days)
First contact is a no-obligation conversation by email or phone about what your business needs. I ask about your customers, what success looks like, existing systems and constraints, budget and deadlines. The aim is to understand the problem well enough to propose the right solution.
What you get
- Written summary of what was discussed
- Agreed problem statement
- Indication of feasibility and suitability
Proposal (2 to 3 days)
A written proposal sets out scope, the recommended approach and technology with reasons, and any assumptions and exclusions. For larger builds, phasing options let you start small and expand later. The proposal includes a fixed cost and a milestone plan showing what gets delivered and when. Starting prices are on the pricing page, so the figure should match what you expected.
What you get
- Proposal document with scope and approach
- Milestone breakdown with deliverables
- Clear statement of what is and is not included
Refining Requirements (2 to 5 days)
Once the proposal is agreed, I turn it into a build plan: user stories with acceptance criteria, wireframes or clickable prototypes for key screens, data models and integration points, and requirements for accessibility, performance, security and GDPR. Everything is prioritised in a backlog so scope can change without derailing the project.
What you get
- Agreed backlog of user stories with acceptance criteria
- Wireframes or prototypes for key screens
- Technical design notes covering data and integrations
- Non-functional requirements (accessibility, performance, security)
Build in Milestones (1 to 3 weeks)
Development is split into short iterations, each ending in a working version you can click through on a staging link. Each milestone comes with a written progress note covering what changed, what is next and spend against the plan, and we can discuss it by email or phone. If you request a change, you see its effect on cost and timeline before anything is agreed. Every change runs through lint, type checks, tests and accessibility checks automatically.
What you get
- Working software each milestone on a staging environment
- Written progress notes with staging links
- Updated backlog reflecting current priorities
Launch, Handover and Support (2 to 4 days)
Launch follows a checklist: accessibility audit, performance pass, security review, analytics and consent, SEO metadata and backups. Deployment has a rollback plan. Handover includes documentation, a walkthrough and transfer of the source code and infrastructure accounts. Ongoing support is optional.
What you get
- Live site or application on production infrastructure
- Handover documentation and admin walkthrough
- Source code and infrastructure ownership transferred
- Agreed support arrangement (if required)
02
How Milestones Work
Regular updates so you know where the project stands.
Milestone Reviews
Each milestone ends with a working version to review, a written note covering what changed and what is next, and a budget check against the plan.
What You Can See
You can see the staging site and the backlog throughout, and every progress note says where the budget stands.
Adapt or Stop
At any milestone I can re-scope the work or stop, so you are never tied to a plan that no longer fits the business.
Exit Anytime
Code and infrastructure accounts are in your name, so if you take the project elsewhere or in-house, everything transfers cleanly.
03
Quality Gates
Seven checks every project passes before it goes live.
Code Review
Every change is reviewed before merge for code quality, correctness, test coverage and security.
Automated Tests
Unit tests cover individual functions and components, and end-to-end tests walk through the main user journeys. Tests run on every commit.
Type Checking
TypeScript catches type errors, null references and interface mismatches at compile time.
Accessibility Checks
Automated scans check for WCAG 2.2 Level AA issues such as missing alt text, low contrast, keyboard traps and unlabelled form fields, and manual screen reader testing confirms the site is usable.
Performance Budgets
Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS) are measured on every build, with budgets for bundle size, image weight and request count, so slowdowns are caught before launch.
Dependency Scanning
Automated scanning checks dependencies for known vulnerabilities. Security updates are applied promptly and tested before deployment.
Staging Sign-Off
Nothing goes live until you have reviewed and approved it on the staging site.
04
AI-Assisted and Agentic Delivery
Modern tooling, so more of the budget goes on design and testing.
AI Tooling Throughout
AI-assisted coding tools help with scaffolding, boilerplate, tests, refactoring, documentation and code review. That speeds up repetitive work while the quality checks stay the same.
Agentic Workflows
Agentic workflows handle multi-step tasks such as schema migrations, bulk refactors and generating TypeScript types from API specs. Work that used to take billable hours is automated, leaving more budget for design decisions and testing.
More Budget for the Work That Matters
More of your budget goes into requirements, user experience and testing, and less into boilerplate that tooling can produce faster.
Human Accountability and Review
Every line of code is reviewed by a person before it ships. Nothing is merged without passing automated checks (linting, type checking, tests, accessibility scans) and a manual review. Whatever tool produced the first draft, the developer is accountable for the result.
Data Privacy and Guardrails
AI tools have no access to client production data, secrets, API keys or sensitive business logic. Confidentiality and GDPR obligations decide what can be shared with third-party services, and if your project has strict data handling requirements, AI tooling is restricted or switched off.
05
Working Together
What you can expect from me, and what I need from you.
I am UK-based and work UK business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). You have one point of contact, the person building the site. We agree a channel that suits you (email, phone, Slack or Teams) and how often you want updates. Updates are written in plain language, and I will tell you when something turns out harder or simpler than expected.
Your code, domain and hosting accounts are in your name from day one. There are no lock-in clauses or proprietary platforms, and no ongoing fees beyond standard hosting and domain costs. If you move the project in-house or to another developer, everything transfers with documentation and support during handover.
Deadlines are agreed on what is achievable, and I will flag it when priorities conflict. Holidays and illness are flagged in advance, with a plan for anything urgent. When requirements change, I work out the effect on cost and timeline before starting new work, and if a deadline or budget looks at risk, you hear about it as soon as I know.
06
Hosting and Environments
Cloud-first infrastructure with automated deployments and rollback.
Hosting is on Microsoft Azure, with separate development, staging and production environments. Docker builds keep them consistent, so what works in development works in production. Infrastructure as code (Bicep or Terraform) makes deployments reproducible and version-controlled.
CI/CD pipelines lint, type-check and test the code automatically, build optimised bundles, and deploy to staging for review before production. If a release introduces a problem, the previous version can be restored within minutes.
Monitoring tracks uptime, error rates and performance, with alerts for downtime, slow responses or spikes in errors. Backups run daily with retention policies, and restores are tested.
07
Common Questions
The questions I get asked most about how projects run.
What if my requirements change mid-project?
Requirements change on most projects. At each milestone I can re-prioritise the backlog or adjust scope. If a change is significant, I work out the effect on cost and timeline and present options before going ahead.
How can I see progress for myself?
Every milestone delivers a working version on a staging link that you can click through and test. Progress notes link to it and describe what was built, what changed and what comes next.
Can we start small and expand later?
Yes. For larger projects, I propose phases where the first delivers a working first version or a specific set of high-value features. You launch with something useful, then expand as budget allows and priorities become clearer. It reduces risk and gets early feedback from your users.
Who owns the code and the accounts?
You do. Source code is stored in a Git repository you own (GitHub, GitLab or Azure Repos). Hosting accounts, domain registrations and third-party accounts such as analytics and payment gateways are created in your name or transferred to you at handover.
What happens after launch?
Support after launch is optional. I offer maintenance covering bug fixes, dependency updates, content changes and small new features. Or you can handle maintenance yourself or use another developer: the code is documented and there is a handover session so whoever takes it on can pick it up.
How is AI used, and is my data safe?
AI tools help with scaffolding, boilerplate, refactoring, test generation and documentation. Every line is reviewed by a person and tested before it ships. AI tools have no access to production data, secrets, API keys or sensitive client information, and if your project has strict data handling requirements, they are restricted or switched off.
How long does it take to build a small business website?
Most small business sites launch 2 to 6 weeks after first contact: 1 to 2 days of discovery, 2 to 3 days for the proposal, 2 to 5 days refining requirements, 1 to 3 weeks of build in weekly milestones, and 2 to 4 days for launch and handover. The biggest variable is how quickly the content arrives: photos, service descriptions and opening hours. That is where most projects stall.
Should I use a small studio or a large agency?
A large agency has designers, copywriters, project managers and developers under one roof, which matters on a big multi-team build. You pay for that structure, and you usually deal with an account manager. A one-person studio gives you a direct line to the developer, lower overheads in the quote and faster decisions. For a small business website, an online shop or a booking system, that is usually the better fit.
Tell me what you need.
A few lines is enough to start. Every enquiry gets a written reply within 24 hours, and there is no obligation to go ahead.