When we quote $30,000 for a website, some people blink. Others nod. The difference is usually understanding what that number actually represents.
This isn't a criticism of anyone who's surprised – web development pricing is genuinely opaque. So let's open it up.
Phase 1: Discovery & Strategy (10-15% of budget)
What Happens
Before we write a single line of code, we need to understand your business deeply. Who are your customers? What do competitors do well (and poorly)? What actions should visitors take? What does success look like?
Deliverables
- Competitive analysis
- User journey mapping
- Site architecture and navigation
- Content strategy
- Technical requirements
Why It Matters
Skipping strategy is how you end up with a pretty site that doesn't convert. This phase prevents expensive mistakes later.
Phase 2: Design (20-25% of budget)
What Happens
We design every page, every state, every interaction. Not picking a template – actually designing from scratch based on your brand, your goals, and your users.
Deliverables
- Wireframes for all key pages
- Full visual designs (desktop and mobile)
- Interactive prototypes
- Design system and component library
- Multiple revision rounds
Why It Matters
Design isn't decoration. It's how users understand your brand, navigate your content, and decide whether to trust you. Custom design builds credibility that templates can't match.
Phase 3: Development (35-40% of budget)
What Happens
This is where designs become reality. Every component hand-coded in React. Every animation crafted. Every interaction polished.
Deliverables
- Clean, maintainable Next.js codebase
- Responsive implementation (all screen sizes)
- Custom animations and interactions
- CMS integration (if needed)
- Third-party integrations
- Performance optimization
Why It Matters
This is the craft. The difference between a site that feels premium and one that feels cheap is in the development details – smooth animations, fast transitions, pixel-perfect implementation.
Phase 4: Content & SEO (10-15% of budget)
What Happens
Content gets structured for both humans and search engines. Meta tags, schema markup, heading hierarchy, image optimization – the invisible work that determines whether Google shows your site.
Deliverables
- SEO architecture
- Meta tags and Open Graph setup
- Schema markup
- Content migration (if applicable)
- Image optimization
Why It Matters
A beautiful site nobody finds is worthless. SEO foundations built during development are far more effective than trying to bolt them on later.
Phase 5: Testing & QA (5-10% of budget)
What Happens
We test on real devices, real browsers, real network conditions. We break things intentionally to make sure they don't break accidentally.
Deliverables
- Cross-browser testing
- Mobile device testing
- Performance audits (Core Web Vitals)
- Accessibility review
- Bug fixes and polish
Why It Matters
Finding bugs before launch is cheap. Finding them after launch – when customers are bouncing – is expensive.
Phase 6: Deployment & Launch (5% of budget)
What Happens
We deploy to Vercel, configure domains, set up analytics, verify everything works in production, and hand over the keys.
Deliverables
- Production deployment
- Domain and DNS configuration
- Analytics setup
- Documentation
- Training (if needed)
What You're Really Buying
You're not buying a website. You're buying:
- Expertise – Years of experience knowing what works
- Time – 200-400 hours of focused professional work
- Strategy – A site that achieves business goals, not just looks nice
- Quality – Craft that builds trust with your customers
- Peace of mind – A site that won't break, won't get hacked, won't need constant maintenance
Is It Worth It?
That depends on what your website needs to do. If it's a brochure that sits there, probably not. If it's a core business asset that needs to attract customers, convert leads, and represent your brand – a $30k investment that works is infinitely more valuable than a $3k site that doesn't.