Budgets & engagement models

Every project has a different scope.

Every project combines different needs, scope and levels of complexity. Before estimating an investment, we look at what needs to be solved, the resources involved and the most efficient way to approach it. Here we explain which factors shape the budget and some common ways of working.

What is defined in advance
Every proposal states what the work includes and what investment it requires before starting.
Every proposal defines the scope, the investment and the corresponding way of working.
Any change of scope that may affect the budget is communicated and agreed before continuing.
The first conversation serves to assess the need, the scope and the next step.
When the budget requires adjustment, we propose reducing or dividing the scope rather than compromising quality.
At a glance

The budget is defined from the scope, the complexity and the resources required. Before starting, every proposal establishes what the work includes, how it is organised and what investment it requires. Depending on the type of project, the proposal can be structured by defined scope, by stages, as recurring work, or in a model adapted to the level of definition available. When the project still needs definition, the assessment makes it possible to establish a reasonable scope first.

What shapes a project budget

Services can vary significantly by scope, complexity, content, integrations, languages and level of customisation. That is why the investment is defined from each project’s concrete needs.

When there is enough information about the scope we can indicate the investment; the specific proposal is prepared once what the project includes has been defined.

Scope before figure Proposal in writing Changes agreed before continuing
The factors

What makes a project more expensive and what makes it cheaper

Six factors explain almost all the difference between two budgets for the same service. Knowing them lets you adjust the scope before requesting the proposal.

Amount of content

Raises Many sections, extensive catalogues, product pages with their own structure.
Lowers A site of few pages with templates that repeat.

Languages

Raises Two or more languages: it doubles copy, templates, review and testing.
Lowers A single language, or leaving the second for a later phase.

Integrations

Raises Connecting to ERP, invoicing or legacy systems with no documentation.
Lowers Standard tools with integration already resolved.

Starting point

Raises Undocumented legacy systems, where investigation comes before touching anything.
Lowers Starting from scratch, or from a tidy, documented base.

Level of customisation

Raises Bespoke design in every section and unique behaviours.
Lowers A component system reused across the whole project.

Urgency

Raises Dates that force tasks to overlap or people to be added to the team.
Lowers A comfortable schedule that allows working in sequence.
Qualitative reference

Relative complexity of each type of work

A reference to place your case: which jobs are one-off, which involve greater complexity and which work better as an ongoing service.

Type of workRelative complexityUsual model
One-off fix Minimal Closed scope on a concrete problem.
Technical rescue or audit Low The effort depends on what the review turns up.
Complete visual identity Medium Phased work with approval at each phase.
Bespoke website Medium–high Defined scope with reviewable partial deliveries.
Store or internal system High Scope by modules, or progressive implementation.
AI or automation project Variable Progressive implementation, with review between stages.
Maintenance or content Recurring Ongoing service with scope defined per period.
Relative complexity is compared across our own services, not against the market. It serves to place the effort of one job against another before the conversation.
Models

Examples of ways of working

Common ways of organising a piece of work, for orientation: an exploratory project advances in stages, and an already-defined scope can be agreed in full from the start.

Each proposal defines the scope, the investment and the corresponding way of working. Any change of scope that may affect the budget is communicated and agreed before continuing.

See the full process

Defined-scope project

Per the proposal

The scope can be described precisely from the start. It is agreed in writing and deliveries are reviewed by phase.

Applies to: Sites, visual identity, materials and builds with clear requirements.

Staged work

Per the proposal

The project is divided into stages with a review at the end of each, and continuing is decided with the previous stage’s information in hand.

Applies to: Extensive projects, or those with decisions that depend on intermediate results.

Recurring service

Periodic

Scope defined per period, with tracking and reporting. Reviewed by mutual agreement when needs change.

Applies to: Maintenance, support, marketing and social media management.

Progressive implementation

Per the proposal

The result isn’t fully known in advance: we advance in bounded blocks, measuring before extending.

Applies to: Enterprise AI, automation and integrations.

Model adapted to the project

Per the proposal

When none of the above fits, the model is defined in the proposal along with the scope.

Applies to: Mixed cases, or those with particular client conditions.
Commitment

How we handle the budget during the project

The studio’s working principles. The specific conditions of each project are set out in its proposal.

Tell us about your project
Nothing runs without notice

If unforeseen work appears, we stop, explain it and decide together before continuing.

Revisions are agreed at the start

How many rounds each phase includes is defined in the proposal, so nobody discovers the limit mid-project.

Third parties are handled transparently

Hosting, licences and printing are presented with their terms and receipt, or contracted directly in the client’s name.

Delivered material belongs to the client

Handover of access, files and documentation is part of closing the project and is defined in the proposal.

Early closure is agreed

If the project is interrupted, the applicable conditions are those its own proposal established.

If the budget doesn’t stretch

How to make the project fit

When the budget requires adjustment, we prioritise reducing or dividing the scope rather than compromising the quality of the work.

Cut scope, not quality

Fewer sections, one language instead of two, one integration instead of three. What gets done, gets done well; what doesn’t fit waits for later.

Divide into phases

Publish a first complete, solid version and add the rest when there is budget. That is different from delivering something half-finished.

Contribute your own work

If your team writes the copy, loads the content or produces the photos, that part comes out of the budget. Who does what is defined from the start.

Choose an existing base

Start from a platform or a system already resolved instead of building bespoke. You lose flexibility and gain a good deal on cost and timing.

Financial conditions

The financial and payment conditions are specified in each project’s corresponding proposal.

Third-party services. When a project requires third-party services or licences, how they are handled is specified in the corresponding proposal.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about budgets and engagement models

The ones worth resolving before requesting a proposal.

Why don’t you publish rates?+
Services can vary significantly by scope, complexity, content, integrations, languages and level of customisation. That is why the investment is defined from each project’s concrete needs, rather than from a reference figure that almost never describes the real case.
What information do you need to prepare a proposal?+
The project’s objective, the current situation, any constraints on timing and budget, and the access or systems involved. When there is enough information about the scope we can indicate the investment; the specific proposal is prepared once what the project includes has been defined.
Can we work in stages?+
Yes. When the full scope exceeds the available budget or the calendar, the project is divided into stages with useful deliverables at the close of each one, and continuing is decided with the previous stage’s information in hand.
Are there recurring services?+
Yes: maintenance, support, marketing and social media management are normally organised as an ongoing service, with scope defined per period and review by mutual agreement when needs change.
Can the scope be adjusted to an available budget?+
Yes. We prioritise what adds the most value and leave the rest for a later phase. It is more honest than keeping the full scope and cutting corners inside it without saying so.
How is the value of AI Hub defined?+
AI Hub works on a monthly subscription. The value depends on the configuration, the enabled tools, the models, the consumption or credits, the users and the integrations required. A private environment for an organisation is defined separately.

Tell us what you need and we’ll assess the next step.

The first conversation serves to understand the need, the possible scope and whether we are the right team. Each proposal then defines the scope, the investment and the corresponding way of working.

We normally reply within 1–2 business days.