Frequently Asked Questions

Both, depending on the work. For well-defined projects where we know exactly what's involved, we'll usually quote a fixed price so you know what you're up for. For ongoing work, updates, support, or projects where the scope is likely to change, we bill by the hour.

We'll always be upfront about which approach makes sense before we start, and we won't rack up hours without keeping you in the loop.

Yes, there are a few to be aware of. Domain registration renews annually (around NZ$35+GST per year). Hosting is a monthly cost (NZ$25–$50+GST per month for most sites). If you're on a platform like WordPress, there may also be plugin or theme renewal fees.

Beyond that, there's no mandatory ongoing fee from us — you only pay when you need work done. Some clients prefer a monthly support retainer so they have a set number of hours available each month, but that's entirely optional.

Yes, for new projects we typically ask for a 50% deposit before we start work, with the balance due on completion. For larger projects we may split payments across milestones. For small updates and hourly work with existing clients, we generally invoice at the end of the month.

If you have questions about payment terms, just ask — we're pretty straightforward about it.

Yes, absolutely. A lot of updates are simpler than people expect — sometimes it's just a quick phone call or sending us the new content in an email and we'll take care of it.

For websites we actively manage, changes are straightforward. For websites built by someone else, it takes a little longer to get familiar with how things are set up, but it's usually not a problem. Website updates are billed at NZ$80–$160+GST per hour depending on what's involved.

For anything more than a quick change, it's worth sending us the content first so we can give you a total price before we start.

The easiest way is to get in touch via our contact page or give us a call. It helps to have a rough idea of what you're after — even just a description of the problem you're trying to solve is enough to start.

We'll ask a few questions, get a feel for the scope, and come back to you with either a quote or a plan for working one out. You don't need a detailed spec or a written brief — a conversation is usually all it takes to get the ball rolling.

Yes, we take on existing websites regularly. Whether you need updates, your previous developer is no longer available, or you're just looking for someone more responsive, we're happy to take a look.

We'll need access to the code and hosting to get familiar with how it's built. Depending on how it was put together, some things will be straightforward and others might take a bit of investigation — we'll be honest with you about what we find.

Tell us. We'd much rather know than have you sit on it. Most issues come down to miscommunication about what was expected, and those are almost always fixable.

We build in revision rounds on all projects so there's an opportunity to give feedback before anything is signed off. If something genuinely isn't right, we'll sort it out. We've been in business since 2003 partly because we don't leave people in the lurch.

Not at all. Most of our clients are based around New Zealand — Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, and plenty of smaller towns in between — but we also work with a handful of Kiwi expats in Australia, the USA, and England who need someone who actually knows the New Zealand market.

That local knowledge matters more than people realise. Things like GST, NZ-specific payment systems, .co.nz domains, and the way local suppliers and logistics providers work aren't something you can just google from overseas. Our expat clients come to us because they need software built for a New Zealand context, and they'd rather deal with someone who gets that without having to explain it.

All of our work is done remotely anyway — email, phone, and video call — so location has never been a barrier for any project we've taken on.

It depends on what you need and how quickly content comes through. A simple single-page or brochure site can be turned around in one to two weeks. A standard business website with several pages typically takes two to four weeks. Ecommerce sites and custom web applications take longer — usually six to twelve weeks depending on complexity.

The most common reason projects run longer than expected is waiting on content, photos, and feedback from the client. The faster we can go back and forth, the faster it gets done.

Yes. Once the project is paid for, the website and all the code we've written for you is yours. We'll also make sure you have access to your domain name and hosting so you're never locked in.

The only exception is third-party software or licensed components — things like WordPress themes or plugins have their own licensing terms, but those are separate from the work we do.

If your site is hosted with us, get in touch straight away — phone or email. We run our own infrastructure in New Zealand, so there's no overseas help desk to deal with. We can usually diagnose and resolve most issues quickly.

For sites hosted elsewhere, we can still help troubleshoot but we're working with the tools that hosting provider gives us, which can slow things down. If you're regularly having trouble with your current host, it might be worth a conversation about moving.

Yes — this is actually one of the main things we do. We've built integrations between a wide range of platforms: accounting software like Xero, courier and logistics systems, ERP platforms, EDI suppliers, REST APIs, and custom database systems.

If your current setup involves someone manually copying data from one system to another, there's a good chance we can automate it. Get in touch and describe what you're working with — we'll let you know what's realistic.

We build websites with solid SEO foundations — proper page titles, meta descriptions, structured data, fast load times, mobile-friendly layouts, and clean URL structures. That gives you a good starting point.

What we don't do is ongoing SEO campaigns, link building, or paid search management — that's a specialist discipline and we'd rather point you to someone who does it properly than overpromise. If you're after technical SEO advice on your existing site, that's something we can help with on an hourly basis.