CDBTech, LLC

I offer fixed project pricing only for work that I have been involved in from the beginning, where I am familiar with the code and can vouch for its quality.

All other work can be done on an hourly basis.

My current hourly rate is USD 145 (SGD 195). Fixed price projects generally cost between USD 3,500 and 15,000 (SGD 5,000 - 20,000).

Not explicitly, though in practice there’s not much work that I can do in under seven hours.

Yes, I have a general contract, applicable to any work we do together. The goal of my contract is to make sure we each understand what our responsibilities are, not to deceive you. As such, it’s written in plain English and available in a version controlled GitHub repository for you to review at any time.

For fixed-price work, I will also submit a project proposal, outlining the scope, timeline, and price for the individual project.

Depending on the size of the project, I usually require a deposit of 20%-40%. An additional sum may be payable at the midpoint, and the balance is payable on completion.

Payment terms will be clearly stated in any project proposal I provide.

For fixed price work, I invoice as per our agreed upon payment terms.

For hourly work, I invoice (approximately) on the last day of the month.

A full site development project typically takes 6-9 weeks for design, development, and review. Coding a provided design can take a few weeks less.

I try to turn around hourly work items within 2-4 business days. Of course, this may vary based on the complexity of the work.

From my general contract:

I will test any views that I build for you in the current stable version of the four major desktop browsers by market share, as well as in iOS. Users of older or less capable browsers or devices will experience a design that is appropriate to the capabilities of their software.

For example, as of July 21, 2018, browser coverage would be:

• Chrome 67 (tested), with any bugs in v66 covered
• Firefox 61 (tested), with any bugs in v60 covered
• Safari 11 (tested), with any bugs in v10 covered
• iOS Safari 11 (tested on an iPad and iPhone, in portrait and landscape modes), with any bugs in v10 covered
• Edge 42 (tested), with any bugs in v41 covered
• Internet Explorer 11 (tested)

If you need me to consider other or older browsers, I will charge you at my standard hourly rate.

It depends. A CMS will allow you to update your website without calling me (or learning HTML), but implementing a CMS adds a lot of weight to the backend, since you’ll need to communicate with a database on every page load (caching aside). This adds extra loading time to your site, compared to just using static HTML.

You’ll have to ask yourself, “Will I make regular updates to this website, once it’s completed?” If you won’t, then it may be best to opt for the simpler non-CMS solution.

WordPress. Easily. I’ve worked with the big three open source CMS’s (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla), as well as many of the lesser-known ones, and WordPress is absolutely the best in my opinion:

• It has a massive developer community, meaning that the code is thoroughly documented and that there’s a huge pool of knowledge to draw upon when trying to code custom functionality. This reduces development time, and makes for better solutions.
• It’s updated on a regular interval. WP releases a major update twice each year, innovating new features and improving performance on a consistent cycle.
• It’s free, both in cost and in openness. Every line of WP code is accessible to anyone who wants to look.
• It’s secure. The WP core software very rarely has major security issues, and when these arise, they’re quickly patched. So long as only well-vetted themes and plugins are added to WP, the software remains secure. Most WP site hacks, as well as articles about WP’s insecurity, are the result of running outdated software.

When was the plugin last updated? Is it currently maintained? Is the source reputable? How much customization will be required to make it fit your site? How well does it perform? It is secure?

Plugins may look like ideal solutions. (Who would argue with free?) However, many plugins you find online are long out of date. Even those that aren’t will often mesh poorly with your site. What’s the point of paying for a bespoke web presence when you just throw a neon green contact form into the sidebar on launch day?

In addition, plugins, by definition, aren’t as tightly integrated into the rest of the site as custom developed functionality. They often execute when not needed, or load extra files on every page, or just work really inefficiently.

Generally, I try to use as few plugins as possible (<5) on the sites I design. When I do use them, I make sure that:

1. They don’t perform a functionality I could easily code myself.
2. They’re actively developed by a reputable source.
3. They don’t excessively hinder performance.

For instance, on this site I’m using Gravity Forms, WordPress SEO, and Advanced Custom Fields. That’s it.

I run all modules I build through the relevant validation tools. For example, I use the W3C validator for HTML, JSHint for Javascript, and Google’s PageSpeed and WebPagetest for webpage performance.

I evaluate these reports and either fix the issues flagged or explain my reasons not to (such as the validator’s rule being out of date or the performance boost not being possible on your current server).

You can check out my personal GitHub profile for some recent code I’ve written. Keep in mind that the majority of my work is for clients, so I don’t own the code and unfortunately can’t show it off.

No site is 100% secure in all circumstances, but I do my best and am confident in the products I deliver. Security is multi-faceted issue, and I try to address every aspect, including:

• Writing secure code, with version control
• Making regular backups
• Making sure your site is on a quality web host
• Encouraging good practices, like using strong passwords and rotating credentials
• Sanitizing any user data inputs
• Using encryption as appropriate

Probably not much. I’ve worked with dozens of hosts over the years, and most are pretty awful. Personally, I only recommend a few hosts, based on your budget/scale:

• WPEngine, for premium WordPress hosting
• DreamHost, for small sites
• Amazon Web Services, for larger implementations

For domain registration, I use and recommend Google Domains.

You will need to provide site content: text, images, and videos. I can build you an amazing website, but no one will ever see it if you don’t add in the words to sell your product or service.

I can help you develop your sitemap, which will determine what pages you’ll need to provide content for, and I’ll usually upload the initial batch of content for you. I can also recommend stock image resources, and in some cases, I can provide copy writing services.

However, I truly do believe that you are the person best qualified to write about what you do. I know writing content can be hard, but I discourage the use of copy writing or stock imagery services most of the time.

I try to write modular code, broken down into easy to follow chunks, with clearly named functions. I try to conform to the WordPress Coding Standards as much possible and create consistent, well-integrated interfaces when extending currently existing software.

The exact text/image documentation provided will vary by project. I want to make sure that my code is clear and that you’re able to use the products I create, but I don’t want to write volumes unnecessarily. Please specify your documentation requirements before we get started, so I can provide you with what you need.

Writing is hard work. I have a ton of respect for individuals who are able to consistently produce quality article content. I’m not one of those people right now, and although I’ve had tech/business blogs in the past, I don’t currently maintain one.

I think it’s disingenuous to speak in the royal we. Although I work in teams every day and can all kinds of specialists to your project if needed, I’m one person with a company right now.

When I have no choice, I’ll hire someone. Then, I’ll find-and-replace all the I’s into we’s. =)

I can keep costs low on several fronts, and pass some of that that value onto you:

1. I build efficient processes, time tracking everything I do (billable or not) and finding ways to do it better.
2. I avoid excess. My proposals are 1-3 pages, not 20-40. I don’t show up at your office when an email will do (and give you the freedom to reply at your convenience).
3. …and most importantly, I sell the solution I believe you need. Sometimes you don’t need a several thousand dollar custom-built system yet. I won’t try to sell that to you when a simpler implementation will do. I’d rather save you the money now so that you can invest it in your idea, grow, and then come back to me for the big project.