When you need a custom build
Most websites work fine with a template. Solid structure, your own content, consistent design. But there are situations where a template visibly hits its limits.
Think of a 3D product configurator that reacts to user actions in real time. Or a dashboard that combines and visualises data from multiple external APIs. Or a headless commerce setup where the checkout contains logic that no standard Shopify plugin can handle.
In those cases the problem is not effort, it is the tooling. A template is built for most cases. Custom is built for your case.
- ►3D viewers or animation-heavy interfaces (Three.js, GSAP, Framer Motion)
- ►Real-time data feeds from external sources (stock prices, IoT, live inventory)
- ►AI integrations: chatbots, content pipelines, recommendation logic
- ►Headless commerce with complex product configurations or B2B pricing rules
- ►A custom design system that looks like nothing else out there
- ►Multiple data sources in one interface, without delay
How the process looks
I always start with a discovery call. No quote after a single form. I want to understand what you are building, why it does not exist yet and where the technical boundaries are.
After that I write a scope document. What I build, what I do not, which integrations are required, what the performance requirements are. Based on that I give a price range and a phase plan.
- ►Discovery: technical analysis, scope, integration matrix
- ►Prototype: working core functionality, no design yet
- ►Build: fully built application, tested for performance
- ►Launch: deployment on your infrastructure or Vercel, DNS configuration
- ►Retainer: 60 minutes of changes per month, priority response
I do not work with sprints or scrum ceremonies. I work with clear deliverables and direct communication. You always know what is being built and why.
Two projects as reference
T&H Car Care: an automotive detailing company where the hero section shows a 3D car model that responds to scroll. The site runs on Next.js 14 with a custom admin for product pages. Lighthouse Performance: 97. The 3D layer is lazy-loaded so the First Contentful Paint does not suffer.
A B2B price calculator for a manufacturing company: external ERP integration via REST, real-time price calculation based on material choice and volume, PDF export. Built in Next.js with server actions and a custom caching layer. No off-the-shelf solution could have handled this.
What it costs and how the range works
A custom project needs a discovery call. Scope, integrations and performance requirements determine the price. The range is wide because the work differs widely.
The three factors that determine the price: complexity of the integrations, the number of unique page types to design and build, and the performance requirements. A Lighthouse score of 95+ on a 3D-heavy interface takes more work than the same score on a static page.
Monthly you pay for hosting, monitoring, backups, security updates and 60 minutes of changes. Larger changes are billed at an hourly rate, with a quote upfront.
Not sure which tier fits? Check the comparison on the Template page.