Published fees. Dated schedules. Nothing invoiced that wasn't agreed in writing.
Six ways to work
together
Most engagements combine two: an identity and the site that carries it, or a product design and the build that follows it. Each page states exactly what you get, when, and for how much.
- Services
- 6
- Typical start
- 2 – 5 weeks out
- Working from
- Johannesburg
Pick the one closest to your problem
Not sure which applies? Send the brief anyway. The first call is about working out what you actually need, which is often not what the brief says.
Web01Web Design & DevelopmentMarketing sites, portfolios and online stores: designed, built and handed over ready to run.Sitemap, content model and wireframesFull page designs across mobile, tablet and desktopInteractive prototype for sign-offProduction build in Next.js and Tailwind (or Shopify)Timeline2 – 12 weeks depending on page countInvestmentFrom R9 500Full service detail- Apps02App DevelopmentWeb apps, progressive web apps and cross-platform mobile builds, from MVP through to a product you can staff.Product definition: jobs, users and the cut list for v1User flows, wireframes and a clickable prototypeComplete UI design and component libraryCross-platform build (iOS, Android, web) or PWATimeline6 – 20 weeks depending on scopeInvestmentFrom R55 000Full service detail
Product03UI/UX DesignResearch, flows, interface design and design systems for teams who need the product to make sense before it gets built.Stakeholder and user interviews with a written synthesisUser flows, information architecture and wireframesClickable prototype in FigmaFull interface design across breakpointsTimeline3 – 8 weeksInvestmentFrom R18 000Full service detail
Identity04Brand & Graphic DesignLogos, identity systems, decks, social templates and print: the visual layer that keeps everything looking like one company.Positioning statement and messaging hierarchyNaming and verbal identity (where required)Primary wordmark, monogram and responsive lockupsType system, colour system and layout gridTimeline3 – 10 weeksInvestmentFrom R12 500Full service detail
Hosting05Hosting, Care & SupportManaged hosting, backups, updates, monitoring and a monthly block of change hours, on four plans you can compare side by side.Managed hosting with SSL and CDN, provisioned and monitoredDaily or hourly off-site backups, restore-tested quarterlyCore, plugin and dependency updates on a scheduleUptime and Core Web Vitals monitoring with alertingTimelineOngoing, monthly. Cancel with 30 days' noticeInvestmentFrom R450 per monthFull service detail
Advisory06Digital Consulting & WorkshopsTechnical and design reviews, roadmap support and team workshops for organisations building digital capability in-house.Scheduled design and code review sessions with written feedbackProduct, performance and accessibility audits with prioritised fixesFacilitated workshops, on site or remoteHiring support: briefs, portfolio review, technical interview panelsTimelineOngoing, minimum three monthsInvestmentFrom R12 500 per monthFull service detail
No hourly billing, no surprise invoices
The commercial terms are as designed as the work. You should be able to plan your budget around a project rather than brace for it, which is why every package price is published rather than quoted on request.
Published, fixed fees
The numbers are on the pricing pages before you email me. Fees are tied to phases, not hours, so a slow week costs you nothing.
A dated schedule
Every project has a calendar with review dates on it. If a date slips because of me, I tell you before it slips, not after.
Two rounds per stage
Enough for almost every project. If we need a third I will tell you before we cross that line, not on the invoice.
Full ownership on completion
Editable source files and the code repository, which lives in your own GitHub organisation from the first commit.
The same four moves, every discipline
- 01
Listen properly
Every project starts with questions rather than references. What changed, what is at stake, and what would make this a waste of money.
- 02
Agree one page
A single page of scope gets signed before anything is designed or built. It settles arguments in week nine before they happen.
- 03
Ship it early
You get a staging link in week one and a working build every fortnight, rather than a reveal at the end that nobody can respond to.
- 04
Hand it over completely
Source files, repository, infrastructure, documentation, training. The measure of the work is what you can do with it after I leave.
What kinds of projects do you take on?
Web development, app development, UI/UX design, and brand and graphic design, plus hosting and care plans for the things I build. Most engagements combine two: an identity and the site that carries it, or a product design and the build that follows it.
Where are you based, and do you work remotely?
The studio is in Rosebank, Johannesburg, with a Cape Town base used by appointment. Almost all of the work runs remotely with no geographic limit. Recent clients have been in Cape Town, Berlin, Tokyo and Mahé.
How do you price work?
Websites are fixed-price packages published on the pricing pages, so you can budget before we speak. Apps run as a fixed-price discovery followed by a fixed-price build. Hosting and consulting are monthly. You will never receive an invoice for something we did not agree in writing first.
What does a project cost?
A one-page launch site is R9 500, a seven-page business website R24 500, an online store R48 000, and custom platforms from R95 000. Apps start at R55 000 for a progressive web app and R165 000 for a cross-platform build. Hosting and care plans run from R450 a month.
How long will it take?
One to two weeks for a launch page, three to five for a business website, five to eight for a store, and eight to sixteen for a custom platform. Apps run six to twenty weeks depending on scope. You get a dated schedule before you commit.
How many revisions are included?
Two rounds of substantive revision at each stage, which is enough for the vast majority of projects. Further rounds are R650 an hour and I will tell you before we cross that line, not after.
Tell me the ceiling and the deadline. I'll design the scope to fit inside both.
A 30-minute call establishes whether the fit is right before anybody writes a proposal, and costs you nothing either way.
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Bonolo Mathabela · Designer & Developer · bonolomathabela.com