Honest answers about bespoke software.
Everything we get asked on a first call - costs, timelines, ownership, support. If you've got a question that isn't here, just ask.
How much does bespoke software cost?
Most SME projects we deliver land between £2,000 and £15,000.
A small workflow automation might be £2,000-£4,000. A custom internal tool or client portal is typically £5,000-£10,000. A full bespoke business platform with AI features sits around £10,000-£15,000.
Every project is fixed-price after a free scoping call - no hourly surprises.
How long does a typical project take?
Most projects ship within 2-6 weeks. A simple automation can be live in under a week. A full bespoke app with multiple features typically takes 3-6 weeks of build time.
We're a small team focused on lean delivery - no 6-month consultancy timelines.
Do I own the code and the intellectual property?
Yes. You own the source code, the IP, and the hosting accounts on day one. We hand over full ownership at launch.
If you ever want to move providers, change developers, or self-host, you can - everything is yours. We don't lock you in.
What happens if Seahorse goes bust or I want to leave?
You're never dependent on us. The code, hosting, and database all live in your own accounts, paid by your card. Everything is yours from day one.
If we vanished tomorrow, any competent developer could pick up the codebase - we use mainstream tech, not bespoke frameworks.
Do you charge fixed price or hourly?
Always fixed price. After a free 20-minute scoping call we send a written quote with the scope, deliverables, timeline, and cost.
No hourly billing, no scope creep surprises. If the scope changes mid-project, we agree the new price upfront before doing the work.
Will you support the software after it launches?
Yes. Most clients stay on a small monthly retainer for ongoing tweaks, monitoring, and feature additions. Pricing depends on usage - typically £100-£400/month.
Or you can pay for changes ad-hoc as you need them. We don't force long-term contracts.
Can you integrate with the tools we already use?
Almost always yes. We've integrated with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Slack, Teams, Outlook, Gmail, WhatsApp Business, Stripe, GoCardless, Companies House, and dozens of industry-specific platforms.
If it has an API, we can connect to it. See Workflow Automation for examples.
Do I need to be technical to work with you?
No. Most of our clients are non-technical owners, operations managers, or finance leads.
We translate business problems into software, not the other way around. You describe what's slowing your team down; we figure out how to fix it.
How is bespoke software different from off-the-shelf SaaS?
Off-the-shelf software (Salesforce, Monday, Notion, HubSpot) is designed for a generic average customer. Bespoke software is built around exactly how your business actually works - your terminology, your processes, your reports, your integrations.
No paying for features you don't use, no fighting the tool to make it fit, no per-user pricing that scales painfully.
Why not just use Salesforce, Monday, or another big platform?
If your processes fit a generic CRM or project tool, you should. We tell clients this regularly.
We're worth it when off-the-shelf software either doesn't exist for your niche (e.g. lifting equipment service management), costs more per year than a bespoke build, or forces your team to work around it instead of with it.
Do you work with small businesses or only enterprises?
SMEs only. Our typical client has 5-100 staff, £1m-£20m turnover, and a problem that's been niggling them for years.
We're deliberately not built for enterprise consultancy work - we move faster, charge less, and we're directly accountable. Most of our work is in the North East, but we deliver UK-wide remotely.
Can you build AI features into the software?
Yes - and we do it carefully. AI works brilliantly for specific tasks: document extraction, classification, summarisation, natural-language search, draft generation.
We don't bolt AI onto things for the sake of it. Every AI feature we build has a clear, measurable use case and a graceful fallback if the model gets it wrong. See AI Agents for examples.
What's your process from first contact to launch?
Five stages:
1. Free 20-min scoping call - we understand the problem.
2. Written quote - scope, deliverables, timeline, fixed price.
3. Discovery week - we map your processes in detail.
4. Build phase - typically 2-4 weeks of iterative delivery with weekly demos.
5. Launch + handover - we ship to your account, train your team, and stay on for support.
How do you handle data security and UK GDPR?
Every client gets a signed Data Processing Agreement before we touch any data. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is role-based and audited. We use UK or EU data centres by default.
We're not lawyers - but our DPA, privacy practices, and infrastructure choices are designed around UK GDPR compliance from day one. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Where are you based and can you work remotely?
We're based in Middlesbrough, serving SMEs across the Tees Valley, North East England, and remotely UK-wide.
Most projects run fully remote with weekly video calls. For local clients in the North East we'll happily come to your office for kickoff or critical milestones.
Can you take over a project someone else started?
Usually yes - but with a free review first. We'll audit the existing codebase, identify what's salvageable, and quote either a rescue (fix and continue) or a rebuild (start fresh, salvaging only the spec).
We won't take on a broken project blind and then surprise you with costs.
Do you offer AI training for our team?
Yes - hands-on workshops tailored to your industry and your actual workflows. Sessions are practical: your team brings real tasks, we show them how AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, n8n, custom assistants) can speed those tasks up.
Typical engagement: half-day or full-day on-site or remote, from £500-£1,500 per session. See AI Training for the full programme.
Got a question that isn't here?
Tell us what's slowing your business down. We'll tell you what's possible and what it would take.
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