Questions people ask before they write in.
Straight answers on cost, process, what I build, who owns the site, and what happens after launch.
Cost and billing
How much does a website cost?
Projects start at $3,000. Every project is a fixed fee, quoted after a discovery call, so the number does not move unless the scope does. Five things set the price: how much content you need, how many unique page layouts, the features, the optimization work, and how the project is run. I wrote up each of those in How Much Does a Website Cost?
How do you bill?
A deposit to start, and the rest at launch. On longer builds I bill monthly instead, so neither of us carries a large invoice at the end. There are no surprise line items; anything outside the quote is priced separately before I do it.
Can you set up a pre-made theme for less?
No. Everything I build is a custom theme and custom plugins, written to be kept for years. If your budget is under $3,000, a pre-made theme set up by someone else is the honest answer, and it should cost between $750 and $2,000. Anyone charging much more than that for a template is charging for custom work they are not doing.
Is there a cost after launch?
Only if you want there to be. Most clients keep me on a monthly plan, one to two hours a month depending on the size of the site, covering hosting, remote backups, tested updates, security patches, and the changes you would rather hand off. I quote it with the project so there is no surprise after launch. Either way you own the site.
Process
What happens after I write in?
I reply by email within one business day. Usually I have a few questions, and if it would help we get on a short call. Then you get a fixed quote and a plan, and nothing starts until you say so.
Do I have to write the content?
No. Every project starts with research: interviews with your experts and your customers, and a look at your analytics. That becomes a content plan where every page has a clear job. You review your own words in real layouts from the first draft, which is the fastest way to find out what is missing.
What do you need from me?
An hour or two of interview time with the people who know your work, access to your analytics and your current site, whatever content you already have, and one person who can make decisions. That last one matters more than the rest.
Is accessibility included?
Yes. Accessibility is reviewed as part of design, not added at the end. Color contrast, keyboard navigation, headings, and image descriptions are part of every build.
What I build
What kind of websites do you build?
Custom WordPress sites for nonprofits, associations, and restaurant groups, mostly around Washington, DC. Your own theme and your own plugins, never a page-builder template. I have been building websites since 2009, and some clients have been with me for a decade.
Can you add to the site I already have?
Usually, yes. Maps, data dashboards, a directory, a bilingual version, or a new section are often added to an existing site. If the site underneath is not worth building on, I will say so and tell you what the alternative costs.
Do you build maps and data tools?
Yes. Interactive maps, dashboards, and reports built on your own research, so visitors can explore the data for themselves. The data can come from a spreadsheet, a CRM, or an API. Recent examples are the Forest and Mill Data Dashboard for the National Alliance of Forest Owners and the Seascape and Aquascape maps for Fishwise.
Do you do SEO?
Yes, as a monthly service for restaurants, multi-location businesses, and anyone who needs to be found nearby. I fix the technical basics, write the pages Google is looking for, manage your Google Business Profiles, respond to reviews in your voice, and add the files and structured data that AI search engines read. You get a monthly dashboard so you can see what moved.
Do you work with agencies?
Yes. I build and maintain WordPress sites behind design and marketing agencies, hourly or on retainer. You keep the client relationship; I handle the development and stay out of sight.
Can you build a bilingual site?
Yes. I have kept Sun River Health’s site in English and Spanish, updated every month, since 2022. Translation workflow, URL structure, and search engine signals are all part of the build.
After launch
Who owns the website?
You do. The domain stays in your own registrar account, the code and the content are yours, and you get admin access to everything. If you ever want to move to someone else, nothing I built stands in the way.
Can I update the site myself?
Yes. Every site is built so you can edit pages, post news, and change menus without touching code. I show you how at launch, and the monthly plan covers the changes you would rather hand off.
What if something breaks?
Email me. Clients on a monthly plan get a reply within one business day and most fixes the same day. If you are not on a plan, I will quote the fix before I do it.
Do you keep working with clients after launch?
Most clients keep me on. Fishwise has been a client since 2019, AP Pizza Shop for eight years, and I have updated Sun River Health’s bilingual site every month since 2022. I write code I expect to maintain for years, because I usually do.
SEO and AI search
Will my site show up on Google?
The basics are built in: titles and descriptions on every page, structured data, a sitemap, fast pages, and content written to answer the questions people actually search. That is enough for people searching your name and your field. Competing for busier terms is ongoing work, and that is what the monthly SEO service is for.
Do you guarantee rankings?
No, and nobody honest does. Google decides the rankings. What I can promise is a clear monthly report of what moved: rankings, clicks, and Google Business Profile actions, so you can judge the work on evidence.
How long does SEO take?
Results build over a few months. For a six-restaurant group, the average score across all six sites on my audit tool went from 52 to 91 between April and September 2026, with rankings following behind.
Do AI search engines matter?
Yes. More people ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI answers for recommendations every month. Those systems read structured data, plain answers like the ones on this page, and the files written for them, so every site I build includes those. This site is set up that way too.
Working together
Who will I work with?
Me. There is no account manager and no handoff. The person you talk to on the first call is the person who writes the code and answers the email after launch.
Is a one-person studio a risk?
It is a fair question. I have been building websites since 2009, and the answer is in how the work is done: standard WordPress, documented code, everything in your own accounts. If I were hit by a bus, any competent WordPress developer could pick up your site. That is by design.
Do we sign a contract?
Yes. It covers what will be delivered, the timeline, the cost and payment schedule, who owns what, and how often you will hear from me. The things I tell people to look for in anyone else’s contract are in mine.
Something else?
Use the chat in the corner, email hello@jesseeproductions.com, or tell me what you’re trying to do and I’ll tell you what it would take.