Black Anchor Design Frequently Asked Questions

No. Every inquiry goes through a qualification step, and I turn down projects that aren't a fit in terms of budget, timeline, industry, or readiness. I work best with owners who communicate clearly, show up for their part, and know what the site has to do for the business. Saying no is how I protect the work for the clients I say yes to.

Most bad experiences come from three things: no real contract, no defined scope, or a designer who vanished after launch. Every project here starts with a signed agreement and a project calendar, and each phase closes with your written approval. The person on your first call is the person who builds your site. You own your domain, files, and logins from day one, so nobody can hold your site hostage.

I do. I handle strategy, copy, design, build, and post-launch emails. Large projects sometimes need specialists: photographers, industry copywriters, or developers for custom integrations. I bring them in openly and stay in charge of the work. I don't use junior designers, offshore teams, or white-labeling.

It depends on the platform and the extent of the damage. I build and repair on Duda, Wix Studio, and Shopify. If your site is on one of those, I'll review it and tell you whether a repair or a rebuild is the smarter spend.

I don't work on WordPress. That covers repairs, updates, and malware cleanup. A rebuild on a supported platform is almost always faster and cheaper than rescuing a compromised WordPress site.

Builds start at $10,500. Each package has a published price on the Pricing page. Payment follows the project phases:

60% at Phase 1, when the project begins.

25% at Phase 3, when the build begins.

15% at Phase 4, due 7 days before launch.

I accept major credit cards. The Captain, Vice Admiral, Fleet Admiral and Master Chief Diver packages can also pay by ACH bank transfer with no card fee. Proposals include applicable sales tax and a 3% card processing fee on card payments. I don't offer in-house financing. PayPal's Buy Now, Pay Later is available at checkout.

Only if you're booking ahead. A 10% holding deposit locks your start date and is credited toward your Phase 1 payment, so it isn't an added cost. It's non-refundable and expires when your start month arrives; rescheduling requires a new 10%. If you're starting right away, there's no holding deposit.

Two months minimum. Most projects are booked two to eleven months out. If you need to start sooner, it's sometimes possible with a rush fee of 50–100% of the project price, due up front.

• Commander: 6 weeks
• Captain: 8 weeks
• Vice Admiral: 10 weeks
• Fleet Admiral: 12–16 weeks

Those timelines assume you return content, approvals, and feedback on schedule. Most delays come from the client side.

Projects start at $10,500. If you're booking ahead, a 10% holding deposit locks your start date and is credited toward your Phase 1 payment. It's non-refundable.

Payment is split into three phases: 60% when the project begins (50% if you paid the holding deposit), 25% when we move into the build phase, and 15% due 7 days before launch.

If $10,500 isn't where your budget is right now, a private coaching session at $220 an hour is the right starting point. We'll figure out what you need, what to prioritize, and how to plan for a full project when you're ready.

No. I write the page copy, and it's finished before design starts because the design is built around the words. What I need from you is the raw material:

• Logo files
• Photos
• Certifications
• Project details
• Answers to my discovery questions

You'll get a checklist with deadlines at kickoff. Missing material is the most common reason projects stall.

Yes, and it's included in every package. You review and approve the copy before design begins. Copy changes after approval are quoted as new work because the layout was built around the approved text. Photography and video aren't included, but I can refer you to photographers I trust.

I don't design logos. If you don't have one yet, you'll need it finished before your project starts.

Yes. I build to your standards. At kickoff, I review your guidelines and flag anything that won't translate to the web before I build. That usually means color contrast, font licensing, or how the logo behaves on a phone.

Yes, with one condition: you need a finished logo before kickoff. I handle what sits under the logo: positioning, voice, and messaging. Starting clean is often easier than repairing a brand that's been applied inconsistently for years.

• Your signed agreement and Phase 1 payment
• Access to your domain, hosting, analytics, and Google Business Profile
• Your brand assets
• A few competitor sites you admire or want distance from

The faster I get those, the faster the project moves.

Usually. Integrations are scoped during discovery. Contact forms, email platforms, booking systems, and Google Analytics are routine. Software with a proprietary API can add development time and cost. I'll identify that before you sign.

Feedback happens at set checkpoints. Each phase has a review window where you send one consolidated round of feedback. Revisions cover fixes to what I built. Changing what you asked for is new scope. Scattered feedback and late changes in direction are the fastest way to blow a timeline and a budget.

Design comes after discovery, strategy, and approved copy, so big misses are rare. If a direction isn't landing, we correct it at the review checkpoint. The clearer you are up front, the less friction there is mid-project.

Every build includes post-launch support for fixes within the original scope:

• Commander: 30 days
• Captain and Vice Admiral: 30 days
• Shopify: 60 days
• Fleet Admiral: 3 months

After that, changes are billed under a maintenance plan (starting at $800/month) or at my hourly rate. All requests go through the support ticket system, so both of us have a record. New pages and redesigns are quoted as new work.

You do. The domain, files, and logins are yours from day one, along with a handoff document. I keep the rights to my underlying design patterns and code. The site itself is yours.

You're covered. You own your domain and can access your files and hosting from day one, so nothing is locked behind me. Every project includes written strategy, design notes, and documentation, so any competent designer could pick it up. If I'm out for an extended period, my partner either transitions to another designer or hands everything directly to you. The full plan is in my Dead Man's File.

No, and nobody honest does. I guarantee the work: a site built to current standards for SEO, speed, accessibility, and conversion. Results depend on your market, your offer, and what you do after launch.

Yes. A proposal without a conversation is just a price sheet. The call is where I find out what you actually need before I put numbers on paper.