Answers, before you even ask.
What engagements cost, how long they take, and what it's actually like to work with us — the questions we hear most, answered plainly.
What happens on a discovery call?
About thirty minutes, and we spend most of it asking questions — how your business runs, where the work piles up, what you've already tried. We won't pitch you. We're trying to understand the problem well enough to know whether software would actually help, and what it would need to do. By the end, you'll have a clearer statement of the problem than you walked in with, whether or not we end up working together. No obligation, and no sales-email sequence afterward.
What does a typical engagement cost?
It depends on scope, so here are honest ranges. Smaller tools and integrations — connecting two systems, automating one workflow — often land under $25k. Most custom applications fall between $25k and $75k. Larger builds that touch multiple systems or replace core operations run $75k to $150k and up. Discovery is where we fix the scope and the number, so the price you agree to is the price you pay. No surprise invoices. If your budget doesn't fit the problem, we'll say so on the first call.
How long do projects take?
Discovery usually takes one to two weeks, depending on how many people we need to talk to. After that, most projects ship a first working version in weeks, not quarters — we'd rather put something real in your hands early than disappear for six months and come back with a big reveal. From there we launch iteratively: you use the software, we watch what works, and we adjust. A small integration might be done in a month; a larger application rolls out in stages.
Who actually builds my software?
Senior engineers — the same people who sat on your discovery call. We're a small company by design, so there's no handoff to a junior bench once the contract is signed. The person who asked about your invoicing process is the person writing the code that fixes it. That matters more than it sounds: most software problems come from details lost in translation between the people who understood the business and the people who built the thing. We keep those the same people.
What do we need to bring?
Three things. Access to the people who live the process day to day — the office manager who actually runs the spreadsheet, not just the executive who owns the budget. Honest answers about what's broken, including the workarounds nobody's proud of. And a decision-maker who can say yes, so the project keeps moving. You don't need a spec, a wireframe, or any technical knowledge. Knowing your own business well is enough — the questions are our job.
What happens after launch?
Ongoing iteration is one of our core services, not an afterthought. Software that fits your operations on launch day drifts as the business changes, and we plan for that — most clients keep us on for improvements, new features, and the occasional fix. But here's the important part: you own everything. The code, the repositories, the hosting accounts, the data — all in your name from day one. If you ever want to hand it to an internal team or another developer, you can, cleanly. No lock-in.
What if we're not sure software is the answer?
Sometimes it isn't. Discovery is designed to find that out cheaply, before anyone commits to a build. We've told prospective clients that a process change, an off-the-shelf tool, or doing nothing at all was the better answer, and we'd rather lose a project than ship something you didn't need. We're named after questions — domandas is Italian for exactly that — so "should this exist at all?" is the first one we ask. If you're unsure, that's a fine place to start.
Didn't find your question? Ask us below, or email hello@domandas.com.
Let's turn your questions into working software.
Tell us what you're trying to build and we'll get back with a plan — and a clear next step. No pressure, no jargon.