How we work

Initial consultation
Our first meeting with you, of approximately half an hour to an hour,  is free of charge and is without obligation. Subsequent time spent on the assignment, including attendance at meetings and other expenses, forms part of the billable assignment.

Price
Generally, at 123 Design we charge for our time in half-hour increments at an hourly rate. Where appropriate we will agree a fixed package price. Once sufficient information has been provided to 123 Design we will provide you with a written estimate. You will be asked to confirm in writing that you have accepted this estimate. If the specifications and/or schedules change during the assignment we will discuss with you any impact on the price and will agree a revised estimate with you in writing. Additions to number of pages is not a specification. Additional page cost is already established in the quote.

Billing and payment terms
At 123 Design our basic payment terms are to invoice with 28 day terms upon completion of the project. Other terms of payment apply as appropriate and are specified at the beginning of the project. If any phase of the assignment is delayed for longer than 28 days for reasons outside our control we reserve the right to invoice for work completed to date.

Some recurring web invoices may be invoiced on 7 or 14 day terms.

We aim to pay our suppliers on time so we respect clients who pay us likewise. In order not to penalise those who do, we reserve the right to charge interest on overdue payments. See Terms & Conditions.

Stage payments for website design and/or development

One payment of 30% of the total quoted agreed amount, plus the hosting and any domain costs, is requested before the start of the work. Second payments of 20% after design visuals are agreed. Third payment of 50% when the structure and functionality of the build is agreed and then the final payment, on 28-day terms, upon completion and sign-off with the site being launched.

Should the website project, for any reason, be terminated by the client once the third stage has been started, or the project becomes inactive or stalls at the client’s end for 3 weeks or longer once the build has been started, then at least 70% of the total agreed charges must  be paid plus any additional costs that have been incurred for the project.

Your sign-off
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the output material, we cannot be responsible for the correctness of the final copy and will require your written sign-off prior to completion of the assignment. If we do not receive your sign-off in writing you will be deemed to have accepted the copy within 24 hours of us submitting to you the copy for final review. We will assume that any of your employees or agents who purports to sign off material in writing has your actual authority to do so unless you notify us otherwise in advance.

Website development
Together with you we will compile and agree a specification at the outset. Any subsequent change to the specification will be charged extra. 123 Design’s policy is to release and upload the final website only following payment of the final account. There will be circumstances where we retain the rights to certain programming code. Where this is the case, for example because we have developed a generic code for use across other clients, 123 Design grants you a nonexclusive indefinite licence to use that element of the code for the original purpose. Should you decide to move the hosting of your site to another provider, provided your account is up-to-date, 123 Design will co-operate fully and within a reasonable timescale, subject to payment of a reasonable administration fee to cover our time costs.

Website and email hosting
123 Design reserves the right to suspend without notice any email or web hosting services if your account is in arrears or if the website is being used in a way that is detrimental to other users of our services.

123 Design is an authorised reseller. All website and email hosting services provided to you through 123 Design are provided subject to terms and conditions. These  terms and conditions are incorporated into our contract with you and deemed to be accepted by you by your continued use of the services. Please familiarise yourself with them at the outset and revisit the terms and conditions regularly.

In particular, 123 Design draws your attention to the following Varihost provision: “Disclaimer: In no event shall 123 Design be liable to the Customer for any loss of business, loss of opportunity or loss of profits or for any other indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever. This shall apply even where such a loss was reasonably foreseeable or 123 Design had been made aware of the possibility of the Customer incurring such a loss.”

Ecommerce and merchant accounts
123 Design is not responsible for the provision, operation or security of your merchant account.

Search engine optimisation and registration
At 123 Design we make no promises that we can get you to the top of any search engine. We or our sub-contractors will use all reasonable endeavors within the budget you allocate us to optimise and register the site in whatever manner we feel is appropriate and in our absolute discretion.