Service
Custom Tool Build
A working tool built specifically around one real, repetitive task in your business — never a generic template stretched to fit, and never a months-long software project.
Who This Is For
This is for a business that already knows exactly what's eating up time — answering the same questions over and over, writing quotes by hand, chasing reviews manually, or losing track of booking requests in a shared inbox — and wants that specific thing fixed with a real, working tool, not a vague "automation strategy."
Why We Price This Per Feature
A single flat "custom software" quote usually means you're paying for scope you didn't ask for. We price by feature instead, so you can solve your highest-priority problem first — and add more later — without paying for a bundle you don't need yet. Several of these features directly match the tools described in our post on what we build for AI search readiness.
Pricing By Feature
| Feature | Price | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Smart contact / intake form | $300 – $600 | A form that does more than email you a submission — it routes the request to the right person, drafts a first-response message, and organizes what comes in so nothing gets missed in a shared inbox. |
| Automated quote or estimate generator | $600 – $1,200 | Turn rough job notes or a short questionnaire into a clear, professional, itemized quote a customer can approve without back-and-forth. You control the pricing logic; the tool handles the writing and formatting. |
| Customer-question content pipeline | $800 – $1,500 | A simple intake process that captures real questions from calls, texts, or emails, and turns them into published, well-structured FAQ content on a regular cadence — the system described in detail in our post on AI search readiness tools. |
| Online booking / scheduling integration | $500 – $1,000 | A working booking or quote-request flow connected to your calendar, phone, or CRM — removing 'call during business hours' as the only way to reach you. |
| Review request automation | $400 – $800 | An automatic text or email sent after a completed job, asking happy customers for a review while the experience is still fresh — timed and worded to feel personal, not templated. |
| Full multi-feature build | Quoted individually, typically $1,500 – $5,000 | Most businesses end up combining 2-4 of the above into one connected system rather than buying features one at a time. Quoted after a scoping conversation, once we know exactly what's needed. |
All prices above are one-time build fees.
Ongoing Maintenance
An ongoing hosting and maintenance fee applies after launch, ranging from $99 to $499 per month depending on which features you have and how much active monitoring and support they need — a single simple form costs less to maintain than a multi-feature system with a content pipeline and booking integration running together. This is quoted upfront alongside your build price, never added as a surprise later.
More advanced features can always be added after launch — a reporting dashboard, deeper integrations with other software you use, additional automation on top of what's already built. Pricing for those depends entirely on what your business actually needs at that point, so it's scoped individually rather than sold off a fixed list.
If You've Already Had an AI Readiness Audit
If you've already paid for an AI Readiness Audit, that fee is credited toward your Custom Tool Build — the amount you already paid for the audit is subtracted from your build cost, so you're not paying twice for the process of figuring out what to build.
How a Build Actually Happens
- A free 15-minute conversation about the specific task costing you time — often this comes directly out of a Free Assessment Call or AI Readiness Audit you've already had.
- A fixed quote for the exact feature (or combination) needed, before any work starts.
- The build itself — if you've already had an audit, the first feature it identified can typically be built and working in as little as 2 weeks, since the scoping work is already done. Starting from scratch, without a prior audit, usually takes a bit longer while we figure out the right scope together.
- A plain-language handoff, so your team can actually use and maintain it — reinforced further in our Team Training Workshops if useful.
How We Build This Fast Without Cutting Corners
Modern AI-assisted development tools let a skilled developer build working software dramatically faster than a few years ago — that's the entire reason a 2-week turnaround on a single feature is realistic at all. But speed only helps if it's paired with judgment: every build here is guided end-to-end by an experienced software developer who reviews, tests, and takes responsibility for what gets shipped — not an unsupervised AI tool generating code that nobody checks. The AI speeds up the typing; a person is still accountable for whether it's correct, secure, and actually solves your problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why price per feature instead of one flat project fee?
Because most businesses don't need everything at once, and a single flat number hides what you're actually paying for. Pricing by feature lets you start with the one thing costing you the most time right now, and add more later without renegotiating from scratch.
Is there an ongoing cost after the build?
Yes, an ongoing hosting/maintenance cost applies, ranging from $99 to $499/month depending on which features you have and how much active monitoring they need. This is quoted upfront alongside the build price, never added as a surprise later.
What decides where in the $99-499 range my maintenance fee falls?
Mainly how many features you have running and how much ongoing monitoring or support each one needs — a single simple form sits at the low end, while a multi-feature system combining a content pipeline, booking integration, and automation sits toward the higher end. You'll always see the specific number before committing, not just the range.
Can I add more advanced features later?
Yes — things like a reporting dashboard, deeper integration with other software you use, or additional automation on top of what's already built are all possible after launch. Pricing for those isn't off a fixed list, because it depends entirely on what your business actually needs at that point — we scope and quote it individually when you're ready.
If I already paid for an AI Readiness Audit, do I pay full price for the build too?
No — whatever you already paid for the AI Readiness Audit is credited toward your Custom Tool Build, so that amount is subtracted from your build cost. You're not paying twice for the process of figuring out what needs to be built.
What if I only know the problem, not the feature I need?
That's normal, and exactly what the free 15-minute conversation before any build is for — we translate 'I keep losing track of quote requests' into the specific feature that actually solves it, rather than you having to diagnose it yourself.
Can these connect to tools I already use?
In most cases, yes — we build around your existing calendar, CRM, or phone system rather than asking you to switch tools. If a hard limitation exists with a specific tool, we'll tell you before you pay for anything.
How is this different from buying off-the-shelf software?
Off-the-shelf tools are built for every business at once, which is why they always need workarounds to fit your specific process. Everything here is built around how your business actually operates from day one — see our approach in more detail on the main services page.
Is 2 weeks realistic, or is that just a marketing number?
It's realistic specifically when the feature has already been scoped by a prior AI Readiness Audit — the hard part of a build is usually figuring out exactly what to build, not the building itself. Starting completely cold, without that groundwork, takes longer because that scoping work has to happen first.
Does building fast mean the quality is lower?
No — the speed comes from modern AI-assisted development tools handling the repetitive parts of writing software, not from skipping testing or review. An experienced developer still designs, reviews, and tests every build before it's handed to you; the tools change how fast that work happens, not whether it happens properly.
Who actually writes and maintains the code?
A real, experienced software developer is responsible for the build from start to finish — using modern AI-assisted tools to move faster, the same way a contractor might use better tools without becoming any less responsible for the finished work. You're never handed something an AI produced with no human oversight.
What happens if something breaks after launch?
The ongoing hosting/maintenance fee covers monitoring and minor fixes. For anything bigger, you can reach out directly — since a real person built and understands the tool, fixes don't require starting over or waiting on a support queue.
Have a specific task in mind you want built?
Not sure what you need yet? Start with the AI Readiness Audit.