The path, mapped.
Your first website ever or a rebuild of one that underperforms: the route is the same five steps, ending inside the Neighbours Lodge. One guide the whole way: me. No account managers, no handoffs.
Proof the path works
"Brett from Kootenay Made Digital built my website for my business. He was very friendly and professional, really took my website to a high level."
Brody, sole proprietor of Summit Handyman, Langley BC. Facebook review.
Summit Handyman and Family Designs & Creations are real client builds that walked this exact path.
See the workFive steps from check-up to Lodge.
A calm path built for owners who want clear decisions and visible progress. How long each package takes is in the timeline table below.
The free check-up
Start with the trail map, not a sales call.
Have a website already? Run the free 60-second check-up: an automated scan that grades it on speed, SEO, security headers, and best practices, so you get an honest read before you spend a dollar. Building your first website? Your trail starts at step two, and honestly, you are ahead: there is nothing broken to fix.
Discovery and planning
You point, I translate.
Every build starts with a brand style questionnaire I send you: a short PDF covering look and feel, colours, reference sites you like, and the voice you want. The design starts from your answers, not my guesses. I also gather your services, customers, photos, and proof so the site sounds like your business.
Design and build
You review the real build, not a mystery mockup.
I build a live preview you can open on your own phone. I refine the copy, shape the calls to action, and check the mobile details. You review in plain language while I handle the custom code.
Launch day
You approve it. I handle the technical climb.
Domains, SSL, analytics, Search Console, mobile checks, speed checks, and final QA are handled for you. Your job is the final review and approval.
Lodge handoff and support
Launch is the doorway. The Lodge is what comes next.
I hand you the keys: launch credentials and a plain-language walkthrough of what you now control. Then you enter the Neighbours Lodge for guides, worksheets, and practical lessons, with a clear way to reach me when you need the next move.
Clear inputs make the build move faster.
The process stays calm when the basics are gathered early. You do not need everything perfect. You just need enough for me to shape the right first version.
Typical timelines
| The Trailhead$2,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| The Engine$6,500 | 4-5 weeks |
| The Storefront$5,000 | 5-6 weeks |
| The Masterpiece$9,500 | 8-10 weeks |
| The Empirefrom $15,000 | From 8 weeks |
Timelines start after the core materials are ready. E-commerce, integrations, and large content libraries may take longer depending on scope.
What speeds the trail up
Clear services, a few good photos, contact details, proof like reviews, and one person who can approve decisions.
What can wait
Perfect photos, polished copy, and every future idea. I can help shape the first useful version and improve from there.
What I handle
The custom-code build, mobile polish, launch setup, analytics, Search Console, and the plain-language handoff into the Lodge.
You know the payment path before the build begins.
No surprise billing rhythm. No mystery invoice at launch. The final total is confirmed before work starts.
Neighbour note
10% off for Kootenay businesses.
It comes straight off the package price once the right build is clear. Pay by e-transfer or card through Stripe.
Payment terms by project size
- 01
Under $1,500
100% upfront
- 02
$1,500 and up
50% upfront, 50% on approval before launch
- 03
The Empire and web apps
Milestone billing: pay as agreed stages go live
- 04
Monthly retainers
Automatic billing
Builds over $1,500 split in two: half to start, half at launch. The Empire and custom web apps bill by milestone instead.
There is also Own It Monthly. The Trailhead is $2,000 up front, or 12 payments of $189, which is $2,268 all in. The site is yours outright at payment 12. No banks, no credit checks.
How Own It Monthly worksRefer a neighbour who signs, and I e-transfer you $200. Anyone can refer, there is no limit, and it pays out when their first payment clears (second payment for Own It Monthly projects).
The Lodge turns launch day into a starting point.
Most websites end with a handoff folder. My clients get a home base: guidance, worksheets, Field School lessons, and a clear path to ask me when the next decision shows up.
Lodge access for clientsField School lessons
Short, practical guidance for improving search, trust, content, AI use, and customer confidence after launch.
Resource Cabin
Worksheets, prompts, checklists, and simple tools you can use without digging through old emails.
Direct line to me
Reach me by phone, text, or email when something needs to change. Send the page, the current text, the new text, and how urgent it is, and I take it from there.
Launch continuity
The site is not abandoned after the confetti. The Lodge keeps next steps visible and support grounded.
The usual worries, answered plainly.
Ready to start?
Start with the free check-up, then choose the trail.
The free 60-second website check-up is an automated scan that grades your site on speed, SEO, security headers, and best practices. You see the numbers, and I start from the same numbers if it becomes a project. From there the path leads all the way to launch and into the Lodge.