Custom website builds start at $1,500. That covers a fully custom design, development, copywriting, mobile optimization, DNS and SSL setup, on-page SEO, and deployment. Sites with more pages, custom functionality, or e-commerce are priced higher — we'll give you a clear fixed quote after a short discovery call.
We don't do hourly billing. Every project is quoted as a flat rate so you know exactly what you're spending before we start.
Traditional agencies carry overhead: account managers, project coordinators, junior designers, and large offices. You pay for all of that, not just the website. Clearmark is a focused solo studio. Every project is handled directly — no layers, no markups, no handoffs.
We also use modern tools to work more efficiently than a traditional team, which lets us deliver faster without cutting corners on quality.
At $1,500 and up, every project includes: custom design (no templates), AI-assisted copywriting with human review, mobile-first development, DNS and SSL configuration, on-page SEO and metadata, Google Search Console setup, contact form integration, cross-browser and device testing, and full deployment to Netlify.
You get a finished, working website — not a staging file you have to figure out how to launch yourself.
Yes. We require a 50% deposit to begin work, with the remaining 50% due at launch. This is standard practice and protects both parties. Payment details and a simple project agreement are sent after the discovery call.
The site itself is hosted on Netlify's free tier, so hosting is $0. Your only required ongoing cost is your domain registration (typically $10–$20/year through your registrar).
Optional: a monthly retainer for ongoing updates, new pages, and priority support. This is not required — some clients launch and manage their own content. Most prefer the peace of mind of having us on call.
Projects start at $1,500. That price includes custom design (no templates), AI-assisted copywriting with human review, mobile-first development, DNS and SSL configuration, on-page SEO and metadata, Google Search Console setup, contact form integration, and full deployment to Netlify. Nothing is outsourced — it's all handled in-house from discovery to launch.
Sites with more pages, custom features, or e-commerce are scoped individually and always quoted as a flat rate. You'll know the exact number before we start. Payment is 50% upfront with the balance due at launch.
Most projects launch in 2–3 weeks from kickoff. The timeline breaks down as: Day 1 (discovery), Days 2–5 (design direction and copy), Days 6–14 (development), Days 14–21 (review, revisions, QA, and launch).
The biggest variable is client response time. Projects where feedback comes back quickly always launch faster.
Discovery: We start with a structured questionnaire and a short kickoff call to map your goals, audience, services, and competitors.
Design: We present a complete design direction — layout, typography, colors, and copy — before writing a single line of code. You review and approve before we build.
Build: Development proceeds with check-ins at key milestones. You're never left wondering what's happening.
Launch: We handle DNS, SSL, SEO configuration, form testing, and cross-browser QA. You get a live URL, not a to-do list.
Two full rounds of revisions are included in every project — one after the initial design presentation and one before final launch. Additional revision rounds are available at a flat rate if needed.
In practice, most projects don't need the full two rounds because we do thorough discovery upfront. Surprises at the revision stage are rare.
Not much. After the discovery call, we'll ask you to fill out a project questionnaire (takes about 20 minutes) and send over any existing brand assets — logo files, photos, brand colors if you have them. If you don't have any of those, that's fine too. We handle everything else.
The process is structured to eliminate the delays that slow most web projects: unclear scope, feedback loops, and handoffs between team members. A single structured questionnaire at the start captures everything we need, then we move through design → approval → build → launch without interruption.
AI-accelerated development with experienced human oversight means the build phase moves significantly faster than traditional development — without cutting corners on quality or design intent. There are no subcontractors or handoffs, so nothing stalls waiting for someone else. The biggest variable is how quickly you return feedback — fast responses mean fast launches.
No. We write everything — headlines, service descriptions, about page, calls-to-action, SEO metadata, and any other page content. All you need to do is review and approve it before it goes live.
Our process: we draft the copy based on your questionnaire answers and discovery call, then present it alongside the design. You tell us what to adjust and we refine it until it sounds exactly like you.
No. Every Clearmark website is designed from scratch for that specific business. We don't use Wix, Squarespace, WordPress themes, or any pre-built template system. The layout, typography, colors, and copy are all built around your brand and your clients.
You can spot a template site immediately. So can your clients.
Perfect — we'll incorporate them into the design system. Send over your logo files (SVG or high-resolution PNG preferred) and any existing brand guidelines and we'll build everything around them.
If your logo needs work or you don't have one yet, we can discuss that as a separate add-on or point you toward a trusted designer before we start on the site.
We source and license high-quality stock photography appropriate for your industry and brand. We can also use professional imagery you provide — just send over any photos you want included.
If you need original photography, we can recommend local photographers in the Raleigh area or coordinate a referral remotely.
Logo design isn't part of the standard website build, but not having one isn't a blocker. If you're starting from scratch, we can discuss a basic wordmark as a project add-on — bring it up when you fill out the contact form and we'll factor it into the scope.
If you already have a designer you work with, or prefer to sort the logo separately first, we're happy to wait and build around whatever you land on. We can also point you toward a trusted designer if you need a referral.
No. Every site is designed from scratch for that specific business. We don't use Squarespace, Wix, WordPress themes, or any pre-built template system. The layout, typography, color system, and copy are all built around your brand, your clients, and your competitive context — nothing is reused from another project.
If you're weighing a template against a custom build, this article walks through the honest tradeoffs — including when templates actually make sense and when they don't.
We deploy to Netlify, a professional-grade hosting platform used by hundreds of thousands of sites worldwide. Their free tier includes fast global CDN delivery, automatic SSL certificates, continuous deployment, and 99.99% uptime. There's no hosting fee.
Your domain can be registered anywhere (we often use Namecheap) — we handle the DNS configuration to point it at Netlify correctly.
Yes. Performance is a first-class requirement, not an afterthought. We optimize images, minimize render-blocking resources, and write clean, lean code. Sites we build routinely score 90+ on Google's PageSpeed Insights.
Speed matters for two reasons: user experience and SEO. Google's Core Web Vitals are a direct ranking factor. A slow site costs you both visitors and search position.
Every site we build is mobile-first — designed and developed starting from the smallest screen, then scaled up. We test across iOS Safari, Chrome on Android, and all major desktop browsers before launch.
Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. A site that doesn't work perfectly on a phone is losing more than half its potential leads before they even read a word.
Every site launches with on-page SEO built in: proper heading structure, meta titles and descriptions, Open Graph tags, structured data markup, XML sitemap, and Google Search Console integration. We don't treat SEO as an add-on — it's part of the standard build.
For businesses targeting local search, we also offer a Local SEO package that includes Google Business Profile optimization and local citation building.
Yes. We integrate with Formspree to handle form submissions reliably without a backend server. Submissions go directly to your email. We test every field before launch to make sure nothing slips through.
You can, and we'll show you how if you want to handle simple content changes yourself. For anything beyond basic text edits — new pages, layout changes, new features — most clients find it easier and faster to send us the change request and let us handle it cleanly.
That's exactly what the monthly retainer is for. No hourly billing, no ticket queue — just send us the change and it gets done.
Content and copy updates, new page additions, performance monitoring, SEO tweaks, security checks, and priority response time for any issues. It's a fixed monthly fee — no surprises, no scope debates.
Retainer plans are flexible: month-to-month with no lock-in. Cancel anytime.
Any bugs or issues that are a direct result of our build are fixed at no charge — full stop. If something we built isn't working correctly, we fix it. That's not a policy, it's just the right thing to do.
For issues that arise from third-party platform changes or client-side edits, retainer clients get priority support and non-retainer clients can request a fix at a flat rate.
Yes. Once the project is paid in full, you own the website outright — all code, all copy, all design assets. You can take it to another developer, host it elsewhere, or do whatever you want with it. There's no lock-in, no proprietary platform, no strings attached.
No — the retainer is completely optional. Every project is a complete, finished website that's fully handed off to you at launch. You own it outright and can manage it however you choose going forward.
The retainer is for clients who want ongoing support without re-engaging from scratch each time: content updates, new pages, SEO tweaks, performance monitoring, and priority response on any changes. It's month-to-month with no lock-in. Some clients use it; many don't. It's there when you want it.
Absolutely. Clearmark is remote-first by design. We work with clients anywhere in the US. Everything is handled by video call, email, and shared documents. Most clients never need an in-person meeting, and the process is just as smooth without one.
Ernesto — directly. From the first call through to launch and any ongoing support afterward. There's no account manager relaying messages, no junior team members working on your project, no offshore handoffs. One person, full accountability.
Start by filling out the short contact form — just your name, business type, and a brief description of what you're looking for. We review every submission personally and respond within 48 hours.
If it looks like a good fit, we'll send you a private link to our project questionnaire. That's where the real discovery happens — your goals, audience, services, competitors, and timeline. It takes about 20 minutes and gives us everything we need to put together an accurate fixed-price quote.
No calls required to get a number on the table. No commitment required to move forward.
Clearmark specializes in service businesses that sell on trust and credentials — law firms, security companies, contractors, financial advisors, fire safety companies, medical professionals, and similar industries where a professional web presence directly impacts whether a potential client picks up the phone.
If your clients Google you before they call you, your website is doing sales work 24 hours a day. It should be good at that job.
Yes — Clearmark is remote-first by design. We work with service businesses across the United States. Raleigh is home base, but the studio serves clients from coast to coast through video calls, email, and shared documents. Most clients never need an in-person meeting, and the process is just as smooth without one.
If you're a Raleigh or Triangle-area business looking for a local web designer, this page has more context on our local market knowledge and what we build for Raleigh service businesses specifically.
Yes. Redesigns follow the same process as new builds. The discovery questionnaire maps what's working on your current site and what isn't — which pages perform, what the existing SEO foundation looks like, and what the new site needs to accomplish that the current one doesn't.
The new site is built completely from scratch to replace and outperform the existing one. We don't patch or modify old work — we build something new that's specifically designed to close the gaps. Your existing domain, hosting setup, and any integrations you need to keep are all handled as part of the transition.