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Herrick Automations.

Services.

How we work together.

Every project follows the same five-step process. You see the work at every gate. Most builds run 2-4 weeks from intake to launch, depending on how fast you can review at each step.

  1. 1

    Intake

    You fill out a 15-minute questionnaire covering your business, your customers, what makes you different, and what you want the site to do. Honest answers beat polished ones. I'm looking for the real story.

    [Intake form preview, coming soon]

  2. 2

    Plan

    Within 2-3 days I synthesize your answers into a project plan covering brand direction, structure, and timeline. This part is mostly internal. You'll see the result in the wireframe and prototype phases instead of reading internal docs.

  3. 3

    Wireframe

    I send you a rough sitemap and a hand-drawn layout of your homepage. You react to structure, not colors. We don't move on until you approve.

    Site map · Herrick Automations

    The actual sitemap I built for this site, the same kind of deliverable you'd get at the wireframe gate.

    HomeAboutServicesPortfolioContactProcessPricingFAQNorma JeanSouthern ClassicsPage navigationIn-page anchor section

    Five pages, with Services and Portfolio broken into anchor sections. At your wireframe gate, you'd see this plus a homepage layout sketch and a 90-second Loom walkthrough.

  4. 4

    Unstyled prototype

    I build a clickable, mobile-responsive version with real content but no styling. Just plain text and boxes. You verify the structure and content. Easier to fix things here than after the design layer.

    Unstyled prototype · Herrick Automations

    Real content, real structure, zero styling layer. This is what your Phase 4 deliverable would look like.

    herrickautomations.com
    [Logo]
    HomeAboutServicesPortfolioContact

    Custom websites for Central Virginia small businesses.

    Built by a real human, AI-assisted, transparent five-step process.

    [See my work][Start a project]
    · W&M MBA· AI-native since 2023· Serving Central Virginia· 5-step process

    Transparent process

    Five steps, three approval gates.

    AI-native execution

    Faster turnaround, real human in the loop.

    Ongoing support

    Monthly support included on every build.

    1
    Intake
    2
    Plan
    3
    Wireframe
    4
    Prototype
    5
    Launch
    [Hero photo]

    Norma Jean Towing

    [Hero photo]

    Southern Auto Body & Classics

    [Footer · contact info · social links]

    At your prototype gate, you click through this on your phone, verify the structure and content, and approve before any styling work begins.

  5. 5

    Styled launch

    Full brand styling, custom illustrations or photo treatment, animations, SEO, and DNS cutover to your domain. We go live.

What's included.

Click the ? next to any item for a plain-language explanation.

✓Custom-coded website on professional hosting?

I build using Next.js, the industry standard for fast modern websites, hosted on Vercel, the same platform used by Nike, McDonald's, and TikTok. Both are reliable, fast, and scale automatically. No WordPress plugins to update, no security patches to chase.

✓Looks good on every screen size: phone, tablet, desktop
✓All website copy written for you
✓Custom imagery: your photos polished or new images generated?

If you have photos, I'll use them. If you don't, I generate custom illustrations or imagery using AI tools. Either way, the imagery feels like your brand, not stock photography you've seen on a thousand other sites.

✓A simple brand guide for your future reference?

A short document with your colors, fonts, logo guidelines, and design rules. Useful for when you make business cards, signage, or social posts later. Keeps everything consistent without you having to remember exact hex codes.

✓Help getting found on Google?

Search engine basics: metadata that tells Google what each page is about, a sitemap so Google can find every page, and structured data so your business shows up properly in local search results with hours, address, and phone number.

✓Tap-to-call phone buttons throughout the site
✓Live map showing your location, if you have one
✓Domain and hosting setup, ready to use?

I connect your domain (yourbusiness.com) to professional hosting. Includes the free SSL certificate that puts the lock icon in the browser bar so visitors know the site is secure. I handle all of the technical setup.

✓Two rounds of changes at each approval step?

After each major checkpoint (wireframe, prototype, and styled site), you can request changes twice without extra fees. Most projects only need one round, but two is included so you don't feel rushed.

✓First 30 days of small tweaks free after launch?

After your site goes live, I include 30 days of small fixes: typos, color adjustments, content swaps. After that, ongoing changes are covered by the monthly support fee.

✓Automated tests so things don't break silently?

I set up automated tests that simulate a real user clicking through your site after every change. If a future update breaks the contact form or the navigation, I find out before you do.

By request.

Custom automation work.

If you've got a specific automation need, like SMS workflows for customer alerts, voice bots that handle inbound calls, dispatching tools, or custom CRM integrations, we can talk about that as a separate project. These take longer than a website build, cost more, and are quoted custom because the scope varies wildly. Email me with what you're trying to do and we'll figure out if it's a fit.

No surprises.

Pricing.

One-time build

$2,000

Full website build, including everything in the included list above. 50% on signed contract, 50% on launch.

Hosting + support

$100/mo

Or pay $1,100 annually and get one month free. Includes hosting on my professional account and unlimited small change requests, within reason.

One-year minimum. After year one, cancel anytime.

Timeline: 2-4 weeks from intake form to launch. Faster if you respond quickly at each approval gate, longer if you need more review time.

If you cancel after year one: I zip up the full website code and all assets I generated for you and send everything your way. Your custom domain is yours to point wherever you want. I keep a portfolio copy of the build on my Vercel preview URL for showcase purposes. See the FAQ below for more on this.

Add-ons (optional)

  • Google Business Profile setup$250One-time. I create the profile, add your hours, services, address, and any photos you provide. Includes verification setup. After that, the profile is yours to manage.
  • Redeployment after cancellation$200One-time, only if you cancel and want to come back later. Covers re-pointing your domain, merging in any external changes, and standing the project back up.
  • Hourly work (non-support clients only)$100/hrOne-hour minimum. For change requests if you don't have the monthly support plan. Most clients save money by just having the support plan.
Start a project

Common questions.

FAQ.

Click any question to expand the answer.

What does monthly support actually cover?+

Two main things. First, I host your website on my professional hosting so you don't have to deal with any technical setup or domain management. Second, you can send me a message any time you want changes (copy updates, photo additions, new services, design tweaks) and I'll make sure you're satisfied. Within reason. Not a full overhaul, but a lot of normal small business website work fits.

Why is there a one-year minimum on support?+

Because hosting your site on my professional hosting account costs me real money and time. The one-year minimum makes it worth me committing to manage your site properly. After year one, you can keep paying month-to-month or buy another annual term. You're not locked in past year one.

What happens if I cancel support after the one-year minimum?+

I bundle the full website code, custom illustrations, and any assets I generated for you and send everything your way. Your custom domain is yours to point wherever you want. I keep a portfolio copy of the build on my Vercel preview URL so I can keep showing it as proof of my work, but the live customer-facing site comes off your domain when you cancel.

Can I cancel and then come back to your hosting later?+

Sure. The redeployment fee is $200, which covers re-pointing your domain back to my hosting, merging in any changes you made elsewhere in the meantime, and standing the project back up. Not effortless, but not a full rebuild either.

Do I actually own the website?+

Yes. Once you've paid the build fee in full, the code, design, brand book, and all custom imagery are yours. The monthly support fee covers hosting and ongoing management, not ownership. If you ever leave, I bundle everything and send it to you.

What if I just need a small change after launch?+

The first 30 days after launch are included free for small fixes (typos, color tweaks, content swaps). After that, ongoing changes are covered by your monthly support fee. That's exactly what the support fee is for.

What if my business changes and I need a redesign down the road?+

Depends on the size. Small changes like rebrand colors, an updated services list, or a new homepage hero are usually covered by your monthly support. Big changes (new positioning, new audience, new everything) are a new build, quoted fresh.

What kinds of projects will you take on?+

Honestly, almost anything you'd ask a website-and-automation builder to handle. Standard small business websites are my bread and butter, but with AI in the toolkit I can build a lot more than I could five years ago. Tell me what you want and I'll tell you what it would take.

Still have a question? Email me and I'll get back to you within one business day.