Questions people ask before they hire us

Our services are catered to our clients needs, timeframes and functionality. Every project is different so we normally handle projects at a fixed rate. With that said, we do offer a retainer package in which you can purchase design time hourly and use it whenever you’d like for say, a new business card design, a new brochure design, website updates, etc.

View our current hourly rate

Web design projects start with your online goals. I listen intently to your needs and questions then develop a vision as to how your website will look, how it will engage your clientele, and more importantly, how it will represent you well. If it’s your first time working with a developer to build your website, no worries, my goal is to make the process personalized and uncomplicated to give you the best design experience possible.

The logo design process starts with research. I find out about your business, your goals, your vision, and then I look at your competition. Once I find the elements that will set you apart, then I hit the drawing board. Most items are sketched out to find the right design elements and shape arrangement, then the top designs are taken to digital format where they really come to life. You’ll receive jpegs of the first mock-ups via email. Once the design is approved, you’ll receive a full logo package with different file formats for web and print.

Most website projects run four to eight weeks from kickoff to launch. You'll see the homepage and a few key pages for review within the first two to four weeks — once you approve that direction, I build out the rest. Logos are faster: two to three weeks for Logo Essentials, three to four for the larger packages.

Most projects are handled with an investment of 50% upfront and 50% upon completion.  Payment must be made in full before items are sent to print or published to the web. For projects on a larger scale, I offer payment options in a 30%, 30%, 40% time sensitive agreement. An electronic check is preferable, but Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are also accepted.

Most small business sites I build start at $2,400. That covers a custom design, the pages you need, mobile and accessibility work, and setup — not a template with your logo dropped into it. The final number depends on how many pages you need and whether you're selling online. I'll quote you a fixed price before any work starts, so there's no hourly meter running.

Three packages: $349 for Logo Essentials, $649 for Brand Identity, and $1,200 for the Complete Brand System. The difference isn't how many sketches you see — it's how much of your brand gets built. Essentials gets you a finished logo in every file format you'll ever need. Complete adds a full color system, a brand guide, and a trademark knockout search.

Logos run two to three weeks for Essentials and three to four weeks for the larger packages. Websites usually take 6 weeks from our first call to launch. The honest variable is you — projects slow down when I'm waiting on copy, photos, or feedback, and speed up when you have those ready.

Yes, completely. Every logo package includes the source files — AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, PNG and JPG — and they're yours to use anywhere, forever. Same with your website: it's your domain, your hosting account, your site. I don't hold anything hostage, and you're not locked into working with me to keep using what you paid for. If you don't have hosting yet, I can set you up through HostWeDo, my GoDaddy reseller store. The account is still in your name

No. Every logo I design is drawn and refined by hand. An AI generator can give you something that looks fine at a glance for $20, but it can't tell you why the mark works, it can't be trademarked reliably, and it usually falls apart the moment you need it on a truck door or embroidered on a shirt. You're paying for judgment, not images.

With me, start to finish. Three Side Design is one designer — no account manager, no handoff to someone junior after the sales call, no offshore production team. You email me and I'm the one who answers.

Yes, completely. Every logo package includes the source files — AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, PNG and JPG — and they're yours to use anywhere, forever. Same with your website: it's your domain, your hosting account, your site. I don't hold anything hostage, and you're not locked into working with me to keep using what you paid for.

Most website projects run four to eight weeks from kickoff to launch. You'll see the homepage and a few key pages for review within the first two to four weeks — once you approve that direction, I build out the rest. Logos are faster: two to three weeks for Logo Essentials, three to four for the larger packages.

You need someone doing the work, and a plan is the cheap way to buy it. WordPress, your theme and your plugins all update constantly, and an unpatched site is how small businesses get hacked or go down without noticing. My plan is $99/month or $990/year and covers weekly updates, backups with restore points, security monitoring, a monthly report, and an hour of small changes. If you'd rather handle it yourself, that's a real option — just don't let it be nobody's job.

That's $95/hour with a one-hour minimum, whether or not I built the site. Maintenance plan clients pay $75/hour, and their included hour each month usually covers it. Send me what's wrong and I'll tell you honestly whether it's a fifteen-minute fix or something bigger.

You need someone doing the work, and a plan is the cheap way to buy it. WordPress, your theme and your plugins all update constantly, and an unpatched site is how small businesses get hacked or go down without noticing. My plan is $99/month or $990/year and covers weekly updates, backups with restore points, security monitoring, a monthly report, and an hour of small changes. If you'd rather handle it yourself, that's a real option — just don't let it be nobody's job.

Yes, and it's built in rather than added later. I check color contrast, keyboard navigation and screen reader behavior as I build, not as a cleanup pass at the end. This matters more than most small businesses realize — accessibility lawsuits against small business websites are real, and a site that locks people out is losing customers who wanted to buy from you.

Yes. Pittsburgh is home and most of my clients are here, but design and website work happens over email and video calls, so where you are doesn't change the work. Maintenance plans in particular have nothing to do with location.