Jordan Reyes
July 6, 2026 · 8 min read
Discovery and architecture: the undervalued 15%
Audits, architecture decisions, and environment setup typically consume 10–15% of a fixed project. Merchants who cut this phase pay for it later in rework — usually 2–3 times over.
A real Sprint 0 produces a written architecture, a migration map if relevant, and a staging environment before feature code starts.
Theme and frontend build: the largest line
For Online Store 2.0 builds, theme development is usually 35–45% of the budget. Section architecture, template variety, and mobile refinement drive this number more than page count does.
Beware quotes that are low here: they usually mean off-the-shelf theme customization, which ends in 'we need custom sections' by month three.
Integrations and backend: the variable monster
ERP, CRM, 3PL, and custom API work is where budgets explode — typically 15–30% but occasionally more on complex B2B stacks.
Cap this with interface contracts: define exactly what data flows where, before pricing. Vague integration scope is the #1 cause of fixed-price blowouts.
QA, launch, and handoff: the non-negotiable 10–15%
Cross-browser QA, load testing, redirect validation, and launch monitoring should never be an afterthought line item. Handoff documentation is part of the product, not a favor.
If a quote has no QA and handoff line, ask why — and ask what happens at launch instead.
The hidden costs nobody quotes
App subscriptions ($200–2k/month), post-launch iteration, and data cleanup from the old platform. Plan a 15–20% contingency on top of any fixed quote for these.
The cheapest total project is the one where scope was tight enough to not need the contingency — which is why we write SOWs so precisely.
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