---
title: 'How we work'
url: 'https://mountainairweb.com/how-we-work'
markdown: 'https://mountainairweb.com/how-we-work.md'
date: '2026-10-09'
---

How we work 
# A process built for *agencies and marketing teams,* not for us.

Every project runs through the same six phases, each with a deliverable you can show your client or your boss. Fixed prices against written scope, progress you can see on staging, and nothing hidden in a black box.

 [ Start a conversation ](https://mountainairweb.com/contact) 

  to return an estimate on a written brief 2 days 

 senior developer on every project, start to finish 1 

 written progress note you can forward Weekly 

 surprise invoices for small changes under a care plan 0 

 The phases 
## Discovery to *support.*

### Discovery

A 30-minute call, then a short written brief. For migrations and rescues, a paid discovery with a crawl of the existing site so the quote is accurate.

**Deliverables**

- Written brief and content inventory
- Risks and assumptions, in plain English

### Scope and fixed quote

A line-item estimate against the brief. Agencies get it in a form they can mark up; corporate teams get an SOW that matches their MSA.

**Deliverables**

- Fixed-price SOW
- Timeline with the client’s review dates built in

### Architecture

Content model, post types, field groups and block system designed against the Figma before development starts, so nothing breaks when the content grows.

**Deliverables**

- Content model and template map
- Block inventory with editor controls listed

### Build in the open

Staging from week one. Foundations by hand, boilerplate accelerated with AI, every decision reviewed by a senior developer. Code in a repository you or the client own.

**Deliverables**

- Password-protected staging site
- Weekly progress note

### QA

Desktop, tablet and phone. Keyboard and screen reader. Core Web Vitals. Forms, tracking and integrations tested end to end with your ops team.

**Deliverables**

- QA checklist with results
- Automated security audit, fixes applied
- Accessibility notes against WCAG 2.2 AA

### Launch and support

Redirect map verified, DNS moved on a scheduled window, old site kept live until confirmed. Then training videos, handover and, if you want it, a care plan.

**Deliverables**

- Launch checklist signed off together
- Editor accounts and how-to videos
- Post-launch performance and security pass

 Engagement models 
## Project, retainer or *white-label?*

 Project, retainer or \*white-label?\*
| What matters to you | Fixed-price project | Care plan / retainer | White-label partnership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A defined build or migration | Ongoing changes, security and monitoring | Agencies delivering to their clients |
| How it’s priced | Written scope, fixed price | Monthly, scoped to the site | Per-agency rates, stable over time |
| Small changes included | No | Yes | Yes |
| Response targets in writing Projects have milestones; plans have severity targets | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Your brand on deliverables | No | No | Yes |
| Code and accounts owned by | You | You | Your client, through you |

 Who does the work 
## One developer. *A small, trusted bench.*

### Nick Murray, senior developer

Scoping, architecture, build, QA, launch. Twelve years of WordPress, a decade inside agency delivery.

### AI, where it earns its keep

Boilerplate, scaffolding, tests and documentation. Never the foundation, never a security decision.

### Design partners

Independent designers we have shipped with for years, brought in when a project needs original design.

### Writers

Content partners for net-new copy, or Granite, our research-driven blog writing system, with your review before anything publishes.

### Never outsourced

No offshore team, no subcontracted development. If that changes, you’ll hear it from us first.

### Cover when it’s needed

A trusted senior developer covers critical issues during planned absences. Monitoring runs regardless.

 Working together 
## Tools, cadence, *changes.*

### Your tools

- Slack, Teams, Asana, ClickUp, Basecamp or email: your choice
- Figma for design review, GitHub for code
- Staging on WP Engine or our managed Grav host

### Cadence

- Weekly written update, standing check-in if you want one
- Same-day answers during Pacific business hours
- Launch windows scheduled with your IT team

### Scope changes

- Small changes inside a project: absorbed where reasonable
- Anything that moves the timeline: written change note with cost before work starts
- Under a care plan: taken from monthly hours, no invoice surprises

### Access and ownership

- Hosting, domains and repositories in your name
- Admin credentials in your password manager, not ours
- Full handover documentation at launch

## Ready to move beyond *theme limitations?*

We’ll review your current setup and map out a build, migration or AI-visibility plan in a free 30-minute call.

 [ Start a conversation ](https://mountainairweb.com/contact) [ Request a free site audit ](https://mountainairweb.com/free-audit)

---

## Navigation

- Previous: [Services](https://mountainairweb.com/services.md)
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