How to scope a software project before you ask for quotes
Vague briefs produce quotes that cannot be compared. A few days of structured thinking before you contact suppliers will save weeks of confusion later.
Service 04
SaaS products built to sell, operate and scale
We help founders and product teams build software-as-a-service platforms, from the first version that proves demand to the architecture that supports thousands of accounts. Subscriptions, permissions, onboarding and tenant isolation are handled properly from the start.
- Outcome
- A product you can sell with confidence and keep developing as the business grows.
- Typical stack
- Next.js, TypeScript, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Stripe, Redis, AWS, Vercel
When this is the right call.
You need a first version
You have validated the problem and need a product customers can pay for, without spending a year building features nobody has asked for yet.
Your MVP is buckling under growth
The prototype that won your first customers is now slow, hard to change and not built for many accounts, larger teams or enterprise requirements.
Turning a service into a product
You deliver something manually or through a bespoke tool for one client and want to package it as software that many customers can subscribe to.
Enterprise buyers want more
Larger customers are asking for single sign-on, audit logs, role-based permissions and security documentation before they will sign.
What you get.
Multi-tenant architecture
Data isolation between customers, designed deliberately so that one account can never see another's information.
Subscriptions and billing
Plans, trials, usage-based pricing, invoices and payment handling built on Stripe, with the edge cases thought through.
Accounts, teams and permissions
Sign-up, onboarding, team invitations, roles and single sign-on so the product works for individuals and large organisations alike.
Admin and support tooling
Internal tools for your team to manage accounts, investigate issues and support customers without touching the database directly.
Product analytics and observability
Visibility into how customers use the product and how the system is performing, so decisions are based on evidence.
How we approach it.
The hardest part of an early SaaS product is deciding what not to build. We work with you to identify the core workflow that customers will pay for, then build that well, alongside the unglamorous essentials such as authentication, billing and tenant isolation that are expensive to retrofit. Everything else waits until real usage tells us it is needed.
Architecture choices are made with the next stage of growth in mind, not the stage after that. A well-structured single application with a sound data model will carry most products a long way, and it is far quicker to change than a premature set of microservices. We design so that pieces can be separated later if scale genuinely demands it.
Security is built in from the first release: encrypted data, least-privilege access, audit trails and dependency scanning. That also means you are in a good position when a customer sends over a security questionnaire. Your team owns the repositories, cloud accounts and Stripe configuration throughout, and we document the system so new engineers can contribute quickly.
Tools we use for this work.
From first conversation to production.
- DiscoverUnderstand the business, the users and what success looks like.
- DefineRequirements, architecture, scope and a roadmap you can plan around.
- DesignThe product experience, tested before it is expensive to change.
- BuildEngineering in short cycles, with working software to review every sprint.
- LaunchTesting, deployment and making sure it holds up in production.
- EvolveSupport, improvement and scaling once real usage starts.
Common questions.
How much does it cost to build a SaaS product?
It depends on the complexity of the core workflow, how many user roles and integrations are involved, your billing model and any compliance requirements. A tightly scoped first version costs a fraction of a fully featured platform, which is why we push hard on prioritisation. We produce an estimate after a short discovery phase rather than from a feature list alone.
How long does it take to launch a SaaS MVP?
A focused first release is usually a matter of weeks to a few months, depending on scope, integrations and how quickly decisions are made. We aim to get paying or pilot customers using the product as early as is responsible, then iterate based on what they do.
Can you help after we raise investment or grow our own team?
Yes. Many products move from us building everything to us working alongside an in-house team, and eventually to the team owning it fully. We plan for that from the start with clear documentation, conventions and handover sessions.
Who owns the product and code?
You do, entirely. Code, infrastructure, domain names and third-party accounts are held by your company, and all IP transfers to you. That matters for investment due diligence and for any future sale of the business.
Do you work on fixed price or time and materials?
Early product work usually suits time and materials with a clear budget and regular reviews, because what you learn from customers should change the plan. We can fix the price of a well-defined phase, such as discovery or a specific feature set, when that gives you more certainty.
Further reading.
Keeping cloud costs sensible as your product grows
Cloud bills rarely jump because of one bad decision. They creep, through forgotten resources and defaults nobody revisited. A few habits keep them in check.
Why we build business web applications with Next.js — and when we don't
Next.js gives business applications a sensible default for rendering, data access and deployment. It is not the answer to everything, and knowing where it does not fit matters as much.
Often paired with.
- Web Application DevelopmentCustomer-facing platforms, dashboards and portals built with React, Next.js and TypeScript.
- Cloud & DevOpsCloud architecture, infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring and cloud cost optimisation.
- UI/UX & Product DesignUser research, prototyping, interface design and design systems for web and mobile products.
Have a product worth building?
Tell us what you are trying to achieve. The first conversation is about understanding the problem — not selling you a solution.