Second Opinion on a Developer Quote: Is the Scope, Price and Plan Realistic?
A new service: a fixed-price, written review of a developer or agency proposal before you sign. It covers scope gaps, risky assumptions, whether the price and timeline are realistic, who owns the code and accounts, and the questions to ask. From $130 ($100 founding), within 3 working days.
See a sample report, proposal and weekly update- Price
- from $130
- Founding
- from $100
- Timeline
- within 3 working days
- Format
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Hours
- US Eastern Time, async
Who this is for.
A good fit if
- Founders and business owners about to sign their first software contract
- Anyone comparing two or three quotes that look nothing alike
- Owners who got a quote that seems too cheap, too expensive or too vague
Common triggers
- A quote that says “quick and simple” with no written scope
- Two quotes for the same idea that are five times apart
- No mention of who owns the code, the domain or the hosting account
- A large upfront payment with no milestones
Not a fit if
- You want the other developer’s work rewritten or re-estimated line by line (that’s a Discovery Sprint)
- You need a legal review of the contract (I flag technical and ownership terms only)
- You want me to negotiate with the other developer for you
What I do, and what you get.
What I do
- Read the proposal, quote and any spec or contract you share
- Check the scope for missing pieces: hosting, email, payments, admin screens, testing, launch, handover
- Judge whether the price and timeline are realistic for what is described
- Flag risky terms: ownership of code and accounts, payment schedule, change requests, support after launch
- Write the questions to ask before you sign
- Answer follow-up questions by email for 7 days
What you get
- A written review in plain English, 2–4 pages
- A traffic-light summary: what’s fine, what needs clarifying, what’s a red flag
- A list of questions to send the developer
- For comparisons, a side-by-side table of what each quote actually includes
Your part
- The proposal or quote, and any spec, contract or messages that explain it
- A short description of what you’re trying to build and your budget
- Your deadline for deciding
Included
- Scope, price and timeline check
- Ownership and payment-term flags
- Questions to ask before signing
- 7 days of email follow-up
Not included
- Legal advice or contract drafting
- A new estimate or spec (see Discovery Sprint)
- Talking to the other developer on your behalf
- Reviewing code (see Codebase Assessment)
Fixed prices, agreed before work starts.
One proposal or quote, up to about 10 pages
Up to three competing quotes, or one proposal with a spec up to about 30 pages
Build your scope
- Timeline
- within 3 working days
- Payment
- Paid in full before work starts
- Earliest start
- Oct 5
The fee is credited in full toward a follow-on project of $1,000+ approved within 30 days.
Not a commitment. I confirm the exact price in a written proposal.Founding price: 3 of 7 spots left, until Mar 31, 2027 — one-off work, in return for a testimonial. How it works
Prices are in USD, paid by bank transfer against an invoice. Work under $1,000 is paid upfront; larger work is 50% to start and 50% before handover, or monthly milestones. The full fee of this service is credited toward a follow-on project of $1,000 or more that you approve within 30 days.How working together works
Variations
- One quote
- Is this realistic, and what’s missing?
- Comparing quotes
- Up to three quotes laid side by side, so you compare the same thing.
- A quote to change an existing app
- I also say what I’d need to see in the code to be sure.
- An agency’s estimate for its client
- A neutral check before the agency sends it on.
How it runs.
- 01
Send the quote
Email the proposal, what you want to build and your deadline.
- 02
Invoice
You pay a fixed fee; no call needed.
- 03
Review
I read everything and write the review.
- 04
Questions
You ask follow-up questions by email for 7 days.
A new service, done openly.
I have not delivered this exact service for a client before, so there is no case study to point to yet. The approach above is built from parts I have shipped in production — see the case studies — and the fixed price and written scope protect you while it is new.
Questions buyers ask.
Isn’t this a conflict of interest? You also build software.
I say at the start whether I could take the project on, and the review is written the same way either way. If the quote is good, the review says so. You’re under no obligation to hire me.
Will you tell me the other developer is bad?
No. The review sticks to what is written: what’s covered, what’s missing and what’s unclear. Many “bad” quotes are just incomplete ones.
Is my information kept private?
Yes. I don’t contact the other developer or share the documents, and I delete them after the follow-up period if you ask.
Can you review the contract too?
I flag technical and ownership terms, such as who holds the code and accounts. For the legal side, ask a lawyer.
Is the fee credited if I hire you?
Yes. If you approve a follow-on project of $1,000 or more within 30 days, the fee comes off it.
Ask about Second Opinion on a Quote.
Tell me what you have and where it hurts. I reply within one US business day with either a fixed quote or the entry step that makes a fixed quote possible.
Helpful to include
- What you want built, in a few sentences
- The quote or proposal (attach it)
- Your budget and deadline
- Whether it’s a new app or a change to an existing one
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