Working together / with Felix Schumann
Three models.One clear path.
A fixed project, a block of hours or reserved time each month. You know up front what gets built, what it costs and when it becomes yours.
First call is free · 50% upfront, 50% on handover · The source code is yours
- Project
- Hours
- Monthly
Pick the one that matches your situation.
01 / The arrangements
A fixed project
The scope is agreed before anything starts.
We settle what gets built, what belongs to it and when it is done, testing included. If delivering the agreed scope takes me longer than I thought, that is my problem, not your invoice.
Fits whenYou already know roughly what should exist at the end.
A block of hours
You approve the next block, not the whole journey.
We agree on a number of hours. I track every one of them, and at the end of the block you get the finished work plus an honest account of what is still open. Whether it continues is your call.
Fits whenThe goal is clear, the road to it is not yet.
A monthly arrangement
Reserved time, every month.
We agree on working time, availability and monthly payment in advance. You set the priorities, and I work through them within the agreed capacity. We discuss any additional time separately.
Fits whenThere is a steady stream of work, not a single project.
From the first message to the moment it becomes yours.
Eight steps, each with a result you can hold. At every point you know what is happening now and what comes next.
02 / How it runs
First contact
You get in touch.
An email, a call or a message. You do not need a finished brief; a problem, an idea or an example is plenty for me to understand what this is about.
You end up withI come back to you and suggest a time.
We can talk overFirst call
We look at where your time goes.
A call with no strings attached. We walk through your working day: which tasks keep repeating, where data gets moved by hand and which tool you are actually missing. Often I can tell you during the call what of it can be solved.
You end up withFree, and it commits you to nothing.
We can talk over- Zoom
- Google Meet
The shape
We decide whether, and how.
If it fits both of us, we settle the form: a fixed project with an agreed scope, a block of hours you release step by step, or reserved time each month that belongs to your plan. If it does not fit, we say so plainly.
You end up withThree models, one decision.
Roadmap
You get the plan in writing.
I send you a roadmap: where I start, what I watch for along the way and what stands at the end. You go through it, cut what you do not need and add what is missing. Only once it reads right to you is the scope settled.
You end up withYour review, before anything gets built.
Contract
50% upfront
Contract, then the first half.
Scope, timeframe and payment go into a contract we both sign. If we agree two weeks for a defined scope, then that is exactly the job. The deposit is the starting signal.
You end up withWith an NDA if you want one, before anything confidential changes hands.
Build
It gets built, and you can watch.
You get progress updates, short screen recordings and a direct line to me. No agency layer, no handover to somebody you have never spoken to. When something needs talking through, we get on a call.
You end up withA usable version long before it is finished.
We can talk over- Zoom
- Google Meet
Wrap-up
The final call runs through all of it.
We go through what was built together: every feature shown once, every open question answered and everything you need to run it written down. After that it officially passes into your hands.
You end up withA demo, the handover and notes you can read back.
We can talk over- Zoom
- Google Meet
Yours
50% on handover
Final payment, then it is yours.
With the second half you get all of it: the repository with the commented source code, the access credentials and the finished product up and running. Website, web app or an application for Windows, macOS or Android, it works and it belongs to you. I am happy to keep hosting and maintenance going afterwards.
You end up withSource code, access and the running version.
The first call costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
03 / What it costs
The number comes after the conversation.
Every model has a clear price, and you get it in writing before anything starts. I just cannot name a sensible one before I know what should be built. Describe your plan in a few sentences and you get an estimate back, along with the model I would suggest for it.
Usually 50% upfront and 50% on completion for projects and blocks of hours. Ongoing monthly work is billed monthly under the agreed contract.
What you get, whichever model we choose.
04 / The same either way
You work with me, directly
No agency layer, no handover to someone you have never spoken to. Short status updates while the work runs and a completion report at the end, through whichever channel suits you.
Shown, not just described
Some things are quicker to watch than to read. When that is the case you get a short screen recording, and when something needs talking through we get on a call.
The code is yours
You get access to the project's GitHub repository from the start and the source code with the delivery. Nothing is locked behind me.
Clear agreements
I am happy to sign an NDA and agree on what stays confidential, including whether the project may be mentioned publicly. We put the scope, payment and terms of our collaboration in writing before work starts.
Tool costs are clear upfront
I cover my normal development tools and subscriptions. Project-specific APIs or separate AI infrastructure for your confidentiality requirements are agreed and budgeted separately before costs are incurred.
It can keep running
Hosting and maintenance are something I can take on, so the thing keeps working after the handover. That part is arranged on its own terms.
FAQ
Before our first conversation.
Five answers to get started. Find more about the process, costs, data and support in the complete FAQ.
Read all 20 answersHow does the first conversation work?
Yes. The first conversation is free and comes with no obligation. We discuss your idea, the key requirements and your preferred timeframe. You can book a call directly through the website or send me a message first.
Afterwards, I estimate the work and prepare a proposal with the scope, price and schedule. You decide whether to proceed on that basis. The initial conversation does not commit you to a project.
Read on the FAQ pageIs there a minimum budget?
A tightly defined project can be viable from around 16 hours of development. For a small product, I prefer to plan roughly 40 to 48 hours across several working days. That leaves room for implementation, testing, improvements and a final review with fresh eyes.
These are effort guidelines, not a fixed minimum price. Your proposal sets out what your project needs and what it costs. Individual changes to an existing application can also have a smaller scope.
Read on the FAQ pageHow long does development take?
For a well-crafted website with a clearly limited scope, around 16 to 24 working hours is a useful starting point. For a prototype, custom application or desktop tool, I plan from roughly 48 hours. Complex features, detailed design, integrations and additional performance or security requirements can increase the work substantially.
Working hours and delivery dates are different things: feedback, content, access and coordination also affect the calendar. After our first conversation, you receive an estimate and schedule tailored to your project.
Read on the FAQ pageHow does payment work?
For fixed projects and agreed blocks of hours, my usual arrangement is 50% before work begins and 50% when the agreed scope is completed. This gives both sides a clear basis, including when working internationally. We can agree on different payment terms in writing.
An ongoing monthly arrangement is paid monthly under the contract. The 50/50 split does not apply to it. In every case, we agree on the scope, billing and payment terms before starting.
Read on the FAQ pageWhat is included in the handover?
You receive the complete source code for the agreed project, the project files and the access needed to operate it. I walk you through the application, explain the main features and cover the next steps for running it. We agree on the level of documentation and training as part of the project.
You can then run the software yourself or have someone else develop it further. I can also provide hosting and maintenance if you prefer. Third-party components and external services remain subject to their own licences and terms.
Read on the FAQ page
Felix SchumannAI automation engineerName it, I build it.
If something here looks like the problem you have, write to me. A short description of what is not working is enough to start.