Hi everyone!
I’m a fourth-year Applied Data Science & AI student, and throughout my studies I’ve worked on various projects involving Python, FastAPI, React, APIs, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.
Recently, a small business owner approached me about developing a professional website for their beauty salon/barbershop. This would potentially be my first major commercial freelance project.
I’ve already written two research reports comparing different technologies, booking systems, development timelines, and costs. Before preparing a final quotation, I’d really appreciate some advice from developers with more professional experience.
1. What does the client need?
The client has quite an extensive list of requirements, so I’m planning to divide the development process into several phases.
Phase 1 – Professional Website
Fully responsive website with a custom visual identity.
Homepage, services, team, gallery, about us, and contact pages.
Support for Dutch and English.
Online appointment booking through an existing booking platform.
A CMS that allows the owner to update text, images, and prices independently.
Contact form, WhatsApp integration, and basic SEO.
Hosting setup, testing, and deployment.
Potential Future Phases
E-commerce functionality with online payments.
Dashboards for the owner and employees.
Customer accounts.
Revenue statistics and reporting.
Workflow automation and potentially AI-powered features.
These additional features are not included in the initial quotation.
2. My Proposed Technical Approach
After researching and comparing several options, I’m currently leaning towards the following stack:
Frontend: Next.js / React
CMS: Sanity
Hosting: Vercel Pro
Appointment Booking: Existing software such as Knipklok or Salonized
Backend: No separate FastAPI backend required for Phase 1
I’ve also considered WordPress, which would probably be faster and less expensive to implement.
However, I’m leaning towards Next.js because of its design flexibility and my programming experience.
3. Estimated Development Time and Pricing
I’ve created a preliminary breakdown of the estimated hours required for each part of the project.
My current estimate is:
106 hours for development, testing, and deployment.
16 additional hours as a contingency buffer.
Approximately 122 hours in total.
As a starting freelance rate, I’m considering €40 per hour.
This would bring the estimated price for Phase 1 to approximately €4,880, excluding any applicable VAT, hosting, and third-party subscriptions.
This is not a final quotation yet. The exact scope and required content still need to be confirmed with the client.
4. Questions I’d Appreciate Advice On
Technical Approach
Would Next.js + Sanity be a sensible choice for this type of website, or would you recommend WordPress instead?
Are there any technical risks or important considerations I might be overlooking?
What should I pay particular attention to when securely integrating a third-party appointment booking system?
Development Time
Does an estimate of approximately 122 hours seem realistic for the proposed features?
Which parts of projects like this typically take longer than expected?
Freelancing and Pricing
Would €40 per hour be a reasonable starting rate for someone with several years of academic programming experience but limited commercial freelance experience?
Would you recommend charging a fixed project price or billing hourly?
How would you approach maintenance, revision rounds, additional requests, and ongoing support?
5. A Little More About My Background
I’m planning to develop the project independently.
I already have experience building software through my degree, but I haven’t yet independently delivered and deployed a complete commercial website with ongoing client responsibilities.
Because of that, I want to approach this carefully, especially regarding security, maintenance, reliability, and realistic project planning.
I’m mainly looking for constructive, critical feedback on my technical decisions, time estimates, and pricing.
I want to avoid both undervaluing my work and promising more than I can realistically deliver.
Any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your time and input!