# How It Works | Happy Harbor Web Design Process > From first conversation to launch in four clear steps. What happens each week, what we need from you, and what you get from a Happy Harbor website project. Source: https://happyharbordesign.com/process.html Publisher: Happy Harbor Web Design, Baldwin County, Alabama Updated: 2026-10-15 --- HOW IT WORKS # From “what if” to *“that’s us.”* No confusing handoffs. No guessing what’s next. Here’s what a project actually looks like, week by week, so you know what to expect before you ever say yes. AT A GLANCE Typical timeline 3 to 6 weeks Your time needed Around 4 to 6 hours total, spread across the project How we talk Email, phone or a coffee somewhere in Baldwin County Payment Half to begin, half at launch. Fixed quote, no hourly surprises After launch Harbor Care hosting + monthly updates, $25 a month, optional 01** WEEK 1 · DISCOVERY ## We get to know you. It starts with a real conversation about your business, your customers and what you want your website to do. Not just “look nice,” but what should happen when someone lands on it: call, book, order, visit, trust you a little more. ### What we need from you - An hour to talk, in person or by phone - Anything you already have: logo, photos, old site, social pages - A few websites you like (and a few you don’t) ### What you get - A written plan: pages, features and goals - A fixed quote and a timeline - A simple content checklist 02** WEEK 2 · DESIGN ## We find your look. A visual direction that feels right: colors, type, imagery and the mood of the thing. Then a real homepage design, on desktop and mobile, so you’re reacting to something concrete instead of imagining it. ### What we need from you - Honest feedback. “I don’t love it” is useful information - A first pass at your words, or a conversation so we can write them - Photos, if you have good ones (we’ll say if you need better) ### What you get - A homepage design to approve - A clear direction for every other page - Up to two rounds of changes, included 03** WEEKS 3–5 · BUILD ## We bring it to life. Layouts become real pages. Every page is built by hand, tested on actual phones and desktops, checked for speed and accessibility, and wired up: contact forms, booking links, maps, menus, whatever your business runs on. ### What we need from you - Final words and images for each page - Logins for your domain (or we’ll help you get one) - A look at the preview link and a list of anything that’s off ### What you get - A private preview of the full website - Pages that work on every screen size - Search basics set up on every page 04** WEEK 6 · LAUNCH ## You make your entrance. Launch day is quiet on purpose. Your site goes live on your domain, we check everything one more time, and you get a short walkthrough of how to make simple updates yourself, plus a plan for what comes next. ### What we need from you - A final yes - Fifteen minutes for a walkthrough ### What you get - A live website you own, on your domain - A short guide to updating it - 30 days of post-launch support - Optional [Harbor Care](https://happyharbordesign.com/services.html#care-plan): hosting and monthly updates for $25 a month A FEW GROUND RULES ## How we like to work. Small studio, simple rules. They keep projects pleasant and websites good. ### You always know what’s next. Every week ends with a short note: what’s done, what’s coming, what we need. ### Fixed price, scoped properly. The quote is the price. If you want something extra mid-project, we’ll say what it costs before doing it. ### You own everything. Your domain, your files, your content. If you ever want to move on, you can take it all with you. ### No jargon. We’ll explain anything in plain English, as many times as it takes. THAT’S THE WHOLE PROCESS. ## Simple, *isn’t it?* Start with step one. A conversation, no commitment, no pressure. [Start a project ](https://happyharbordesign.com/contact.html)