Before you write

What to put in the brief, and what happens after you send it.

The brief form is the fastest way to get an honest read on your project. To get a useful first reply, tell us where the site lives today, what is broken or missing, the rough deadline you are working against, and the budget range you have in mind for this phase. Links to a current site, a brand system, or an inspiration board are all welcome, none are required.

Once it lands, a human in Chicago reads every brief and replies inside one business day with one of three answers: a fit check and a twenty-minute call link if it looks like a match, a written referral to a studio better suited to the work if it is not, or a follow-up question if the brief leaves a gap we cannot fill on our own. We do not run autoresponders, drip sequences, or sales pipelines, and we do not sell your information to anyone.

Everything you share is held in confidence. If you are still under NDA with a current vendor, or pre-announcement on a launch, say so in the brief and we will treat it accordingly. If we end up working together you will get a written scope with a fixed timeline, agreed milestones, and a single point of contact for the duration of the engagement.

If a form is not your style, the email address at the bottom of this page goes to the same inbox and gets the same one-business-day reply window. Either way, expect to hear back from a named human in Chicago, not a chatbot and not an SDR. We keep the inbound channels narrow on purpose so that every brief gets read carefully and answered honestly, even the ones that turn into a referral instead of an engagement.

What's your turnaround time?

Turnaround promise times are a trap. Each request gets a realistic DO date and a DUE date so you're always aware of when it's in progress and when we expect it to be complete.

How much time are you actually spending on my project?

Maintenance plans are based on blocks of hours up to 20 hours per week. If you choose Custom, hours are unlimited for the scope of the engagement.

Do you do 'unlimited revisions'?

No. We think unlimited design revisions waste a client's time and money and delay launches. Instead, we communicate ETAs and cap revisions at a number that actually ships.

Do you build new websites or only redesigns?

Both. We build everything from one-pagers to complex sites with hundreds of pages. Send us a message for specific examples.

Is Homade a solopreneur agency?

The operator is Kevin Jacobs. We contract from a trusted network of senior designers, developers, copywriters, and illustrators depending on the project scope and timeline.

Are you based in the USA?

Yes, Chicago, IL. We contract collaborators internationally as needed.

Do I need to sign a contract to get started?

Every engagement comes with a contract tailored to your needs. Pricing and features are negotiable until both parties e-sign.