Frequently Asked

C. Costa Co. is a one-person creative studio, and website design is the core of what I do. Every site is custom-built around your brand and designed to be found on Google and to convert. Alongside that, I offer brand identity design (logo, colour, typography, a full identity system) and brand photography (headshots, brand shoots, product). The real advantage is that all three come from the same place, the same eye, and the same strategy, so your website, brand, and visuals finally feel like one thing. You can start with just a website, or combine everything into a full brand build.

For website and brand identity projects, timelines vary based on scope. Most run 3–6 weeks from kickoff to launch. Photography galleries are delivered within 7–10 business days (rush delivery in 48 hours is available for an additional fee). The timeline depends on the number of pages and deliverables, how quickly feedback comes in during review stages, and your availability. Once we scope your project, I'll give you a clear timeline upfront so there are no surprises.

You don't need to manage anything. That's what I'm here for. I handle creative direction, execution, and delivery. That said, the best outcomes happen when clients are engaged at the right moments: completing the onboarding questionnaire thoroughly, providing timely feedback during revision rounds, sending over your content and any photos on time, and being available for the pre-launch walkthrough. Your input shapes the direction; my job is to translate it into something that actually works.

Absolutely. Website and brand identity projects are fully remote. We work via email, video calls, and shared design files, so I build sites for clients anywhere. For photography, I'm based in London, Ontario and available for travel across Canada and the US. Travel fees may apply depending on location, and we'll discuss that during your consult.

Every website I build is custom-designed around your brand, your photos, and your space, never a template. That's what makes your site look like your business instead of everyone else's, and it's also what lets me build it lean and fast underneath. You can see exactly what that looks like in the Carpe Diem case study on my portfolio page.

Yes. SEO is built into every site from the ground up, not bolted on afterward. That means a dedicated, keyword-targeted page for each of your core services, page titles and descriptions written the way your customers actually search, structured data so search engines understand your business, and the technical foundations Google looks for: a sitemap, clean page addresses, one clear heading per page, and fast-loading pages. If local customers are searching for what you do, the goal is for your site to be there.

Always. Every site is built mobile- and tablet-responsive and tested across screen sizes, because most of your visitors will arrive on a phone. Pages are hand-coded to load quickly with no page-builder bloat, and images are optimized so nothing jumps around while the page loads, all things that keep visitors on the page and that Google measures directly.

I hand-code your site rather than building it on a page builder like Wix, Squarespace or WordPress. That matters for three reasons: your site loads faster because there's no builder bloat underneath it, I have full control over the SEO structure instead of working around a template's limits, and you don't pay a platform subscription forever just to keep your website online. You still get a simple way to update your own content after launch. We'll set that up together and I'll walk you through it before handover.

Yes. A large part of my work is rebuilding sites that aren't pulling their weight. Whether you're starting fresh or your current site feels dated, slow, or invisible on Google, I can redesign it from the ground up. The Carpe Diem project in my portfolio is exactly this: a four-page template rebuilt into a seventeen-page, SEO-first site.

Yes. That's the point. Every website I deliver includes a walkthrough call so you understand how to make updates yourself. I build sites that are clean and organized on the backend, not bloated with unnecessary complexity. You should be able to update your own copy, swap images, and add new pages without needing to call anyone. If you ever need ongoing support beyond that, we can discuss a maintenance arrangement.

After your deposit is received, we start with a detailed onboarding questionnaire to understand your business, your audience, and your aesthetic direction. From there, I develop an initial concept, not a range of random options, but a focused direction based on strategy. You'll receive two rounds of revisions to refine it. Once approved, I prepare and deliver all final files organized and ready to use, along with a brand guidelines document so you always know how to apply everything consistently, including on your website.

Website Design includes 3 rounds of revisions. Brand Design includes 2 rounds. The Brand Builder package includes 3 rounds across all deliverables. A "revision round" means you review the work, compile your feedback, and I implement it in one pass, not an ongoing back-and-forth. Additional revision rounds can be added for $100 each. Clear, consolidated feedback at each stage keeps the project moving efficiently and gets you to a result you're genuinely proud of.

I typically book 2–4 weeks out, though popular dates, especially spring and fall, fill up faster. If you have a specific deadline (a website launch, an event, a campaign), give yourself at least 3–4 weeks to allow time for editing and delivery. Headshot sessions have more flexibility and can sometimes be booked with less lead time.

I'll send you a prep guide once your session is booked. In general: plan your outfits in advance (avoiding large logos, busy patterns, and neon colours), think about locations that feel true to your brand, and come with a rough idea of how you want to be perceived. For Signature sessions, we'll have a pre-shoot planning call to go through all of this together. The more intentional we are going in, the stronger the content coming out for your website and socials.

The number of delivered images scales with session length. Headshots typically deliver 10–15 selects. Half Sessions deliver 20–30. The Essentials delivers 40–60. The Signature Branding Session delivers 80–120+. All images are professionally edited. I don't just hand over a raw dump. You'll receive a curated gallery of images that are actually usable and on-brand, ready to drop straight into your website.

Life happens. I get it. You can reschedule up to 48 hours before your session at no charge, and I'll do my best to find a date that works. Cancellations within 1–2 business days may result in a forfeit of the deposit, as that time was held exclusively for you. If you need to cancel entirely, please reach out as soon as possible so we can discuss your options.

For photography sessions: a 50% deposit is required to secure your date, with the remaining balance due on or before your session day. For brand and web projects: a 50% deposit is required to begin, and the remaining 50% is due upon final delivery before files are transferred. All deposits are non-refundable, as they hold your spot in my schedule and cover the strategy and planning work done upfront.

For larger projects (Brand Builder and above), I'm open to discussing a flexible payment structure. This is something we can work out during your free consult, just bring it up and we'll find something that makes sense for both of us. I'd rather make it work than have budget be the reason a great project doesn't happen.

The listed prices are starting points. Your final investment is based on scope, the number of website pages, the number of deliverables, the complexity of the project, any add-ons you select, and the timeline. After your consult, you'll receive a clear proposal with everything outlined before you commit to anything. There are no surprise invoices.

That depends on where you are in your business, and I'll be honest with you about it on our call. If your website is hard to find on Google, slow, or doesn't reflect the quality of your work, it's quietly costing you clients every month. A site built to be found and to convert is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make. I've built my own brand from scratch to over 25,000 sales worldwide, so I know firsthand what a strong website and brand do for a business, and what it feels like to outgrow the one you started with.

Fill out the inquiry form on the Contact page with as much detail as you can about your business and what you're looking for. The more context you give me, the better I can assess whether we're a good fit and what approach makes the most sense. If we're aligned, I'll reach out within 1–2 business days to set up a free 20-minute call.

Come with a clear sense of your business goals, even if they're still forming. Think about what you're hoping to change: do you want to attract a higher-end client? Finally launch the website that's been sitting unfinished? Build a content library you're actually proud of? Show up online in a way that matches where your business is now? You don't need to have everything figured out. That's partly what the call is for. But the clearer you are on the problem, the more useful I can be.

I work best with small business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs who care about how their brand is perceived and are ready to invest in doing it properly. You don't need to know design. That's my job. What helps is: being clear on your business and who you serve, being open to strategic creative direction, providing feedback promptly during the process, and understanding that good work takes a bit of time. If you need something designed yesterday for the lowest possible price, I'm probably not the right fit. If you want something done right, that lasts, and that actually moves your business forward, let's talk.

That's exactly what the free consult is for. Come as you are. I'll ask the right questions, help you figure out where the biggest gaps are, and recommend what actually makes sense for your stage and budget. There's no pressure to book anything on the call.