Pricing
Fee bands for the work we do
Consulting fees depend on how many areas of the business are involved and how much support is needed during delivery. The bands below show where most engagements start. Every quote is fixed and confirmed in writing.
Three bands
Where most engagements sit
Each band is a starting point for a scope, not a package you have to accept. The discovery call confirms which band fits and what it includes.
Entry
Focused Review
From £95
- One process or planning area examined
- Written findings with issues ranked
- Recommendations in practical steps
- One closing session to walk through it
Typical for a first piece of work or a single problem that has been building up.
Most requested
Operations Review & Plan
From £145
- Diagnosis across the core workflows
- Process map and responsibility grid
- Phased plan with owners and dates
- Two sessions during implementation
- Written review at the end of the plan period
The band most owner-managed businesses choose when they want the plan put to work, not just written.
Ongoing
Retained Programme
From £180 per month
- A fixed monthly working cadence
- Implementation support between sessions
- Quarterly review against agreed measures
- Priority scheduling for your team
Suited to businesses running several changes at once, or with a project that needs steady support.
Prices shown are the starting point for each band and exclude VAT where applicable. Your written proposal states the exact fee, the deliverables and the dates before any work begins.
How the fee is built
What moves a quote up or down
Number of areas
One problem area costs less than three. Each additional area adds diagnosis time and a separate plan section.
How many people are involved
Interviews with several team members take longer than working with an owner and one manager.
Support during delivery
A written plan on its own is cheaper than staying alongside the team while it is implemented.
Systems and data
If your figures are split across several tools, more time is needed to assemble an accurate picture.
Urgency
Compressed delivery may need additional time from us in the same period and is quoted accordingly.
On-site work
Travel and time away from the desk are agreed in advance and invoiced as separate expenses.
Clear from the start
What is included, and what is not
Included in every engagement
- A written scope and fixed fee before work starts
- All documents produced during the work
- Sessions with you and, where relevant, your team
- One revision round on each document after your review
- Email access to the named lead for the duration
Not included unless agreed
- Implementation of software or systems changes
- Ongoing bookkeeping, payroll or compliance filings
- Legal, tax or regulated financial advice
- Travel outside the agreed schedule, or international visits
- Third-party licence and subscription costs
Payments
Invoicing and payment terms
Two-stage invoicing
Unless agreed otherwise, 50% is invoiced on acceptance of the proposal and the balance on delivery of the final document.
Programme billing
Programmes are invoiced monthly in advance, with the fee fixed for the quarter at the point of booking.
Payment terms
Invoices are due within 14 days. We do not begin work before the written proposal has been accepted.
If a project is cancelled, charges cover the work completed up to the cancellation date and any committed third-party costs. The full position is set out in our terms of service.
Fee questions
Three things owners ask about money
Can you work to a fixed budget?
Tell us the budget at the discovery stage and we will say what is achievable within it. Sometimes the answer is a smaller first piece of work; sometimes it is that the money is better spent elsewhere. We would rather say so than stretch a scope to fit.
Do you charge for the discovery call?
No. The first thirty-minute call is free and carries no obligation. If it becomes clear in that call that we are not the right practice for the work, we will tell you then and suggest alternatives where we can.
What happens if the scope needs to change?
We stop and agree it in writing first. You receive a revised fee for the additional work, and you can accept, reduce or decline it. No extra time is invoiced without your approval.
Next step
Get a fixed fee for your situation
Thirty minutes on the phone is usually enough to place the work in a band and tell you what the scope would cover.