Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all. Many of the best projects start with a problem rather than a specification. We help you work through what you actually need before any development begins - through initial conversations, structured discovery, and honest guidance on what will and will not deliver value. You do not need to arrive with a finished brief.

We are a good fit for businesses that need bespoke software built properly by an experienced senior engineer - web applications, mobile apps, integrations, internal tools, and technical consultation. We are probably not the right fit for very simple marketing websites, very large enterprise programmes requiring a team of twenty, or projects where budget is the primary constraint over quality. If you are not sure, get in touch and we will give you an honest answer.

Both. We work with early-stage founders building their first product, growing businesses replacing systems they have outgrown, and established organisations with complex technical requirements. The engagement model and scope adapt to where you are - a startup needs different things from a ten-year-old business, and we design the engagement accordingly.

We are based on the Isle of Man and work remotely with clients across the UK and Europe. Remote working is standard - most client relationships are conducted entirely remotely through video calls, written communication, and regular progress updates. For clients who prefer occasional in-person contact, we are available when the engagement justifies it.

Yes, subject to a technical review first. Before committing to take over an existing project, we review the codebase, architecture, and documentation to understand what we are working with and identify any significant problems. We will give you an honest assessment of the current state and what it would cost to bring it to a standard we are comfortable maintaining. If the project has fundamental problems that make taking it over impractical, we will tell you that too.

Yes - we are happy to sign a mutual NDA before any detailed discussion of your project. This is standard practice and something we do routinely. Get in touch and we can have an NDA in place before the first conversation.

Yes - and we enjoy it. Working with a founder who understands their business deeply but does not have a technical background requires clear communication, patient explanation of trade-offs, and honest guidance on what to build and what to defer. We have done this many times and it produces good outcomes when the founder is engaged and willing to participate actively in the process.

It depends on the scope, complexity, and duration. As a rough guide: focused MVPs and targeted integrations typically start from £10,000-£30,000. Full-featured web or mobile applications typically range from £30,000-£75,000. Larger platform builds and enterprise systems start from £75,000 upward. These are indicative ranges - the only way to get an accurate cost for your specific requirements is through a scoping conversation. We provide detailed, itemised estimates after understanding what you need - never before.

For time-based engagements where you hire us by the hour or day, our indicative rate is £80-£150 per hour or an equivalent day rate, depending on the nature and duration of the work. For bespoke projects, we price per project after scoping. We confirm the exact rate in the first conversation, before any commitment is made.

No - the initial conversation is free. We use it to understand your project at a high level, assess whether we are a good fit, and give you an honest indication of scope and cost. There is no charge and no obligation.

Yes - a proper technical specification is charged work that produces a real deliverable. We invest significant time in understanding your requirements, designing the architecture, and producing a specification that can be used to quote accurately. This work is typically charged at our standard rate and the cost is a small fraction of the total project. If the project does not proceed after scoping, you still have a specification you can use with any developer.

For fixed-price bespoke projects, the estimate we provide is the number you can budget against. We do not change that number unless you change the scope. If new requirements emerge during the project, we discuss the cost and timeline impact before proceeding - you always make an informed decision rather than discovering additional costs on the invoice. Minor changes are typically absorbed within the agreed scope. Significant scope changes are quoted separately.

Yes - bespoke projects are structured around milestones with payment tied to delivery. A typical structure involves a deposit at the start, payments at defined milestones as working software is delivered, and a final payment on completion. We do not ask for large upfront payments before any work has been done, and we do not issue final invoices before the system has been delivered and accepted.

For bespoke project engagements, we typically work on projects from £10,000 upward. Below that level, the overhead of scoping and project management makes a fixed-price engagement inefficient - our fixed-price packages or ad-hoc hourly support are more appropriate for smaller pieces of work.

It typically runs: initial conversation (free, no obligation) - scoping and specification (paid, produces a technical brief) - fixed-price estimate agreed - development in phases with regular milestones and demos - testing and refinement - launch - ongoing support. The total time from first contact to launch depends on scope. A focused MVP might take 10-16 weeks. A full-featured platform typically takes 4-6 months. We give you a realistic timeline during scoping - not before.

It depends on scope and complexity. As a general guide: technical analysis and planning packages take 1-3 weeks. Focused MVPs take 8-12 weeks. Full-featured web applications take 3-5 months. Large platform builds take 5-9 months. We give you a specific, honest timeline during the scoping phase based on your actual requirements - not a generic estimate designed to win the project.

Active involvement from you significantly improves outcomes. We need you to respond to questions reasonably promptly, review and give feedback on demos, make decisions when options are presented, and participate in regular check-ins. We do not need you available constantly, but a client who is engaged and responsive produces better results than one who is passive. We structure communication to be efficient - regular but not excessive.

We provide regular progress updates throughout every project - typically weekly written summaries and demos of working software at the end of each development phase. You always know what has been built, what is being worked on, and what is coming next. We surface issues when they arise rather than waiting for a scheduled update, and we never go quiet for extended periods without explanation.

Requirements evolve in every project - that is normal and expected. When something changes, we assess the impact on timeline and cost, explain it clearly, and agree how to proceed before implementing the change. Minor adjustments are typically absorbed within the agreed scope. Significant changes are treated as scope changes with their own estimate. We never implement changes that affect cost or timeline without your explicit agreement first.

We work iteratively - delivering working software in phases rather than presenting a finished system at the end of a long development period. This gives you the opportunity to see the system taking shape, provide feedback, and adjust priorities before it is too late to make changes cost-effectively. We adapt the specific cadence to the project - some work well in two-week sprints, others in longer phases with defined milestones. We are not dogmatic about methodology.

We provide ongoing support, maintenance, and feature development after launch. Most agency relationships end when the final invoice clears - ours do not. We are available for bug fixes, security updates, performance improvements, and new features after launch. The level of ongoing involvement depends on your requirements - from occasional ad-hoc support to a regular monthly retainer.

Our core stack is C#, ASP.NET Core, React Native, SQL Server, and AWS. We also work with Azure, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Entity Framework Core, TypeScript, JavaScript, Bootstrap, Docker, and a range of third-party integrations including Stripe, SendGrid, Mailchimp, and others. For AI integration, we work with the OpenAI and Anthropic APIs. We choose the technology that is right for your requirements rather than defaulting to a preferred stack regardless of context.

It depends on what that stack is. Our primary expertise is in .NET, C#, and the Microsoft ecosystem. For projects that require deep work in a different stack - Ruby on Rails, Python Django, Java Spring - we will give you an honest assessment of whether we can serve you well rather than overstating our capability. For many integration and API projects, the underlying stack matters less than the interface being connected to.

Yes - we use AI-assisted development tools including GitHub Copilot and Claude as part of our engineering workflow. These tools increase productivity and help with specific tasks like boilerplate generation, documentation, and code review. Every line of AI-generated code is reviewed, tested, and owned by a senior engineer. We do not use AI to generate code we do not understand or cannot maintain - the quality standard for AI-generated code is the same as for hand-written code.

You do - entirely. At the end of every engagement, you receive full ownership of the source code, database schema, architecture documentation, and all intellectual property. There are no licensing restrictions, no vendor lock-in, and no ongoing dependency on us to access or modify your own software. You are free to engage any developer you choose to continue work on the system.

Yes - we build cross-platform mobile applications using React Native, which delivers a native experience on both iOS and Android from a single codebase. We handle App Store and Google Play submission as part of every mobile engagement. KEEP.FIT is an example of a React Native application we have built, shipped, and maintained on both platforms.

Yes - we set up and configure cloud hosting on AWS or Azure as part of every project, including CI/CD pipelines, staging environments, and production infrastructure. Hosting costs are generally your responsibility unless otherwise agreed (typically billed directly from the cloud provider), but the setup, configuration, and ongoing management can be included in the engagement.

Yes - integration with existing systems is a core part of most projects we take on. We connect to CRMs, ERPs, finance tools, payment gateways, communication platforms, and bespoke internal systems. Even legacy systems without modern APIs can typically be integrated through database-level connections, file-based workflows, or custom adapter layers. We assess the specific integration requirements during scoping and factor them into the estimate.

Owen Jones - the founder and lead engineer. Every project at OLXR is designed, architected, and delivered personally by Owen. There are no juniors learning on your project, no account managers sitting between you and the engineer, and no hand-offs between a sales team and a delivery team. You work with the same person from the first conversation to the last.

Yes - we provide long-term support, maintenance, and feature development after launch. We are still available and still accountable years after the initial delivery. Ongoing support is typically structured as an ad-hoc hourly arrangement or a monthly retainer depending on the level of involvement required.

Yes - team augmentation is one of our engagement models. We work as part of your team - using your tools, participating in your processes, attending your standups, and treating the outcome as a shared responsibility. Our role is typically to provide senior technical direction and architecture oversight alongside the existing team, rather than to manage or replace them.

An initial conversation, a rough description of the problem you are trying to solve, and a willingness to invest time in the scoping process. You do not need a finished specification, a detailed brief, or a technical background. The more clearly you can describe the business problem - what is not working, who it affects, and what success would look like - the more productive the initial conversation will be.

We are based on the Isle of Man and work primarily remotely. For clients where an in-person meeting would be genuinely useful - at the start of a significant engagement, for a complex requirements workshop, or at a critical decision point - we are open to discussing travel arrangements. For most engagements, remote working is equally effective and avoids the overhead of travel.

Three things primarily. First, you work directly with the senior engineer doing the work - not with an account manager who translates between you and a developer you rarely speak to. Second, there are no junior developers learning on your project - every decision is made by someone with over a decade of production experience. Third, the relationship does not end at launch - we maintain and evolve what we build rather than completing a contract and moving on.

Breadth of experience and depth of ownership. A freelancer typically has narrower expertise and limited capacity for complex multi-system projects. OLXR has over a decade of experience across fintech, enterprise, SaaS, and a wide range of technology domains. We also bring the commercial and business awareness that comes from running a consultancy and building our own products - not just executing specifications handed down by others.

Simple marketing websites are not our primary focus. For a brochure site or a basic WordPress implementation, a specialist web design agency or a platform like Webflow will serve you better and cost less. Where we add the most value is in web applications - systems with user accounts, business logic, data, integrations, and workflows. If your website needs to do things as well as look good, that is where the distinction starts to matter.

Yes - we build iOS and Android applications using React Native. We handle everything from the initial technical design through to App Store and Google Play submission and ongoing maintenance. KEEP.FIT is an example of a product we have built and operate on both platforms. If you have a mobile app idea, the best first step is a conversation about scope, timeline, and what a realistic build would involve.

Yes - we build practical AI features into existing software and design AI-powered workflows for businesses. This includes document processing and extraction, AI assistants and chatbots grounded in your specific knowledge, content generation with human review, and AI model integration using OpenAI and Anthropic. We are honest about what AI can and cannot do reliably in production - we do not build AI features that work in demos but fail in daily use.

Yes - database design, architecture review, performance optimisation, and data migration are standalone services. If you have a slow database, a poorly structured schema, or a migration project, we can work on that independently of any application development. These are common engagements and ones where targeted work often delivers significant value quickly.

Yes - code and system reviews are a standalone service. We review your codebase, architecture, security posture, and development processes, and produce a written report with prioritised findings and recommendations. This is useful before a significant investment in an existing system, before hiring a new development team, or as part of technical due diligence for an investment or acquisition.

Yes - we provide fractional CTO engagement for businesses that need senior technical leadership without a full-time hire. This includes technology strategy, architecture oversight, team direction, vendor management, and technical input to business decisions. Fractional CTO engagements are typically structured as a defined number of days per month and can scale up or down as requirements change.