Transparent Consulting Rates & Investment Guidance
We price our consulting based on the concrete scope of codebase analysis, repository complexity, and delivery model. All engagements are led directly by senior principal consultants.
Structured Advisory Models
Every software project has unique technical constraints. Below are our four core engagement models, designed around clear diagnostic outcomes and measurable engineering value.
Fixed-Scope Diagnostic Audit
Ideal Scenario: Organizations needing an objective, deep-dive architectural risk evaluation or roadmap review before major investment.
Scope Inclusions:
- Up to 250k LOC static & dynamic AST analysis
- Database query plan and lock-contention diagnostics
- Concurrency & race condition hazard mapping
- Formal 35-45 page audit dossier with code diff solutions
- 90-minute live debrief with senior engineering stakeholders
Payment Schedule: 50% advance deposit upon contract signing, 50% upon delivery of audit dossier.
Book Diagnostic AuditRefactoring & Architecture Sprint
Ideal Scenario: Teams actively dismantling legacy monoliths, establishing bounded contexts, or extracting high-risk modules.
Scope Inclusions:
- Hands-on architectural seam extraction & pairing
- Characterisation testing harness implementation
- Anti-corruption layer & domain event design
- Direct pairing with your core senior engineers (20 hrs/sprint)
- Bi-weekly architectural review & milestone gating
Payment Schedule: Invoiced per sprint cycle; advance commitment with 14-day notice period.
Enquire About Refactoring SprintsPerformance Tuning Package
Ideal Scenario: Services experiencing p99 latency spikes, high CPU/memory churn, or thread pool exhaustion under load.
Scope Inclusions:
- Flame graph profiling & memory heap difference capture
- SQL query rewriting & database indexing overhaul
- Connection pool and lock contention remediation
- Reproducible load-test verification scripts
- Before/after latency verification report
Payment Schedule: Fixed fee billed upon kickoff and validated benchmark delivery.
Request Performance TuningFractional Principal Retainer
Ideal Scenario: Engineering leaders requiring consistent high-level architectural oversight, RFC review, and technical sounding board.
Scope Inclusions:
- 20 to 40 dedicated advisory & review hours monthly
- Architecture Decision Record (ADR) & RFC critique
- Fast-turnaround (24h) critical code reviews
- Technical hiring candidate assessments & interview support
- Strict limit: 3 concurrent clients per consultant
Payment Schedule: Billed monthly in advance; 3-month initial commitment.
Discuss Advisory AvailabilityWhat Factors Influence a Custom Engagement Estimate?
For repositories exceeding 250k LOC, multi-service architectures, or specialized compliance environments, we provide detailed custom proposals based on four technical dimensions:
Codebase Size & Language Diversity
Repositories spanning polyglot runtimes (e.g. C++, Go, TypeScript, and Java) or exceeding 250,000 lines require dedicated AST parsing modules and proportionally adjusted diagnostic time.
Database Schema & Transaction Depth
Distributed data stores, sharded PostgreSQL instances, or systems with hundreds of complex stored procedures require deeper lock-contention tracing and query plan synthesis.
Team Synchronous Pairing Requirement
Engagements that include direct hands-on pairing and team mentoring are structured around bi-weekly sprint cadences to align with your team's development cycles.
Delivery Environment & Security Constraints
Air-gapped review environments or specialized compliance protocols (e.g. strict defense or clinical governance) are accommodated with dedicated secure analytical hardware.
Frequently Asked Commercial Questions
How is value and delivery verified for diagnostic audits?
All diagnostic audits include an interim milestone check-in at Day 5 where initial static analysis and architecture graphs are reviewed. Final payment is tied to the delivery of the complete 35–45 page dossier and the live technical debrief session.
Are retainers locked into long multi-year contracts?
No. Fractional Principal retainers operate on an initial 3-month commitment, after which they roll month-to-month with a 30-day notice period. This ensures you maintain senior coverage during critical roadmap phases without long-term overhead.
What is your policy regarding VAT and payment terms?
As a UK limited company, all quoted fees are subject to 20% UK VAT for UK-based entities. Invoices are issued with 14-day settlement terms via BACS or electronic bank transfer. Detailed cancellation and deposit terms are governed by our Refund & Cancellation Policy.