ROOM 02B — THE MACHINE SHOP
The software you keep postponing got 10× cheaper.
The internal tool that cost as much as a car in 2020 now costs a few months of SaaS licences. We build it with fixed scope and a fixed price — overruns are ours, not yours.
What we built for ourselves first: SimulatOR, this website (a maze that turns clients away), AI Visibility Engine, and agents that answer leads at 23:40 on a Sunday.
One honest question before the verdict — your project budget:
What we build
- Internal tools — the one that replaces the spreadsheet only one person understands.
- Automations between systems that don't talk to each other today: site ↔ CRM ↔ invoicing ↔ WhatsApp.
- Private AI agents, running on your company data — not on a foreign SaaS that learns from it.
- MVPs: your product idea, in front of the first real customers in 2–4 weeks.
- Calculators, configurators and client portals — the things sales has been asking for since 2024.
Why it got cheaper
AI didn't make software better. It made it cheaper. What used to take a team three months now takes two or three weeks: less code written by hand, more time spent checking it.
The practical consequence: the threshold where custom software makes sense dropped from tens of thousands to a few thousand. Tools that were "enterprise only" are now within reach of a fifteen-person company.
We are our own first client
Everything we sell, we built for ourselves first. SimulatOR — 100 virtual consumers arguing about a product. This website — a maze that qualifies visitors and turns the wrong ones away. AI Visibility Engine — measures which AI answers a brand shows up in. Plus agents that answer leads in three minutes, Sunday evening included.
That's not a portfolio, it's a demo: you can open and poke at them right here.
How we work
- Fixed scope, in writing. What's in and — more importantly — what's out.
- Fixed price. Overruns are ours, not yours.
- Visible milestones. You see something working in week one, not a status report.
- The code is yours. Repo, servers, data. No mandatory subscription to keep your own software running.
What it costs
- An internal tool or an automation: €1,500–5,000, delivered in 2–4 weeks.
- A private AI agent on your company data: from €2,500.
- A product MVP or a complex integration: from €5,000.
- Just an hour of clear thinking before you decide: €65/hour, 4-hour minimum.
- Maintenance: from €150/month, optional. Optional means optional.
Prices exclude VAT. Scope and price are agreed before any work starts — you don't discover the final number on the invoice. All our prices are public.
It's not for you if
- You're shopping for the cheapest developer on a freelance platform. Someone will always be cheaper.
- You want "an app like Uber" on a €2,000 budget. We'll say so on the first call, not in month three.
- Nobody on your side can make decisions. Custom software needs one person who answers questions.
- A SaaS already does exactly what you need for €30/month. We'll tell you — and tell you which one.
FAQ
How much does custom software cost in 2026?
An internal tool or automation: €1,500–5,000. A private AI agent: from €2,500. A product MVP or complex integration: from €5,000. The price is fixed and agreed before we start, excluding VAT. If your budget is under €1,500, we'll honestly tell you a SaaS subscription costs you less.
How long does it take?
An internal tool: 2–4 weeks. An MVP: 3–6 weeks. You see something working in week one, not at the end — so if we're heading the wrong way, we find out early.
Who owns the code?
You do. Repo, servers, data. We don't hold software hostage through a subscription: if you want to continue with someone else tomorrow, you can.
What happens if you go over the estimate?
Overruns are ours. The price agreed at the start is the price on the invoice. That's why we insist on written scope — so both of us know what was promised.
Can you take over a project someone else started?
Yes, if we get access to the code and the documentation. We start with a paid hourly assessment. Sometimes the conclusion is that rewriting is cheaper than repairing — and we'll tell you that even when it isn't what you want to hear.
Custom software or SaaS — how do I choose?
SaaS, if your process is standard and a monthly fee is fine. Custom, if you pay several subscriptions for pieces of the same process, if you have a workflow no tool covers, or if the data isn't allowed to leave the company. Over three years the maths shifts: €400/month of SaaS is €14,400.
Do you use AI to write the code?
Yes — that's why it costs less than it did three years ago. The code is read, tested and owned by a human. You pay for the result that ships, not for hours of typing.