Question 1

How do we start a project with Conflated Solutions?

Accepted Answer

Three ways: call or WhatsApp 068 605 3203, send the contact form, or request a quote from any page. We respond within one business day with questions or a quote. Projects kick off with a 30% deposit and a clear timeline with milestones.

Question 2

How long does it take to build a website?

Accepted Answer

A Starter Site launches in 7–10 working days; a Business Website in 2–4 weeks; online stores and custom platforms in 4–8 weeks. The biggest delay is almost always content — clients who arrive with text and images ready launch fastest.

Question 3

What do you need from me to get started?

Accepted Answer

Surprisingly little: your business details, any existing logo and content, and one person who can answer questions and approve designs. For the Starter Business Promotion, we additionally need your ID for CIPC registration — we handle everything else.

Question 4

Do you work with businesses outside Pietermaritzburg?

Accepted Answer

Yes — most of our work is remote across South Africa. WhatsApp, email, video calls and shared progress links keep projects moving. If you are in KwaZulu-Natal, we are happy to meet in person.

Question 5

How much does a website cost?

Accepted Answer

Our published packages start at R4,999 for a Starter Site, R8,999 for a full Business Website and R18,500 for an online store — once-off, with no monthly design fees. Custom platforms are scoped and quoted individually. See the Pricing page for full inclusions.

Question 6

Do you require a deposit?

Accepted Answer

Yes — 30% to begin project work, with the balance on completion before go-live. The Starter Business Promotion starts with a R2,100 deposit. Monthly services (hosting, care plans, marketing) are billed monthly in advance with no deposit.

Question 7

Are your prices negotiable?

Accepted Answer

Our packages are priced to be fair from the start — published, itemised and the same for everyone. What we can adjust is scope: if a package is beyond your budget, we will honestly tell you what can be trimmed, staged or deferred, rather than quietly cutting quality.

Question 8

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a 30-day money-back guarantee applies to our services. Deposits on project work already underway are non-refundable, as covered in our Terms of Service, but if we fail to deliver what was quoted, we make it right or refund you. See the Refund Policy for full details.

Question 9

Are there hidden costs I should know about?

Accepted Answer

No. Your quote itemises everything. The only costs ever outside a quote are: ad spend paid directly to Google/Meta (never marked up), premium licences for unusual features you request, VAT, and year-two hosting/domain renewals — all disclosed before you sign anything.

Question 10

What exactly is included in the R6,999 Starter Business Promotion?

Accepted Answer

Nine essentials: CIPC company registration, B-BBEE sworn affidavit, SARS tax registration, beneficial ownership filing (free), a custom logo and starter brand kit, a professional business profile document, a custom 5-page website, a free .co.za domain (year 1), and 12 months of hosting with professional email. Total value R19,899.

Question 11

I already registered my company — can I still get the promo?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you already have a registered company, we apply the registration portion to the remaining items — you still get the B-BBEE affidavit, BO filing check, brand kit, profile, website, domain and hosting. WhatsApp us your situation and we will confirm the exact package before you pay anything.

Question 12

How long does the full promo take?

Accepted Answer

CIPC registration typically completes within 3–7 working days. Your brand kit follows within a week of your brief, and the website launches within 2–3 weeks of content approval. Most clients are fully operational — registered, branded and online — within 4 weeks.

Question 13

What happens after the free hosting year ends?

Accepted Answer

You renew hosting and your domain at our standard rate (from R149/month on the Launch plan, including professional email) or move everything to any provider you like — your site, domain and files are yours. We will remind you well before renewal; nothing lapses silently.

Question 14

Why is the deposit only 30%?

Accepted Answer

Because starting a business is expensive enough. R2,100 gets everything moving — registration, design and development — and you pay the balance only when the work is done and you are ready to launch.

Question 15

Do I own my website and domain name?

Accepted Answer

Yes, 100%. Your domain is registered in your name, and your website and its content belong to you. If you ever move to another provider, we help you export everything — no lock-in, no hostage situations.

Question 16

Can I update the website myself?

Accepted Answer

Yes — sites are built on WordPress, the world’s most popular content system. Edit text, add pages, post articles and manage products yourself. We include training, and if you would rather never touch it, our care plans handle updates for you.

Question 17

Will my website work on mobile phones?

Accepted Answer

Every site is built mobile-first, because most South Africans will meet your business on a phone — often on metered data. Sites are tested across phones, tablets, laptops and desktops, and tuned to load fast on weak connections.

Question 18

What happens if my website gets hacked or breaks?

Accepted Answer

On a care plan, we restore from secure off-site backups and harden the site — usually before you notice. Off a care plan, we offer once-off recovery. Security-first builds, updates and monitoring make incidents rare in the first place.

Question 19

Which payment gateways do you support for online stores?

Accepted Answer

We integrate the gateways South Africans actually use: PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, SnapScan, Ozow and standard card/EFT options. We recommend the right mix for your products and customers during the build.

Question 20

What is web hosting and do I need it?

Accepted Answer

Hosting is the server space where your website lives so people can reach it online — every website needs it. Our managed WordPress hosting runs in generator-backed facilities with daily backups, SSL and support from the same team that built your site.

Question 21

Is SEO included in your websites?

Accepted Answer

Foundations, yes — clean structure, fast pages, metadata, mobile optimisation, sitemap submission and Google Analytics are baked into every build. Competitive rankings, though, need ongoing work: content, authority and now AI-search optimisation. That is what our Growth and Scale retainers do.

Question 22

What is GEO and why should I care?

Accepted Answer

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is optimising to be cited inside AI answers — Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity. More searches now end without a click, so being the business the AI names matters as much as ranking. Our AI SEO & GEO service covers both, and our own blog demonstrates the method.

Question 23

How soon will marketing show results?

Accepted Answer

Paid ads can generate enquiries within days of launch. SEO and content compound — expect meaningful movement in 3–6 months. We set honest expectations upfront and report monthly in plain language: what we did, what it produced, what happens next.

Question 24

Do you manage Google and Meta ads?

Accepted Answer

Yes — on Growth and Scale retainers. Ad spend is paid by you directly to the platform (we never mark it up), and we handle strategy, setup, creative guidance, tracking and monthly optimisation.

Question 25

What does WordPress maintenance include?

Accepted Answer

Weekly core, plugin and theme updates; daily off-site backups; security monitoring and malware scans; uptime monitoring; performance tune-ups; and a monthly report. Business Care adds an hour of changes monthly; Store Care adds WooCommerce checks and same-day critical response.

Question 26

How do I get support when something goes wrong?

Accepted Answer

WhatsApp or call 068 605 3203, or email admin@conflated.co.za. Care plan clients get priority queues; Store Care gets same-day response on critical issues. You always reach a human who knows your site — never a ticket black hole.

Question 27

Can you maintain a website you did not build?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes. We start with a once-off audit (security, updates, backups, performance), fix what needs fixing, then move you onto a care plan. If the site is beyond economical repair, we will say so honestly and quote a rebuild instead.

Question 28

Can I cancel a monthly plan?

Accepted Answer

Anytime with 30 days’ notice — care plans and marketing retainers are month-to-month. Your website, domain, content and data remain yours; we hand over cleanly, including exports if you move providers.

Frequently asked questions

Getting Started

Pricing & Payment

Starter Business Promotion

Websites & Technical

Marketing & SEO

Support & Maintenance

Still have questions?

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