Useful software,
built personally.
I’m Taylor. I design, build, and look after websites, CMS setups, forms, and workflows for small teams. One builder, from first conversation through launch.
Built by hand, not by committee.
- ✓Direct work with me, start to finish
- ✓Written scope before I start building
- ✓Plain-English launch guide
- ✓Software I keep caring about after launch
Service pages
Focused pages for the work people actually ask about.
Each page explains who it fits, what is included, what is not, rough pricing, and the related work shape, using plain language instead of sales copy.
Recent builds, shown honestly.
Hearthstack is early. The projects below are a mix of client work and things I built and run myself — the level of care is the same either way.
Proof before promises
The work is small on purpose, but not careless.
Hearthstack is new, so I try not to oversell it. The best proof is what’s actually live: real sites, honest context about each one, and work I keep an eye on after it ships.
Real work, labeled honestly
Portfolio entries show whether they are client projects or Taylor-owned builds, so proof stays clear instead of padded.
Day-job habits, applied here
The same instincts that keep production systems up — versioned releases, monitoring what matters, and a rollback plan — apply just as well to a five-page site.
Smallest useful version
The first scope is intentionally sized around what will actually help, not what makes the proposal look bigger.
Best for people who want a thoughtful builder they can actually talk to.
Probably a good fit
- ✓You run a real small business, service, local organization, or a side project you actually care about.
- ✓You want a written scope and plain-English handoff over vague promises.
- ✓You’d rather have steady improvement than a rushed launch followed by silence.
Probably not
- —You need same-day emergency support or a 24/7 support desk.
- —You want unlimited revisions with no first version ever getting locked in.
- —You’re only shopping for the cheapest possible website.
You hire the person who builds it, not a rotating bench.
Hearthstack is me, working solo on purpose — Taylor Horwood. By day I do DevOps/SRE work; the rest of the time I build things like this. That background mostly shows up in boring but important places: hosting choices, form checks, backups, launch handoff, and a way back if something breaks.
Taylor Horwood · Founder, Hearthstack
One point of contact
No account managers, no subcontractors — the person scoping the work is the same one writing the code and answering email after launch.
A clear ownership map
You always know where the code, content, and accounts live, and how to reach them.
A written scope you can hold me to
You get a written scope before work starts, and a plain-English handoff when it ships, written so you can actually use it.
Ways to start
Three starting points, no mystery pricing.
Most simple sites and small software surfaces start around $3,500. Larger editable platforms and workflow projects get scoped after a quick conversation, so the first version stays useful instead of oversized.
A focused first version
Simple site
For a business that needs one clear place to send people.
A focused site or small software surface for a team that needs one clear place to send people.
Usually starts around $3,500
After-launch care can be added monthly
- 1–5 page site
- Responsive design
- Contact form
- SEO + analytics basics
- Launch support
Website + CMS
Editable platform
For a team that wants to publish and update the site without a developer on call.
A website or lightweight platform your team can update, with space for content, services, resources, and ongoing changes.
Usually starts around $6,500–$9,500
Best with after-launch care
- CMS setup
- Editable pages
- Blog/resources
- Media + forms
- Training guide
Forms, CRM & workflow
Software + workflow help
For teams tired of copying information between forms, inboxes, CRMs, and spreadsheets.
Website-connected workflows for teams tired of copying information between forms, inboxes, CRMs, and spreadsheets.
Usually starts around $8,500–$15,000+
Includes a stewardship plan
- Lead routing
- CRM cleanup
- Workflow automation
- Simple dashboards
- Documentation
After launch
Website care with boundaries.
Monthly care usually starts around $450 and covers the checklist alongside it, plus small improvements — not unlimited requests or 24/7 emergency coverage. Larger changes get scoped separately.
Read the care offer →Checked every month
- ✓Forms tested end to end, not just glanced at
- ✓Backups in place, with a recovery path I’ve actually tested
- ✓Dependency and security updates applied on a schedule
- ✓DNS, hosting, and domain renewal tracked so nothing lapses quietly
- ✓Docs updated in plain English whenever something changes
A calm path from first conversation to a useful launch.
01Diagnose
I ask what feels unclear, manual, or fragile today, and why — before anything gets built.
02Choose the smallest useful version
I pick the first version that actually solves the problem, and write it down before work starts.
03Build + review
Steady progress with one focused review checkpoint partway through the build.
04Launch + document
A safe launch plus a plain-English handoff for what was built and how to run it.
A few common questions
Who am I working with?
You’re working with me, Taylor. I scope the project, write the code, launch it, and stay available after it goes live.
Do I need to know exactly what I want?
No. A few rough details are enough — what your business does, what feels off today, and what you wish worked better. I’ll take it from there.
Why show starting prices?
Because guessing is frustrating. These set expectations early — the actual scope still gets written down before work starts.
Tell me what you need, or what’s not working.
A few rough details are enough. I’ll read it myself and reply with questions or a suggested first step. Include your current site if you have one, and roughly when you’d like this done.
— Taylor