FAQs | Elysium Designs — Pricing, Process & Scope Answered

FAQ’s

Questions Founders Ask

22~26©

Still got questions?
Send us some context and we’ll tell you if we’re a fit.

Shiva Bajpai, founder of Elysium Designs

Let’s talk

Shiva Bajpai

CEO At Elysium Designs

Determining a fit

What kind of clients and companies do you work with?

Honestly, the ones we click with best are founders and product teams who've hit that point where the brand, the product, and the website all need to grow up together, not handled by three different people who've never even spoken to each other.

A lot of them happen to be funded, but that's not the bar. Caring enough to get it right is.

What makes a good client fit for Elysium?

Usually you're launching something new, redesigning a product, prepping for a raise, or your brand and product just don't feel like they belong to the same company anymore.

We're not the right fit for a tiny one-off task or the cheapest possible execution, but if there's a real reason behind the work, we're in.

Who is Elysium not the right fit for?

If you just want the cheapest option out there, a templated site with no thinking behind it, or you'd rather we disappear and surprise you at the end, we're probably not it, and that's okay.

We work best with people who have a real reason behind the project and trust us enough to bring senior thinking to the table, not just execute a spec.

What makes Elysium different from other design studios?

You're talking to us right now, and you'll keep talking to us the whole way through.

No account manager relaying messages, no junior handed your project on day two, just the same senior people from the first call to launch.

Why not just hire freelancers?

You've probably already tried this: one freelancer for the logo, another for the site, a third for something else, and now nobody's really responsible when things don't fit together.

Freelancers are great for a one-off task, but the moment brand, product, website, and dev all need to move together, someone has to be the glue, and that's usually you.

With us, it's one team with shared context already baked in.

Why not hire full-time?

Hire full-time if you need the exact same role, every day, for years, and sometimes that's the real need.

But hiring good senior people takes months, and a full salary either way. We give you a flexible team across multiple disciplines without building out the department yourself.

A lot of clients use us to move fast while they grow their in-house team in parallel.

What happens after I book a call?

We'll look over whatever you send before the call, so you don't have to re-explain everything from scratch.

Then we talk through what you're building, fixing, or launching, and if it's a fit, we'll tell you the right next step then and there: a project scope, a retainer, an audit, whatever actually matches what you need.

No "we'll follow up next week."

Scope

What's included in a typical project?

It genuinely depends on what you need, and that's kind of the point.

For most people it covers brand identity, websites, product design, and motion, plus a growing amount of AI-driven builds and MVP cleanup. Strategy and design come first either way, then we build it out.

Some people bring us in for one clear project; others just keep us on as their ongoing design and build team.

Do you handle branding, UI/UX, and development together, or separately?

Either. Bring us in for the whole ride, brand through to launch, or just the one piece you're stuck on, whether that's a UI/UX redesign or the Webflow or Framer build itself.

We're not precious about where we start.

Can you work within our existing brand guidelines or design system?

Of course, if you've already got guidelines or a system, we design inside them, not around them.

If you don't have one yet, we'll help you build it as we go.

Can you handle brand, product, and website as one project?

Yeah, that's usually when the work is best.

A brand, website, and product should feel like the same company, and we connect the positioning, visuals, UX, and build so nothing gets lost between three vendors who've never actually spoken to each other.

What if we already have an in-house team or developers?

You're probably worried we'll either step on their toes or hand off a mess they can't actually build. Neither happens.

We work with them, not around them. We can design and hand off cleanly, join your review calls, or just lead the parts you need, and we're used to making sure what we design can actually get built.

Can you help with product strategy and UX, not just UI?

Yes, UI is the last step for us, not the first.

We start with user flows, structure, and the actual problem you're solving, then design the interface around that.

The goal was never to make it look nicer; it's to make it work better for your users and the business.

Can you help with AI workflows or vibe-coded MVPs?

Yes, and it's becoming a bigger part of what we do.

Rough prototype, AI-generated product, or a messy vibe-coded MVP: we can clean up the UX, rebuild the UI, and make it something that actually holds up.

AI helps you start fast. We help make it good.

Timelines

How long does a typical project take?

Depends on the scope.

A focused landing page or brand sprint can wrap in a few weeks; a bigger website, product redesign, or full build usually takes a few months.

If the work is ongoing or likely to keep evolving, a retainer makes more sense than a fixed project anyway.

How fast can you start?

Usually within 1–2 weeks, depending on what we've got going on, and if it's urgent, just say so on the first call and we'll tell you straight whether that's realistic.

Sometimes we can even kick off with a smaller audit or sprint while the full setup gets planned, so you're not just waiting.

What can slow a project down?

Honestly, it's rarely us.

Unclear ownership, slow feedback, missing content, priorities changing mid-project, or too many people weighing in on one decision: that's what stalls things.

We move fast by default; the best results happen when the right person is deciding and feedback loops stay tight.

What do you need from us to get started?

Not a homework assignment, just a clear goal and someone who can make calls quickly.

Whatever's useful, like your site, product access, brand files, analytics, a pitch deck, or competitor examples, helps, but you don't need it all perfectly organized.

We'll sort that out with you during onboarding.

Can you work on urgent launches?

Sometimes, yes, but it usually costs more, and we'll tell you that upfront.

If the timeline's tight, we'll help you separate what actually needs to happen now from what can wait.

We'd rather ship a focused first version well than pretend everything can be done perfectly overnight.

Pricing

How is pricing structured?

There's no rate card we hide behind.

We get on a call, understand what you actually need, and send a quote that matches it, scoped around the value of the work and the team it actually requires, not random hours or unlimited task requests.

As a rough guide, projects usually start around $10k+ and retainers run $6k–$10k/month, but the real number comes after we talk, not before.

How do your monthly engagements work?

The thing people usually worry about with retainers is paying for a vague bucket of hours and never quite knowing what they got for it. That's not how we run it.

We work in monthly sprints. At the start of each month, we agree on the highest-value priority, define exactly what needs to ship, and put the right team around it: a homepage redesign, a product flow, a landing page system, a design system, or a focused dev sprint.

You always know what you're getting that month.

Do you require a deposit before starting?

Yes, an upfront deposit holds your spot, and the rest is split across the milestones we agree on together.

No surprise invoice waiting for you at the end.

Can we start with a smaller project before committing to something bigger?

Definitely. A lot of people start small on purpose, like a single landing page or a UI audit, just to see how we work together before going all in.

We'd rather earn the bigger project than assume it.

Is this a subscription?

Not in the usual sense.

It's a fixed monthly fee, but we're not selling unlimited random requests or cheap task execution. Each month is a focused sprint with clear priorities and senior thinking behind it.

Think of it as an embedded design and build partner, not a task subscription.

What happens if we don't use the full retainer in a month?

We talk about it and adjust, move focus to another area, or pause unused days for a bit, depending on what's going on.

The goal was never to burn hours; it's to keep momentum on what actually matters to you.

Team & Process

Who will actually be working on my project?

You, and a small senior team led directly by Shiva. That's it.

Not a rotating cast of freelancers or a junior you've never actually spoken to, handed your project because someone else got busy.

How many people will work on my project?

Depends on what you need.

A smaller project might just be a senior designer and one point of contact; a bigger one can pull in design, product, web, dev, and motion together.

We don't add people to look impressive. We add them when the work actually needs it.

What does the collaboration process look like?

We know the anxious part isn't the work: it's not knowing what's happening to your project while you wait.

So: discovery, strategy, design, then build, with regular check-ins along the way, so you'll always know exactly where things stand, without having to ask.

How do you handle feedback and revisions?

Nobody wants to see a "finished" product for the first time and realize it's wrong.

So we build in real feedback rounds at each milestone, so you're reacting to something real along the way, not a surprise at the end.

Catch it early, fix it easy.

Who will I actually talk to day to day?

The same senior person from your very first call.

Not a project manager relaying your questions to someone else. You're talking straight to the person actually doing the work.

Can you work alongside our in-house team?

Yes, and we've done it plenty, with internal designers, founders, product teams, and developers.

Sometimes we lead, sometimes we support, sometimes we just design while your team builds.

As long as ownership and feedback are clear, we're flexible on the rest.

How do you communicate and manage work?

Whatever's actually fastest for you, like Slack, email, Notion, WhatsApp, or Figma comments, doesn't matter to us.

Depending on the engagement, that's updates every 48 hours, a few times a week, or daily, plus regular calls.

No mystery agency black box where you're left guessing what's happening on your own project.

Can you work inside our tools?

Yes, we're not going to make you learn a new system just to work with us.

Figma, Notion, Linear, Slack, Monday, ClickUp, Webflow, whatever your team already lives in, we'll just work inside that.

If your workflow already works, why break it?

We're in the US/EU — how do you handle the time difference?

Most of our clients are in the US and EU, so this comes up on almost every call, and in practice it's rarely a problem.

We keep a few hours of live overlap with US and EU time zones each week for calls and quick syncs, and everything else runs async: Loom walkthroughs, shared docs, and a Slack or WhatsApp thread so you're never waiting a full day for a reply.

If anything, the time difference works in your favor, work moves overnight your time and you wake up to progress.

How do international clients pay you, and is there a contract?

All our pricing is in USD, and we invoice international clients directly via bank transfer, PayPal, Wise, or card, whichever is easier on your end.

Every engagement starts with a written agreement covering scope, timeline, and payment terms before any work begins, so there's no ambiguity for you or your finance team.

We've worked with founders across the US, UK, and EU this way with no issues.

Ownership & Legal

Who owns the final files and source code once the project is delivered?

You do, completely.

Once it's paid in full, everything, including Figma files, brand assets, source code, components, and documentation, is yours. No strings, no quiet "licensing" clause hiding somewhere.

If a third-party tool, font, or template is involved, we'll flag that clearly too.

Do you sign NDAs?

Always, and gladly.

We'll sign one before you share anything sensitive, though really, we treat every client's information as confidential whether there's a signature on it or not.

What happens if we need to pause or cancel a project midway?

Life happens, priorities shift. We get it.

If you need to pause or end early, we settle up for what's been done and hand over everything finished. No hard feelings.

How do you handle third-party tools, fonts, or licenses?

Nobody likes a surprise licensing bill six months later, so we don't let that happen quietly.

Anything paid we need for your project, like fonts, templates, libraries, or plugins, we flag upfront, and it gets licensed in your name, not ours.

Can you work with sensitive or unreleased products?

If you're not ready to share something publicly yet, that's completely normal, and we work with that all the time, whether it's early-stage products, unreleased features, fundraising decks, internal tools, or private roadmaps.

We'll sign an NDA and keep everything private until you're ready to talk about it.

After Launch

What happens after the project is finished?

We don't disappear the day it ships.

You'll get support and guidance to feel comfortable running things yourself, or we can just keep handling updates if you'd rather not think about it.

Do you offer ongoing support or a retainer?

Yes, a lot of clients slide into an ongoing retainer once things launch.

Design and dev support keeps pace as your product grows, instead of going stale the day we hand it over.

Before you book that call, read this.

Questions Founders Ask

Ready to collaborate? Tell us what you’re building, we’ll take it from there.