FAQ

What is the difference between an estimate and a budget?

When you request an estimate, we review the work and send you a figure. When you submit a budget, you name the number, and we accept it, counter it, or decline.

Both start from the same form, and you choose between them near the end.

Is an estimate binding?

No. An estimate is information, not an offer or a contract, and the same is true of a budget you submit. Work starts only when both sides sign a written scope. That scope sets the deliverable, the price, the schedule, payment terms, intellectual property, and confidentiality.

What happens after I submit?

If you are signed in, the request is saved to your account, where you can add files and messages. If you are not signed in, create an account within 7 days and we will attach the request to it.

Spencer Hall reads every request and replies by email. You will need to confirm your email address before you can upload files or send messages on the site. A budget is accepted, countered, or declined, and an estimate is a figure for you to consider. Nothing is built until the written scope is signed.

We usually reply within one business day.

What currency are the prices in?

Prices are in US dollars for clients in the United States and in Canadian dollars for clients in Canada and everywhere else. All prices are before tax.

How do taxes work?

Neotheos Inc. is registered for GST/HST. Canadian clients are charged GST or HST according to their province. Services to clients outside Canada are generally zero-rated. Each invoice shows the tax that applies to it. This page is not tax advice and does not promise any particular tax treatment.

How do invoicing and payment work?

Invoices appear in your client desk, and each one is due by the date shown on it. US clients pay by ACH or wire to the Wise USD account details on the invoice, with no card fees. Canadian clients pay by Interac e-Transfer or bank transfer. After you send payment, click “I've sent payment” and we will confirm it once it arrives.

Do US clients get an IRS form?

Neotheos Inc. is a Canadian corporation, so Form W-9 does not apply. US clients can download the signed Form W-8BEN-E for Neotheos Inc. from their client desk.

Can I sign in with Google?

Yes. You can sign in with Google instead of an email and password. With either option, we recommend using your company email address.

Do you work with companies outside Canada and the US?

Yes. Canada and the United States are our primary markets, and we consider companies in other countries when the work fits. We work remotely by default. Prices are in US dollars for clients in the United States and in Canadian dollars for everyone else, before tax.

Do you take on old or unusual systems?

Yes. We enjoy hard problems, including old or unusual systems. Moving something obscure or obsolete, such as a 1970s-era system, onto current technology starts with a short discovery review. After that review, we send a fixed quote, or you can name a budget.

Will you work on site in another country?

Work is remote unless the written scope says otherwise. If an engagement needs us on site in another country, we will consider it when you cover travel and accommodation, and we will set that out in the written scope.

Where are my data and files stored?

The site, account data, quote requests, messages, and uploaded files are stored in Canada, on Amazon Web Services in the ca-central-1 region. Files are used only to prepare the estimate or deliver the engagement.

Email between you and us goes through Google Workspace, which may process it in the United States. The Privacy Policy gives the full details.

Will you sign an NDA?

Yes. We are happy to sign a reasonable non-disclosure agreement, and the written scope also sets confidentiality for the engagement. Please do not upload information you are not permitted to share until that is in place.

Who does the work?

Spencer Hall, founder and chief engineer, leads every engagement, and Neotheos Inc. invoices the work. Part of a job may be referred to a trusted specialist, but only with your agreement. We never hand off work without telling you.

Are small businesses welcome?

Yes. A pet shop and an enterprise use the same form. If the work can be described and finished in days or a few weeks, send it. The size of your company does not matter.

What does AI Enable my Site mean in practice?

It means adding one AI feature to a website you already have, for a company that wants AI but does not know where to start. In practice, that is usually one of two things: an assistant that answers from your own pages, or an AI feature alongside a product you already run.

We name the feature in writing, build it, and hand it over. Your pages and the data the feature needs are used only for the engagement. The AI packages are not open-ended research, and they do not build a new platform; a bounded experiment with a written finish line can be quoted separately. Add AI Capabilities to my Company applies the same idea to a document set or a workflow you already run, rather than to your public site. Each package takes about 1–3 weeks, and its price range is on the Services page.

Can you work with our existing stack?

Yes. We work across common stacks, not only .NET. If you know the technology, name it; if you do not, say so, and we will still price a bounded piece of work. Moving from one stack to another is also one of our services.

Are the published prices and durations fixed?

No. They are typical ranges for well-defined work. Your quote depends on the actual work and on the information you provide when you request it, and the signed scope sets the final price and schedule.

The schedule assumes timely access to systems, information, and feedback. Delays outside our control, such as waiting on access, materials, or approvals, or changes to the scope, can extend it. When that happens, we will tell you promptly and agree on a revised schedule in writing.

What if the scope changes?

Extra work waits for a written change and a new figure. We never add hours quietly and invoice them later. If a change is small enough to fit inside the signed scope, we will say so. If it is not, we stop and write it down before we continue.

What timezone are you in, and how do we talk?

We are in the Eastern time zone, and we work by email and scheduled calls. We usually reply within one business day.

Which files can I upload?

You can upload PDF, PNG, JPG, DOCX, XLSX, TXT, MD, and ZIP files of up to 25 MB each, with up to 20 files per quote. Company files on your account follow the same limits. You will need to confirm your email address before uploads are accepted.

When do you name a price?

We name a price after we review your request, so the estimate form does not show a figure. You can still describe work that involves health data, defence, or controlled goods; we read those requests and reply. Open-ended staff augmentation, hourly retainers, and ongoing on-call support are not services we offer.

Who is the company on the invoice?

Invoices are issued by Neotheos Inc., a Canadian federal corporation with its registered office at 1665 Four Mile Creek Rd, Unit 7, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0. Sorcerer Solutions is the name of the service. If you have questions, write to spencer@neotheos.com.