Why I quote honest budgets (and put the bands on the form)

The intake form on this site asks for a budget band before I've said a word about price. A few people have told me that's backwards. I think it's the most respectful question on the form.

What the bands actually do

A budget band isn't a price — it's a scope conversation starter. When someone picks "$500–$2k", they're telling me which version of their idea we're building: the proven-module version, not the custom-silicon version. That means my first reply can contain a real plan instead of a volley of qualifying questions.

The failure mode I'm avoiding

Every maker who does client work has lived this: three enthusiastic calls, a detailed proposal, and then the reveal that the budget is a tenth of the floor. Nobody was lying — we just spent two weeks avoiding one honest question.

Putting the uncomfortable question first is a kindness to both sides. It costs thirty seconds and saves two weeks.

"Not sure yet" is a real answer

The last option on the form is "Not sure yet — let's scope it." That one is load-bearing. Plenty of great projects start without a number, and scoping is legitimate paid-or-free work depending on size. The band isn't a gate; it's a flag for which conversation we're having.

What this looks like in practice

Since adding the bands, the intake conversations that happen are almost all good ones. The something-for-nothing requests mostly self-select out — politely, silently, with no awkward email from me. The tinkerers on real budgets, the ones I most want to work with, pick a small band and we stretch it hard together. That's the whole model.