Sundae in Chattanooga: Web Design for Local and National Clients

Sundae is a full-service web design and digital strategy firm based in Chattanooga that builds custom websites and e-commerce platforms for mid-market businesses and nonprofits across the Southeast and beyond. The studio handles everything from initial concept and UX design through front-end development, backend integration, and ongoing support, positioning itself as a step above freelance designers but more flexible than large regional agencies.

What Sundae actually does

Sundae specializes in responsive website design, e-commerce builds, content management system setup, and basic digital strategy consulting. The team works with clients ranging from family-owned manufacturers to established nonprofits and professional services firms. Projects typically run 8 to 16 weeks depending on complexity and scope. Unlike agencies that push template-based solutions, Sundae codes most sites from scratch or uses custom theme builds, which means sites are tailored to the client's actual workflow rather than forced into a preset mold.

The studio operates with a core team of three full-time designers and developers, meaning decision-making is direct and turnaround tends to be faster than larger shops. Clients work with a primary contact throughout the project rather than rotating among account managers.

Services and pricing

Sundae packages work fall into three tiers. A website rebuild or new site with five to eight pages, basic contact forms, and mobile optimization runs $8,000 to $12,000 and takes 10 to 12 weeks. Mid-range projects, which include e-commerce functionality, custom integrations (payment processors, CRM sync, inventory systems), or 12 to 15 pages of custom content architecture, range from $15,000 to $25,000. Complex builds involving membership systems, advanced filtering, or heavy backend development start at $25,000 and are quoted individually.

Hourly rates for standalone projects or additions to existing sites are $85 to $120 per hour depending on task complexity. Monthly retainers for ongoing support, content updates, and minor revisions start at $400 and typically run $600 to $1,200 depending on scope. Sundae requires 50 percent upfront at contract signing and the balance upon launch. Hosting and third-party software costs are billed separately at actual cost plus a small admin fee.

How Sundae compares to other Chattanooga options

Chattanooga has several web design options at different scales. Freelance designers operating solo typically charge $50 to $75 per hour and work well for small sites, simple redesigns, or one-off projects, but offer less accountability and no formal support structure. Larger regional agencies based in Nashville or Atlanta bring more credentials and bigger portfolios but have higher minimums ($30,000 to $50,000) and longer sales cycles.

Sundae sits in the middle: pricing is more predictable than freelancers but lower than major agencies, and turnaround is faster because there's no layers of account management. Choose a freelancer if you have a tight budget and a simple, well-defined project. Choose Sundae if you want custom work, clear timelines, and someone available for revisions and follow-up questions without nickel-and-diming you. Choose a larger agency only if your project involves extensive brand strategy, complex marketing integration, or a team that needs to handle multiple disciplines at once.

Who Sundae suits and who it does not

Sundae works best for businesses with $1 million to $50 million in revenue that need a website that actually reflects their operations, not a template clone. Nonprofits with moderate digital budgets, professional services firms (accounting, law, consulting), e-commerce retailers, and local manufacturers are typical clients. The studio also handles turnarounds for businesses unhappy with previous developers.

Sundae is not ideal for single-page brochure sites, micro-budgets under $3,000, or projects requiring ongoing marketing campaign management, social media strategy, or brand design. Those are better served by freelancers or agencies with dedicated marketing divisions.

What the first visit involves

Initial consultation is a phone or in-person meeting at Sundae's downtown Chattanooga office on McCallie Avenue. This call is free and typically 30 minutes. You discuss current site pain points, target audience, must-have features, timeline, and rough budget. Sundae follows up with a written scope estimate and a high-level timeline. If you move forward, they send a contract and request initial information: existing brand guidelines, content, competitor links, and any technical requirements.

The first formal phase is discovery and wireframing (typically 2 to 3 weeks), where Sundae maps user flows, designs page layouts, and gets your sign-off before any code is written. This prevents the frustration of finding out halfway through that the navigation structure doesn't match how you think.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Sundae operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. The office is located at 2 McCallie Avenue in downtown Chattanooga and has street parking plus a shared lot behind the building. They accommodate remote meetings and can work with clients across time zones, though real-time collaboration meetings are scheduled within business hours. Project communication happens via email, Slack, and scheduled check-in calls.

Sundae has stayed operational in Chattanooga since 2015 because it delivers working, functional websites on time and at a price that makes sense for the work. If you need a custom site built by people who actually answer your calls, this is the right fit.