You send your project brief to three different software agencies.
A week later, you get three proposals with wildy different numbers: $50,000, $120,000, and $250,000. How is this possible? Is the first agency a bargain, or is the third one trying to rip you off?
The answer is usually neither. The difference is not just in the price; it is in the process.
A lowball software estimate is often a guess made by one person. A professional, realistic estimate is the product of a collaborative process involving multiple experts.
This article pulls back the curtain to show you who is involved in a professional software estimate and the step-by-step process they follow. This is the “inside look” that separates a trustworthy agency from a risky one.
Table of Contents
- The “solo estimate” myth (and why it fails)
- The three expert roles in every accurate software estimate
- The collaborative workflow: A step-by-step look
- Why this team process matters to you (the client)
- How devtimate creates one source of truth for this team
- Checklist
- FAQ
The “solo estimate” myth (and why it fails)
When you receive a surprisingly fast (and cheap) estimate, it is often the work of one person trying to do the job of three. This “solo estimate” is a major red flag and almost always fails in one of two ways.
1. The salesperson’s estimate
This estimate is created entirely by a sales or account manager.
- The Problem: They are experts in relationships, not technology. They understand your business goals but have no idea about the technical complexity, database structure, or API risks.
- The Result: A quote that sounds great and perfectly matches your language, but it is dangerously optimistic. The development team sees it later and knows it is impossible, leading to immediate scope creep, corner-cutting, or a request for more money.
2. The developer’s estimate
Sometimes an agency will “protect” you from the sales team and have a senior developer create the estimate.
- The Problem: They are experts in technology, not business context or process. They will list technical tasks like “Set up user CRUD” instead of “Build user profile management.” More importantly, they estimate only the coding time.
- The Result: A technically detailed but confusing estimate that completely forgets to include time for project management, QA (testing), client communication, feedback loops, and deployment. This “hidden work” can add 30-50% to the project, which is missing from their number.
An accurate software estimate is a balance of business goals, technical reality, and project process. You need all three.
The three expert roles in every accurate software estimate
A professional agency knows that to create an estimate that clients actually trust, they need a small, focused team. This is the minimum group required to cover all blind spots.
1. The business expert (Sales, Account, or PM)
This person is your advocate and the translator.
- Their Role: To understand WHY you are building this, not just WHAT. They listen for your business goals (e.g., “we need to increase conversion”) and translate them into project features (e.g., “a redesigned, one-page checkout”).
- What They Do: They are responsible for the overall structure of the proposal, writing the executive summary, defining the high-level scope, and ensuring the final document speaks your language.
2. The technical expert (Tech Lead or Senior Developer)
This person is the architect and the realist.
- Their Role: To understand HOW the project will be built. They are responsible for feasibility and risk.
- What They Do: They break down high-level features (like “User profile management”) into smaller, concrete technical tasks (e.g., “database schema,” “API endpoint,” “frontend form,” “Google SSO integration”). They are the ones who identify technical risks, like a poorly documented third-party API that could add 40 hours of work.
3. The process expert (Project Manager or QA Lead)
This person is the project’s guardian.
- Their Role: To ensure the estimate is realistic and accounts for the entire software development lifecycle, not just the coding.
- What They Do: This is the most overlooked part. They add the essential “non-feature” work that developers always forget. This includes:
- Project Management: Time for planning, client calls, status updates, and team coordination.
- Quality Assurance (QA): A dedicated budget for testing every feature to ensure it actually works.
- Deployment: Time to actually get the code live on a server.
- Risk Buffer: A small percentage added to account for known risks (like that tricky API).
When these three roles collaborate, the final software estimate is no longer a guess. It is a well-rounded plan.
The collaborative workflow: A step-by-step look
So, how does this team work together? They do not just sit in one long meeting. They follow a structured process that looks like this:
Step 1: The translation (The business expert)
The Sales or PM has the first call with you. They take your brief, listen to your goals, and create the first draft of the estimate in a tool (like devtimate). They map out the main modules using client-friendly language: “Customer Portal,” “Admin Panel,” “Stripe Payments.”
Step 2: The technical breakdown (The technical expert)
The Tech Lead opens that draft. They go module by module, breaking each one down into the necessary technical tasks (Frontend, Backend, DevOps) and adding initial time estimates for each. They also leave comments on high-risk items.
Step 3: The reality check (The process expert)
The Project Manager reviews the plan. They see the Tech Lead’s raw numbers and apply the process logic. They might add a 25% buffer for QA, add a standard “Project Setup” module, and add 10 hours for “Deployment.” This turns a raw code estimate into a real project estimate.
Step 4: The assumption review (The whole team)
The three experts have a final 30-minute review. They look at the total number and ask: “Does this feel right? What are we assuming?” They write down these assumptions (e.g., “We assume the client will provide all content”) to make the proposal transparent.
This entire process, which might take a few hours, is what creates the $120,000 quote. The $50,000 quote, by contrast, was just one person’s guess in 30 minutes.
Why this team process matters to you (the client)
You do not just get a more accurate number. You get proof of professionalism.
- It builds trust: It shows the agency has a mature, repeatable process. They are not just “winging it.”
- It protects your budget: By including QA and PM time from the start, you avoid surprise invoices later. The “hidden costs” are made visible and are part of the plan.
- It shows they understand your business: The proposal is not a technical mess. It is structured around your business goals, with technical details supporting them.
- You get a realistic plan: This collaborative estimate is the foundation for a real project schedule. You can trust the timeline because it accounts for the whole process, not just coding.
How devtimate creates one source of truth for this team
This collaborative process is powerful, but it fails if the team is just emailing a messy spreadsheet back and forth. Version control becomes a nightmare, formulas break, and mistakes get made.
This is exactly why devtimate was built. It acts as the central hub for this expert team.
- For the Business Expert: They can use a pre-built template to quickly create the high-level proposal, ensuring the branding and structure are always professional.
- For the Technical Expert: They can log in, see the modules, and add their technical tasks and time ranges without breaking the document’s structure.
- For the Process Expert: They can easily apply standard buffers (like “QA: 25%”) across the entire project and add their project management tasks.
Instead of a chaotic file, the team works on one living software estimate. devtimate ensures all roles collaborate, all assumptions are captured, and the final proposal sent to you is accurate, professional, and built by a team of experts.
Try devtimate today and see how a collaborative platform can transform your estimation process.
Checklist
✅ Never trust a software estimate from a single person.
✅ Ask your agency who was involved in creating your estimate.
✅ Look for clear assumptions that define what is (and is not) included.
✅ Ensure the estimate includes separate line items for QA, PM, and meetings.
✅ Check that technical terms are translated into business-focused features.
FAQ
1. What is a software estimate?
It is a professional assessment of the time, effort, and cost required to complete a software project. A good estimate is not a single number, but a detailed document that includes a breakdown of features, a list of assumptions, and a project timeline.
2. Why are software estimates so often wrong?
Most estimates are wrong because they are treated as a “solo task.” They are either made by a salesperson who does not understand the technology or a developer who forgets to include non-coding work like testing, communication, and project management.
3. How can I tell if my software estimate is accurate?
A good estimate is detailed. It breaks the project down into modules or features, lists the key assumptions, clearly states what is not included, and has dedicated time for QA and project management. If it is just a single number, it is not an estimate; it is a guess.
4. Who should create the software estimate?
A team. The best, most accurate estimates are created by a collaboration between a business expert (to define the scope), a technical expert (to assess difficulty), and a process expert (to add time for QA and management).
5. What is a ballpark estimate?
A ballpark estimate is a very rough, non-binding guess provided early in a conversation to see if the project is financially feasible. It should never be treated as a final price, as it is made before a proper technical and process review.
A professional software estimate is not a number. It is the result of a professional process.
When you choose an agency, you are not just choosing the cheapest price. You are choosing the team and the process you can trust to guide your project to success.
Explore devtimate and start building estimates that reflect your team’s true expertise.
