# Gravelship > Gravelship Ltd is a UK bespoke software development company. We build custom operational platforms, web applications, mobile and desktop apps, and browser extensions for businesses that have outgrown spreadsheets and off-the-shelf tools. Fixed quotes, milestone-based payments, and direct access to a developer with 20+ years of experience, with no account managers. Key facts: UK-based and Cyber Essentials certified. We give a written specification and a fixed price before any build work begins, and clients own the code and data outright. Typical stack: Next.js, React, TypeScript, Postgres (Supabase), Stripe, hosted on Vercel or Cloudflare. We also run our own products (CalmRota, EndorseHQ, CalmStaff), so we build software we have to live with, not just hand over. Contact: hello@gravelship.com. ## Services - [Bespoke Software Development](https://gravelship.com/bespoke-software-development): Custom business software: operational platforms, workflow automation, customer portals, bespoke CRMs, integrations, and dashboards. Includes what bespoke software is, advantages vs off-the-shelf, process, and UK cost guidance. - [Web Development](https://gravelship.com/web-development): Fast, SEO-optimised websites and web applications in Next.js, React, and WordPress: marketing sites, e-commerce, member portals, and SaaS platforms. - [App Development](https://gravelship.com/app-development): Mobile apps for iOS and Android and desktop apps for macOS and Windows, including offline-first field apps for teams on-site. - [Browser Extension Development](https://gravelship.com/browser-extension-development): Manifest V3 compliant extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari: internal workflow tools, product extensions, and enterprise deployments. - [Bespoke Software Development London](https://gravelship.com/bespoke-software-london): Bespoke software for London businesses. Kent-based, 40 minutes from central London, without central-London agency overheads. - [Bespoke Software Development Kent](https://gravelship.com/bespoke-software-kent): Custom software for Kent businesses from a developer based near Gravesend, covering Medway, Maidstone, Dartford, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, and the South East. ## Industries We work across all sectors; the pages below describe common patterns, not limits. Hub: [Industries](https://gravelship.com/industries). - [Software Development for IT Consultancies & MSPs](https://gravelship.com/software-for-it-consultancies): White-label development capability: integrations, portals, client systems, and legacy rescues delivered under the consultancy's brand. - [Development for Marketing Agencies](https://gravelship.com/software-for-marketing-agencies): White-label campaign sites, landing pages, client dashboards, and interactive tools with measured performance. - [Software for Recruitment Agencies](https://gravelship.com/software-for-recruitment-agencies): Timesheet and payroll automation, compliance tracking, candidate/client portals, and ATS integrations. - [E-commerce Systems](https://gravelship.com/software-for-ecommerce): Inventory sync, marketplace and fulfilment integrations, repricing tools, and profit reporting behind Shopify/WooCommerce storefronts. - [Software for Professional Services](https://gravelship.com/software-for-professional-services): Client portals, engagement tracking, document workflows, and billing automation for accountants, consultancies, and legal firms. - [Software for Care Providers](https://gravelship.com/software-for-care-providers): Rotas, training matrices, HR records, audits, and family portals for care homes and domiciliary care, with CQC-ready evidence trails. - [Software for Field Service Companies](https://gravelship.com/software-for-field-services): Job management systems and offline-first mobile apps for telecoms, engineering, installation, and maintenance teams. ## Guides - [How Much Does Bespoke Software Cost in the UK?](https://gravelship.com/bespoke-software-cost-uk): Real UK price ranges (small tools £2k–£8k, web apps £8k–£30k, full platforms £25k–£75k), what drives cost, day rates vs fixed quotes, and ongoing costs after launch. - [Bespoke vs Off-the-Shelf Software](https://gravelship.com/bespoke-vs-off-the-shelf-software): Honest comparison of advantages and disadvantages, with a practical decision checklist. - [How to Write a Brief for a Software Project](https://gravelship.com/how-to-write-a-software-brief): What to include, what to leave out, and a one-page template for getting comparable quotes. ## Insights - [Insights](https://gravelship.com/insights): Company news and thinking on software and operations. - [Why We Rebranded to Gravelship](https://gravelship.com/why-we-rebranded-to-gravelship): The story behind the name change from Calm Ventures: same company, registration, products, and people. - [What "You Own the Code" Actually Means](https://gravelship.com/what-you-own-the-code-actually-means): What ownership means in practice: code, database, data, and accounts in the client's name, no per-user fees, clean exit. - [Five Steps, No Handoffs](https://gravelship.com/how-our-process-is-different): Why the five-step process diagram is not the differentiator: one person runs discovery, specification, build, and support, with no handoffs and a fixed price. ## About - [About Rich Hickson](https://gravelship.com/about): Founder of Gravelship, with 23+ years in senior technology leadership, 11 years leading agency technology in a publicly listed group, and a SaaS platform exit. Clients work directly with the developer. ## Case Studies - [IRCA Membership Portal](https://gravelship.com/case-study-irca): Membership, event ticketing, and room-hire platform for a 900-member Kent community association. Online joining with ID checks, Stripe renewals, QR door check-in; first event sold out in three hours. - [TrotBritain Race Management Platform](https://gravelship.com/case-study-trotbritain): Full-stack platform for the governing body of British trotting racing. Public website, member portal, admin back-office, Stripe payments, and automated ratings. Retired all operational spreadsheets; weekly admin cut from hours to about one. ## Products - [CalmRota](https://calmrota.com): Staff scheduling and rota management software for care homes and shift-based teams, with compliance tracking. - [EndorseHQ](https://endorsehq.com): Testimonial collection and management platform with embeddable social-proof widgets. - [SiteProwl](https://siteprowl.com): Native macOS technical SEO crawler and page-speed tester, sold through the Mac App Store. ## Optional - [Home](https://gravelship.com/): Company overview, services, products, industries, FAQs, and contact form. - [Portfolio](https://gravelship.com/portfolio): Selected projects across SaaS platforms, business websites, browser extensions, and apps.