{"id":1740,"slug":"maintenance-burden-fractions-of-build-cost","title":"Maintenance burden: SMB sites $1,800–$12,000+/yr; portals $10,000–$25,000/yr — meaningful fractions of build cost","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["client-portals","bespoke-build-economics"],"reference_body":"**Claim:** Maintenance commonly runs at meaningful fractions of build cost annually: **$1,800–$12,000+/yr for SMB sites**; **$10,000–$25,000/yr for portals**.\n\n**Source:** Industry-consensus across agency sources.\n\n**Confidence:** Industry-consensus.\n\n**Caveat:** Vendor incentive on both sides — agencies that sell maintenance retainers and SaaS vendors selling alternatives both have reasons to surface these figures. See [[rule-flag-vendor-incentive-on-cost-claims]].\n\n**Why this matters for Candid:** The ongoing-cost side of the ceiling. A client who hears \"$25k to build\" should also hear \"and then $10k–$25k/yr to keep it working\" — that's the honest scope.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"custom-client-portal-build-cost-spp-2025","title":"SPP (2025): custom client portal $20k–$50k initial development + $10k–$25k/yr maintenance; Agency Handy $25k–$60k all-in over 6–12 months","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-falling-cost-floor-real-web-functionality-smb-june-2026","title":"Research brief: the falling cost floor of \"real\" web functionality for SMBs (June 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"rule-floor-fell-ceiling-did-not-bespoke-still-costs","title":"R4 — The floor fell, the ceiling did not: bespoke client portals still cost $20k–$50k + $10k–$25k/yr — say so honestly","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-21T13:17:00.654Z","updated_at":"2026-06-21T13:17:00.654Z"}