Website Design &
Development Proposal
Prepared for Etemad Advisory
Executive Summary
This proposal outlines the design and development of a professional web presence for Etemad Advisory, a Dubai-based advisory firm. The website will be custom-built using modern web standards (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and hosted on Cloudflare Pages — an enterprise-grade platform with a permanent free tier — with Microsoft 365 Business Standard integrations to power lead capture, booking workflows, and client document access.
After thorough technical analysis, we have determined that Squarespace cannot fulfill the requirements outlined in the Statement of Work. The following sections provide detailed evidence of this finding and present a superior alternative architecture.
The project scope has been structured into four progressive tiers — from a focused brand launch to a complete digital operations platform. Each tier builds incrementally, allowing Etemad Advisory to select the level of investment that matches current priorities while retaining a clear upgrade path.
Why Not Squarespace
The original SOW references Squarespace as the hosting platform. After detailed technical analysis, we have identified critical limitations that prevent Squarespace from delivering the required scope. These are not opinions — they are documented platform constraints.
Squarespace does not support FTP, file uploads, or root directory access. You cannot deploy a custom-built HTML/CSS/JS website. You must use their visual drag-and-drop editor exclusively.
Squarespace 7.1 (the current version for all new sites) removed Developer Mode entirely. There is no access to template files, no Git integration, and no SSH access.
Squarespace has no built-in Microsoft 365 connectors. The only bridge between Squarespace forms and M365 is Zapier ($29.99+/month) — which the SOW explicitly excludes.
Squarespace forms cannot trigger Power Automate workflows. Without Zapier as middleware, there is no way to automate form submissions to Lists, Outlook, or Teams.
MS Bookings iFrame embeds on Squarespace have documented issues: blank/loading screens in some browsers, non-responsive content that gets cut off on mobile devices.
No custom Schema.org markup, no custom robots.txt editing, no skip links, no ARIA attribute control, no semantic HTML control — all required for Tier 4 WCAG AA compliance.
Cost Impact: Squarespace Core plan costs $33/month ($396/year) — and still cannot deliver the M365 integrations your SOW requires. The Cloudflare Pages alternative costs $0/month permanently with superior performance and full integration capability.
| Requirement | Squarespace | Cloudflare Pages + Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly hosting cost | $33/month ($396/year) | FREE $0 permanently |
| Custom HTML/CSS/JS | Snippets only (Code Blocks) | Full custom codebase |
| MS Forms embed | iFrame (Core+ plan only) | Native iframe embed on HTTPS |
| MS Bookings embed | Buggy iFrame (known issues) | Native iframe embed |
| Power Automate triggers | Requires Zapier ($30+/mo) | Direct (MS Forms triggers) |
| SharePoint / OneDrive links | External links only | Branded Client Area page |
| CDN locations | Limited | 330+ global edge locations |
| SSL certificate | Included | Free Universal SSL, auto-renew |
| DDoS protection | Basic | Enterprise-grade (included free) |
| Schema.org / custom SEO | Not supported | Full control |
| WCAG AA compliance | No tooling | Full HTML/ARIA control |
| Bandwidth | Plan-limited | Unlimited (no overage) |
Our Architecture
We propose a three-layer architecture: Squarespace retains domain registration only, Cloudflare Pages provides global hosting and security, and Microsoft 365 powers all business operations and integrations.
etemadadvisory.com
330+ locations
Free certificate
Enterprise-grade
Unlimited bandwidth
Domain registration only
Lead capture
Scheduling
Lead register
Workflows
Email alerts
Meeting links
Client documents
File storage
Key advantage: All data flows through YOUR Microsoft 365 account. You own every lead, every document, every booking. Nothing is stored on third-party platforms. The website is simply the presentation layer — all intelligence lives in M365.
Microsoft 365 Integration
Every MS365 integration in the SOW is fully achievable on a custom-hosted site. Below is exactly how each component works, with no third-party tools required.
Embedded directly on the website via iframe. Responses appear in your MS Forms dashboard and can export to Excel. Triggers Power Automate flows automatically.
Power Automate creates a new Lists item for every form submission. Fields: Name, Email, Phone, Service Interest, Date, Status, Assigned Advisor.
Embedded on the Book Consultation page via iframe. Auto-syncs with advisor Outlook calendars. Generates unique Teams meeting links per appointment.
Power Automate sends automatic email alerts to the assigned advisor when a form is submitted or booking is confirmed. Confirmation emails to clients included.
Bookings auto-generates unique Teams meeting links for every consultation. Advisors and clients receive the link in their calendar invites automatically.
A branded Client Area page with cards linking to secure SharePoint libraries and OneDrive folders. Access controlled via M365 "Specific People" permissions.
Form → Lists item → Email advisor → Confirm to client. All using standard connectors included in M365 Business Standard (6,000 runs/user/month).
No Zapier, no Calendly, no HubSpot, no external CRM. Every integration uses native Microsoft tools already included in your M365 Business Standard subscription.
Prerequisite: Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscription ($12.50/user/month). This includes all tools listed above: Forms, Lists, Bookings, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Power Automate with standard connectors.
Domain & SSL Setup
Your domain stays registered at Squarespace. We simply redirect it to Cloudflare Pages. This is a standard, reversible DNS change that takes 15–60 minutes.
We onboard your domain in the Cloudflare dashboard. Cloudflare scans existing DNS records and provides two nameserver addresses.
In Squarespace → Settings → Domains → DNS → Domain Nameservers, we replace the default nameservers with Cloudflare's. The domain remains registered at Squarespace.
Cloudflare automatically issues a free Universal SSL certificate within minutes. Auto-renewed every 90 days. No manual management required.
We add both etemadadvisory.com and www.etemadadvisory.com as custom domains on the Cloudflare Pages project. Both resolve immediately.
DNS propagation completes (typically under 1 hour). The website is live globally across 330+ edge locations with HTTPS, DDoS protection, and unlimited bandwidth.
Fully reversible: If you ever want to switch back to Squarespace hosting, simply revert the nameservers to Squarespace defaults. Your domain registration is unaffected.
Security & Compliance
The Cloudflare + Microsoft 365 architecture provides enterprise-grade security at every layer, exceeding what Squarespace can offer.
Free Universal SSL certificate. All traffic encrypted end-to-end. Auto-renewed every 90 days by Cloudflare.
Enterprise-grade DDoS mitigation included free. Cloudflare protects 25% of all internet traffic globally.
330+ edge locations worldwide. Content served from the nearest location. Sub-50ms load times in the Middle East.
All leads, bookings, and documents remain in YOUR M365 tenant. Microsoft's enterprise compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR).
SharePoint/OneDrive permissions managed via M365 admin. "Specific People" sharing ensures only authorized clients access documents.
No Zapier, Calendly, HubSpot, or external tools touching your data. Every integration is native Microsoft — zero third-party attack surface.
Service Tiers
Four tiers of service, each building on the last. Choose the level that fits your immediate needs — every tier delivers a complete, launch-ready website.
- Home
- About
- Services
- Contact
- Legal (Privacy / Terms)
- Responsive design
- Basic SEO metadata
- Contact form → email
- Google Analytics (GA4)
- Domain + SSL setup
- None
- Cloudflare Pages (free)
- Everything in Tier 1
- Team
- Book a Consultation
- 2 Service Detail pages
- Everything in Tier 1
- Foundational SEO
- MS Forms integration
- MS Lists lead register
- Outlook notifications
- Forms + Lists
- Bookings (1 advisor)
- Outlook + Teams
- Cloudflare Pages (free)
- Everything in Tier 2
- 4 Service Detail pages
- Insights / Blog
- Client Area
- Everything in Tier 2
- Power Automate flows
- SharePoint / OneDrive
- Site-wide search
- Cross-browser QA
- Full suite: Forms, Lists
- Bookings (2 advisors)
- Outlook, Teams
- SharePoint, Power Automate
- Cloudflare Pages (free)
- Full architecture per SOW
- All service pages
- Complete page set
- Everything in Tier 3
- WCAG AA accessibility
- Full device/browser QA
- SEO deep pass
- Reusable templates
- Complete operational setup
- All M365 tools configured
- Cloudflare Pages (free)
Effective Hourly Rate
Higher tiers deliver progressively better value per hour. Below is the effective rate for each tier.
UAE market benchmark: Professional web design and development services in Dubai range from AED 150–550 per hour. All four tiers fall at or below the market floor — and you get progressively better value at each higher tier.
Payment Terms
What's Not Included
The following items are outside the scope of this engagement. They may be contracted separately if required.
- Microsoft 365 licensing ($12.50/user/month — client responsibility)
- Calendly, HubSpot, Zapier, or CRM systems
- Custom backend or application development
- Custom client login portal
- Video production or professional photography
- Premium stock image licenses
- Copywriting (client provides all content)
- Logo or branding creation
- Ongoing SEO campaigns
- Post-launch maintenance (unless separately contracted)
- Content strategy or ongoing content creation
Note: Website hosting on Cloudflare Pages is permanently free — there is no Squarespace subscription fee to pay. This saves the client AED 1,450+ per year.
Change Order Policy
Scope changes after project kick-off are accommodated through change orders at the following rates.
| Change Item | Rate |
|---|---|
| Additional page (design + build) | AED 700–1,200 per page |
| Additional revision cycle | AED 1,500–2,500 |
| Additional M365 automation | AED 1,000–3,000 |
| Monthly maintenance retainer | AED 1,250–2,500 / month |
Client Responsibilities
Timely delivery of the following items ensures the project stays on schedule and within budget.
- Logo, brand colors, and branding guidelines
- Complete website copy: About, Services, team bios, service descriptions
- Legal and compliance content
- Professional photography and visual assets
- Timely feedback in consolidated batches
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscription (active)
- Microsoft 365 admin access (for Forms, Lists, Bookings, SharePoint, Power Automate)
- Domain registrar access (Squarespace — for nameserver update)
- Ongoing M365 permission management after handover
Our Recommendation
Tier 3 — Advisory Pro
Based on your requirements, we recommend Tier 3 — Advisory Pro. It provides the strongest balance of brand presence and operational readiness at the best value per hour. You get the full M365 integration suite, a client-facing document area, insights/blog capability, and comprehensive training — all at an effective rate of just AED 161/hr. Hosted on Cloudflare Pages with zero monthly hosting fees.