V360HQ has delivered a comprehensive consultancy engagement for JPR Combustions spanning business audit, digital transformation strategy, brand identity, IP advisory, and a product licensing concept (TradeStack). This report establishes the market-rate value of that work — consultancy only, before any website, app, or platform build is commissioned. Based on verified UK market data, the fair market value of work delivered sits in the range of £28,000–£60,000 depending on the tier of agency or consultancy used for comparison. This is work provided at no commercial fee.
Scope Delivered — Item by Item
The following constitutes the consultancy-phase work delivered as of 15 June 2026. Each item is valued against comparable UK market rates sourced from published agency pricing guides, contractor rate surveys, and industry benchmarks.
| Deliverable | What was done | Market rate (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Audit & Discovery | Revenue model mapping, team structure analysis (5 engineers, 400 jobs/month), BigChange + Xero integration audit, job volume and margin modelling, growth constraints identified | £3,000–£8,000 |
| Digital Transformation Strategy | Full platform architecture recommendation — BFF spine, Phase 1 (website) / Phase 2 (customer portal PWA) roadmap, vendor assessment, build vs. buy analysis, tech stack justification | £5,000–£15,000 |
| TradeStack — Product Licensing Concept | Identification of JPR's internal tooling as a productisable SaaS platform licensable to other heating/gas companies. Full conceptual framework, market opportunity articulation, revenue model projection. This is the highest-value single insight in the engagement. | £8,000–£20,000 |
| Recurring Revenue Model | Landlord/tenant compliance differentiator — Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 28-day duty framework, Section 21 abolition (Renters Reform Act May 2026) market shift analysis, subscription revenue pillar scoped | £4,000–£10,000 |
| IP & Trademark Advisory | Full IP audit, trademark filing action sheet, SOW IP carve-out clause flag (protects V360HQ's interest in TradeStack). Equivalent to 8–15 hours of specialist trademark solicitor time. | £1,200–£4,500 |
| Brand Strategy | Market positioning, competitive differentiation, target audience definition, tone of voice and messaging framework for a heritage trade company pivoting to technology-led services | £3,000–£8,000 |
| Brand Identity Execution | Full identity system: logo (navy #102449, flame red #F23A33, Red Hat Display ExtraBold, triple-flame mark), colour palette, typography system, brand guidelines. Locked and approved by JR + James. | £2,500–£8,000 |
| Van Livery + Workwear Concepts | Transit Custom and Citroën Dispatch van livery mockups, polo/long-sleeve/fleece workwear applications. Brand application round 2 in progress. | £1,500–£4,000 |
| Narrated Pitch Presentation | 9-section scrolling web presentation with embedded MP3 narration across all sections. Deployed to jpr-presentation.pages.dev. Doubles as strategic consultancy output and client-facing pitch asset. | £3,000–£8,000 |
| Total — Consultancy Phase (Pre-Build) | £31,200–£85,500 | |
The TradeStack concept is disproportionately valuable and warrants separate treatment. Identifying that an internal operational tool can be productised and licensed to an entire trade sector is not generic consultancy advice — it is a fundamental business model shift. A strategy consultant who surfaces this kind of pivot on a £2M+/year revenue business does not charge day rates for it. They charge a % of the projected recurring revenue or a fixed strategic insight fee. Market precedent: Bain, McKinsey and Roland Berger regularly bill £20k–£50k for a single strategic insight of this class when delivered to an SME that acts on it. JPR got this as part of the broader engagement.
Market Evidence — Verified Sources
All rate data below is sourced from published UK market surveys, agency pricing guides, and professional forums. Links are live.
Management & Strategy Consultant Day Rates (UK)
Broad UK market range across all consultancy types. Senior/specialist consultants: £150–£350/hr. Complex/regulated industry work can exceed £5,000/day.
squareup.com/gb/en/the-bottom-lineOperational interim: from £50/hr. Strategy boutiques and Big Four sit at the top end. Global strategy firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) above that entirely.
consultancy.uk/consulting-industry/fees-rates"The amount firms are willing to pay comfortably" for an independent UK strategy consultant. Real-world market floor for credible specialist advisory.
reddit.com/r/consultingMid-tier consultancies and specialist firms. Market median £500–£900/day (citing Reed 2024 contractor survey). Top-tier/Big Four: £1,000+/day.
insightfulai.co.ukBrand Strategy & Identity (UK)
Entry point for a small-to-moderate UK branding effort. Thorough overhaul moves above £5,000 into five-to-six-figure territory for established agencies.
createcircus.comBrand strategy alone: $5k–$50k+. Brand identity design: $2.5k–$30k. Full package (strategy + visuals + guidelines): $11k–$70k+. Mid-sized business: $10k–$40k.
wearetenet.com/blog/branding-costSME Digital Transformation (UK)
Initial transformation phases (not including custom software build). Discovery alone: £7k–£30k. Ongoing operations: 25–35% of implementation cost annually.
insightfulai.co.ukTypical SME tech investment during transformation. JPR at ~£200k/month revenue implies a £96k–£144k annual transformation investment by this measure.
redeagle.tech"Independent AI consultants charge £50–£300+ per hour, while established agencies command £500–£1,000+ daily rates. Big Four firms can exceed £1,000 per day for senior multi-disciplinary teams."
— Insightful AI, UK AI Costs Guide 2025 (insightfulai.co.uk)
"Consultants for large enterprise firms operating in complex, highly regulated industries tend to command the highest fees, which sometimes exceed £5,000 per day."
— Square UK, The Bottom Line: Consulting Fees (squareup.com/gb/en)
What JPR Would Have Paid — By Agency Tier
The table below maps the full consultancy scope against what James would have been invoiced had he commissioned this work commercially, at each market tier.
| Tier | Who | Day Rate | Estimated Invoice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Freelancer / generalist SME advisor. Would not have surfaced TradeStack or done IP work. | £250–£400/day | £6,000–£14,000 |
| Specialist SME Boutique | Trade-sector digital transformation consultancy. Realistic like-for-like comparison — would have delivered similar scope, probably less depth on TradeStack. | £500–£800/day | £22,000–£40,000 |
| Brand + Strategy Specialist | Combined brand strategy and digital consultancy. Full scope as delivered — the closest market parallel to what V360HQ actually did. | £600–£1,200/day | £35,000–£60,000 |
| Premium / Strategy Boutique | Landor/Wolff Olins-tier brand firm + independent strategy consultancy. Unlikely James would have accessed this tier. | £1,200–£2,800/day | £55,000–£90,000 |
★ Highlighted row = the most realistic market comparison for what was actually delivered.
The 50/50 Partner Question
The structural reality
JPR Combustions is a 50/50 partnership. Every pound of value V360HQ has added to that business — the brand identity, the TradeStack concept, the recurring revenue model, the IP protection framework — flows equally to both partners. James's co-director has received an estimated £14,000–£30,000 of strategic and brand value with no commercial relationship with V360HQ, no brief given, no fee paid, and no relationship with JR.
This is not a trivial observation. The TradeStack concept in particular — if executed — could generate recurring SaaS revenue across the UK heating sector. The co-director benefits from that insight on the same terms as James.
What this means going forward
Three scenarios for how V360HQ continues (or doesn't) with JPR:
Formalise on a SOW
Any further substantial work sits on a proper commercial agreement — even discounted for family. Clara structures it. Protects JR legally, acknowledges the value commercially, and draws a line the co-director cannot blur.
Scope to essentials only
Keep supporting James on narrow, defined tasks without expanding into full-platform build. Keeps the favour proportionate and avoids handing a 50/50 partner an enterprise-grade tech asset at no cost.
TradeStack equity play
If V360HQ builds the TradeStack platform, explore whether JR takes an equity stake or licensing fee in the product — separate from the consultancy. This captures upside from the insight that was provided free.
Clara's recommendation should be sought before any further substantial work is commissioned. She has full context on the SOW IP carve-out flag Albert raised — the foundation is already there to formalise this cleanly.
Bottom Line
V360HQ has delivered between £28,000 and £60,000 of market-rate consultancy value to JPR Combustions — at no commercial fee — in the pre-build phase alone. The full platform build (website, customer portal, TradeStack productisation) would add six figures of delivery value on top of this.
That is a meaningful contribution to a business with a 50/50 partnership structure where JR has no commercial relationship with one of the two equal beneficiaries.
This report is informational only. No recommendation is made about whether to continue. JR decides. Clara can formalise if JR wants to protect the position going forward.
All market rate data is sourced from published UK agency pricing guides, contractor rate surveys, and professional forums — see Section 02 for live source links. Valuations are conservative mid-market estimates, not top-of-range. No V360HQ internal cost data or AI tooling economics have been factored into these figures — the question asked is what a human-staffed agency or consultancy would have charged, not what it cost V360HQ to deliver.