Website design questions, answered straight
Plain answers, no small print. If yours isn't here, just ask.
How long does a build take?
Most Up & Running sites go live within 2–3 weeks, The Obvious Choice is typically 3–4 weeks, and Top Of The Range 4–5 depending on booking or shop setup. The clock starts the day your deposit clears. I'll give you a firm timeline before you pay that deposit, and I only take on a few projects at a time, so the timeline I give you is the one I work to.
What do you need from me to get started?
Three things: a rough idea of your pages (I'll help shape this on the call), your text and photos, and answers when I have questions. If words or photos are a sticking point, don't let that stop you: The Obvious Choice and Top Of The Range include copywriting guidance, and I'll show you how to get usable photos off your own phone.
Do I own the website and domain once it's built?
Yes. The domain is registered in your name, and once the final invoice is paid, the site is yours. If you ever want to move it elsewhere, I'll hand over the files and help with the switch, no ransom, no exit fee.
How do revisions work during the build?
Every package includes revision rounds: one with Up & Running, two with The Obvious Choice, three with Top Of The Range. You see the site as it takes shape, tell me what to change, and it's changed before we move on. Nothing goes live until you've signed it off.
What happens if I want changes after launch?
Small changes, like new opening hours, a price update or a photo swap, are covered by your monthly plan. Just email me and it's usually done within a couple of working days. Bigger jobs, like a whole new section, get a fixed quote before any work starts.
Do you handle hosting, or do I sort that separately?
I handle it. Hosting, SSL certificate, security updates and backups are all part of the monthly plan, one bill, one person responsible.
What if I outgrow my plan, more products, more traffic?
You upgrade, and you only pay the difference. An Up & Running site can grow into The Obvious Choice; a shop can add more products. Nothing gets rebuilt from scratch.
Can you help with content and copywriting if I'm not sure what to say?
Yes. The Obvious Choice and Top Of The Range packages include copywriting guidance, I'll interview you about the business and turn what you tell me into words that sound like you, not like a brochure. You always get final say.
What's the difference between the one-off build cost and the monthly subscription?
The build cost (£595–£1,650) pays for designing and building the site itself, a one-off. The monthly plan (£25–£95) keeps it running: hosting, security, backups, small updates and me on the end of an email.
Do you work with businesses outside Settle?
Yes, across Settle, Skipton, Kirkby Lonsdale, Burnley, Colne, Clitheroe, Ingleton and the towns and villages between. Close enough that we can meet in person when it's useful.
What happens if you're ill or away?
Your website keeps running. It's built as plain, fast-loading pages on Cloudflare's network, with no WordPress, no plugins and no database, which is most of what takes small business sites down in the first place. Nothing needs me for it to stay up.
What waits is changes. I give you a month's notice of any planned break and schedule your care work either side of it, and I still check my email while I'm away, so anything genuinely urgent gets dealt with.
I already have a website, can you improve it instead of rebuilding?
Sometimes, and I'll tell you straight which it is. If the bones are good, a tidy-up and a move onto my hosting plan might be all you need. If it's beyond saving, a rebuild usually costs less than endless patching. Send me the address via the quote form and I'll take a look before recommending anything.
Still wondering about something? Send me a message.