WordPress websites without the bloat
WordPress is great when you want to edit your own pages and publish content. It gets slow and fragile when it's buried under a heavy theme and twenty plugins. I design and build WordPress websites that stay fast and simple to manage.
WordPress, or something simpler?
I don't push WordPress on everyone. My standard $397 websites are hand-built and need no updates at all. WordPress makes sense in specific situations.
Choose WordPress when
- You'll publish blog posts or news often yourself
- Several people need to edit pages
- You already have a WordPress site worth keeping
- You want WooCommerce for a small store
Skip WordPress when
- You'd rather send changes by text and never log in
- You don't want to think about plugin and security updates
- Your site is a handful of pages that rarely change
- Speed is the top priority and content is static
Not sure? The Website design page explains my standard build. Both options start with a free preview.
Lean WordPress, by default
- A lightweight themeA fast, well-maintained theme or a block-based build instead of a heavy multipurpose theme with features you'll never use.
- As few plugins as possibleEvery plugin is code to update and a possible security hole. I typically keep to essentials: SEO, forms, caching, backups and security.
- Editing that's hard to breakReusable blocks and patterns for your services and FAQs, so you can add pages without breaking the layout.
- Speed from the startCompressed images, caching and a check in PageSpeed Insights before launch.
- Hosting that suits WordPressI'll recommend managed hosting with daily backups; cheap shared hosting is the most common cause of slow WordPress sites.
Fixing an existing site
Many owners come to me with a WordPress site someone else built: slow, outdated plugins, a page builder nobody can edit. Often it can be cleaned up rather than replaced.
Every WordPress build includes
- Custom design in your colours with your photos
- Home, services, about and contact, extra pages $49 each
- Click-to-call, booking and map buttons
- SEO plugin set up, sitemap and Search Console
- Contact form to your email
- Full admin access and a short editing guide
- 30 days of free edits and support
WordPress agency, freelancer or developer?
| You need | Who fits |
|---|---|
| A business website you can edit, built well and quickly | A WordPress designer or small studio like me |
| Custom plugins, complex integrations, membership systems | A specialist WordPress developer |
| Large multi-site builds with ongoing retainers | A WordPress agency with a team |
| A small online shop on WordPress | WooCommerce web development, quoted per project |
More on the trade-offs in Agency vs freelancer vs in-house.
Keeping a WordPress site safe
Most WordPress problems come from outdated plugins and weak logins rather than WordPress itself. Every site I hand over has these basics in place.
- Updates on a scheduleCore, theme and plugin updates checked regularly, with a backup taken first.
- Daily off-site backupsThrough your host or a backup plugin, stored somewhere other than the website server.
- Strong loginsUnique passwords, two-factor login for admins, and no shared "admin" account.
- Fewer pluginsEach one removed is one less thing to patch. Abandoned plugins are replaced.
- Spam-protected formsSo your inbox gets real enquiries, not bot submissions.
If you'd rather not think about any of this, website care is part of the $149/month Growth plan, which also includes Google posts, review follow-up and a monthly report.
WordPress website questions
How much does a WordPress website cost?
A small business WordPress site with me starts at $397, with extra pages at $49. WooCommerce stores and custom functionality are quoted after a free audit. Hosting and premium plugins, if any, are paid by you.
Who handles WordPress updates?
Updates for WordPress, the theme and plugins are needed regularly. You can do them yourself, or I can handle them as part of the Growth plan's website care.
Can you build a WooCommerce store?
Yes. WooCommerce web development is quoted per project because it depends on product count, payments, shipping and integrations. Ecommerce website design covers the options.
Do you use page builders like Elementor?
Only when there's a good reason, such as you already know and like one. By default I use the built-in block editor and a lightweight theme, which keeps the site faster and easier to maintain.
Will I own the site?
Yes. You get full admin access, and the hosting account and domain are in your name.
Related pages
See it before you pay
Get a free preview of your new website first. Then decide.