Before engaging the services of any website designer, it’s natural to have questions. Below, I've addressed many of the common inquiries I receive. If you have a question that isn’t covered in this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d be happy to assist you.
The timeline largely depends on your specific needs and the complexity of the website. For a relatively simple website with just a few pages, you should allow at least 3 weeks for completion. More complex websites may take up to 8 weeks, which includes time for you to request layout revisions and for incorporating all text and graphics.
Based on our discussions, I recommend building your website using either WordPress or WebHub HTML.
WordPress is an excellent choice for more complex sites requiring extensive functionality, which can be achieved through plugins. For instance, if you plan to use WooCommerce as your e-commerce platform, WordPress is highly suitable. I typically build my WordPress sites with Elementor Pro, which offers a rich set of features.
On the other hand, WebHub websites load significantly faster than WordPress sites because they utilise static files to display content, while WordPress relies heavily on a database to store data. However, WordPress does implement caching to enhance loading speeds.
Before I begin designing and building your website, we will have a conversation to determine the best platform for your specific needs.
The frequency of our communication will primarily depend on your availability. I understand that some clients have busy schedules and prefer to reach out to me directly when they require updates. Nevertheless, as a general guideline, we will connect at least once a week as I reach milestones in your website design.
You can choose to communicate via email, telephone, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom—whichever method you prefer.
Although I am based in Surrey, UK, I can serve clients anywhere.
While this may prevent us from meeting in person, I am always available for phone conversations or video calls via Microsoft Teams or Zoom. With screen sharing on these platforms, we can effectively review your site together.
Absolutely. Every website I design is secured with SSL, which means that visitors will see ‘https://’ at the beginning of your website's URL. This guarantees that any data transmitted over the internet is secure and encrypted. This level of security is especially crucial if you offer online bookings or process payments online. It instills confidence and peace of mind in your customers when they engage with your business. Additionally, Google prioritises SSL-encrypted websites in its indexing, helping your site rank higher in search results compared to those without ‘https’.
When I design and build your website, I'll use either WordPress or WebHub, both hosted on a highly optimised web server infrastructure specifically fine-tuned for fast loading times.
Should you decide to move your website to another host, we will discuss the best approach based on your website’s architecture. However, I cannot guarantee that your website will function properly if it is not hosted on my selected platform.
During the design and build process for WordPress sites, I utilise Elementor Pro to shape your website’s design. While hosted on my infrastructure, the cost of the Elementor license is included. If you choose to migrate away from my hosting, you will need to purchase your own Elementor Pro license. Additionally, I include other essential WordPress products in your monthly maintenance and hosting fee, such as UpDraft Plus for backups. If you switch to another hosting solution, these products will be removed or downgraded.
WebHub websites are hosted on a tailored server infrastructure to ensure the website is deployed correctly. This also includes the ability for you to use the customer portal to review and request changes to your website (or make them yourself). WebHub websites can be exported to run on your own hosting account, but some functionality such as contact forms will be lost or need modifying.
As part of your monthly hosting fee, I ensure your website receives the latest software updates, including plugin updates for WordPress sites. This maintenance is crucial for maximizing security and minimizing the risk of hacking.
If you opt to host your website on an alternative platform, I regret to inform you that I will not be able to provide support once the site has been transferred, unless we agree on a monthly maintenance fee.
Typically, you will pay for your website in two payments:
My preferred method of payment is using BACS/Internet banking. My invoice will contain all the information you will need to make a direct payment to me from your online banking system, or in your local branch.
During the design and build stage, your website will be in my hosting environment. Whilst generally this hosting environment incurs no cost to you, should the project overrun due to you being unable to continue any further (for example, you are unable to supply information or content), then a hosting fee may be incurred.
Each website is as individual as the business or service that it’s for. Depending on what you need on your website, the cost will vary. Some things that will impact the cost of the website include:
Because of this, each website build is priced individually. To get an estimate of likely costs, why not try a Website Build Estimate which gives you an idea of likely costs.
Before we can commence the design of your new website, I require an initial deposit of 50% of the total cost. This non-refundable deposit allows me to cover the initial expenses associated with designing and preparing to host your website.
Certainly! If you reside outside the UK or do not have a UK bank account, please inform me of the currency you will be using for payment before I provide you with a work estimate. I will then convert my charges from £GBP to your preferred currency.
Please be aware that if the total cost of your website exceeds £500, I may need to apply a small surcharge to account for non-sterling transaction fees incurred on my end when paying via debit or credit card. This surcharge will be waived if you opt for a direct bank transfer and agree to any transaction costs applied by your bank in your local currency.
To ensure your website is prominently featured in search engine listings, implementing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential.
SEO is a multifaceted discipline with numerous factors influencing a website's visibility. When I design and build your website, I will incorporate fundamental SEO practices. However, for more advanced SEO strategies, it may be beneficial to consult with an SEO expert.
As you will probably be aware, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise. Whilst some platforms claim to be able to build your website entirely using AI from just a few prompts of information from you, I do not use AI in this way. Your website will be built by me and not AI. For WordPress based websites, the ability to use AI is limited, however, there are elements of AI that I do use during the website build using my WebHub system. For example, I can use AI to remove artifacts from images or if you require to improve the readability of any text you supply. I also use AI to help with the SEO of your website where appropriate.
If you use a third-party application (for example Calendly or Acuity Scheduling), then these can be integrated into the design of your website. Providing the third-party application enables embedding into a website through the use of HTML and/or JavaScript, then I will more than likely be able to integrate it into your new website. However, I would advise that you check your particular requirements with me when you first make contact.
If you already have a design for your website that has been created by an agency or independent graphic designer, I can use this to create your new website. I will keep to the design as faithfully as possible, although there may be some limitations. I will of course advise you of any deviations from the design as soon as I am aware of them.
If you are interested in using my services to design your website, then I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me using any of the methods shown below.
Fill out my Website Creative Brief with what you’re looking for in your new website and I’ll get in touch with you to discuss.
You can drop me an email to web@davejparker.co.uk with any questions you might have about the services I offer.
Or send me a message using the form below.
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