Before engaging the services of any website designer, it’s natural to have questions. Addressed below are some of the common questions received. If you have a question that isn’t covered in this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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, either WebHub or WordPress will be recommended.
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.
The frequency of our communication will primarily depend on your availability. You may have a busy schedule and prefer to reach out to me directly when you require updates. Nevertheless, as a general guideline, we will connect at least once a week as milestones are reched in your website design.
You can choose to communicate via email, telephone, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom—whichever method you prefer.
Although based in Surrey, UK, clients from anywhere in the UK are welcomed. Overseas clients are are more than welcome.
While this may prevent us from meeting in person, phone conversations or video calls via Microsoft Teams or Zoom can be used for updates. With screen sharing on these platforms, we can effectively review your site together.
Absolutely. Every website designed is secured with a security certificate, 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.
When your website is designed and built, either WebHub or WordPress will be used, 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, it cannot guaranteed that your website will function properly if it is hosted on a third-party provider's platform.
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.
During the design and build process for WordPress sites, Elementor Pro is used for your website’s design. The cost of the Elementor license is included if hosted on the recommended infrastructure. If you choose to migrate away to a third-party hosting service, you will need to purchase your own Elementor Pro license. Additionally, other essential WordPress products are included 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.
Part of your monthly hosting fee ensures your website receives the latest software updates, including plugin updates for WordPress sites. This maintenance fee is crucial for maximising security and minimising the risk of hacking.
If you opt to host your website on an alternative platform, regrettably it will not be possible 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:
The preferred method of payment is using BACS/Internet banking. Your invoice will contain all the information you will need to make a direct payment from your online banking system, or in your local branch.
During the design and build stage, your website will be in the 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, an initial deposit of 50% of the total cost is required. This non-refundable deposit covers 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 advise the currency you will be using for payment before a work estimate is provided. Charges will be converted from £GBP to your preferred currency.
Please be aware that if the total cost of your website exceeds £500, it may be neccessary to apply a small surcharge to take into account the non-sterling transaction fees incurred 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 your website is designed and built it will incorporate fundamental SEO practices—these are usually more than adequate for most businesses. 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, AI is not used in this way to design and build your website. Your website will not be built using AI alone. For WordPress based websites, the ability to use AI is limited, however, there are elements of AI that are used during the website build using my WebHub system. For example, AI can be used to remove artifacts from images or if you require the improvement of the readability of any text you supply. AI is also used 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 it will more than likely be able to integrate it into your new website. However, you are advised to you check your particular requirements 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, then this can be used to create your new website. The original design will be kept to as faithfully as possible, although there may be some limitations. You will of course be advised of any deviations from the design as soon as possible.
If you are interested in using the services of Websites by Dave Parker to design your website, then please get in contact using any of the methods shown below.
Fill out the Website Creative Brief with what you’re looking for in your new website.
You can drop an email to web@davejparker.co.uk with any questions you might have.
Or send a message using the form below.
Redhill, Reigate, Horley, Dorking, Godstone, Oxted, Caterham, Crawley, Horsham, East Grinstead, Crowborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Haywards Heath, Guildford, Weybridge, Woking, Leatherhead, Farnham, Farnborough, Epsom, Sutton, Croydon, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Twickenham, Richmond
Website © Websites by Dave Parker
