Most of the websites we build land on one of three platforms. WordPress, when your team wants a familiar editor and there's a lot of content. Shopify, when the site's main job is selling products. And custom code, our newer way of building, when speed, search and control matter most. Whichever it is, the work runs the same way. Strategy first. Wireframes signed off before design. Then the build. Come in and have a chat about the project, and we'll work out which platform fits together. Sometimes it's the one you're already on.
How we design and build websites
One website, from workshop to launch day.
Every stage below follows one real project: the new Shomera website, from its first sitemap to the live site.
Step 1 of 6
Discovery workshop
We sat down with Shomera to agree what the site had to do, who it was for and what needed to be on it. We brought a first draft sitemap so there was something real to react to.
The first sitemap, reviewed in the workshop
Step 2 of 6
Sitemap and page plan
Every page, and every section on every page, planned and agreed before design started. It's where search and enquiries are built in, not bolted on.
The agreed sitemap
Close-up of the main pages
Step 3 of 6
First layout
Round one of the homepage settled the order of the content and the journey to an enquiry, before the details were polished.
Round one of the homepage
Step 4 of 6
Design in Figma
The design was refined with the Shomera team over four rounds in Figma, on desktop and mobile, before a line of code was written.
The approved homepage design
Round four, approved
Round one beside round four
Step 5 of 6
Built for every screen
Built in custom code for speed and search, then checked on phones, tablets and desktops, with enquiry buttons always in reach.
The site on a phone
Step 6 of 6
Launch and training
Redirects, tracking and speed checked, then live. The team was shown how to edit the site, and our care plan took it from there.
The finished site, live
More web work
Other websites we've designed and built.
Service businesses, ecommerce and platforms, built in WordPress, Shopify and custom code.
Modern TyresTyre search by reg or size
Modern TyresResults page wireframe
Antaris ConsultingHomepage
Let's Talk SPHEWebsite and teaching platform
MoneycubeWebsite and onboarding
Antaris ConsultingDesktop and mobile
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Once you're live, we keep the site fast, secure and improving.
Three good options. Each one wins in different places. Here's how they compare, in plain terms.
WordPress
Shopify
Custom code
Best for
Content-heavy sites and teams who already know their way around WordPress
Online shops, whether you sell 20 products or 20,000
Marketing and service sites that need to load fast and bring in enquiries
Who edits it
Your team, in the WordPress editor
Your team, in Shopify's admin. Products, stock and pages in one place
Your team, in a simple visual editor. New layouts come from us
Speed
Good, with proper hosting and a light hand on plugins
Good. Shopify looks after the hosting and the heavy lifting
The fastest of the three. Pages are built ahead of time and load almost instantly
Selling online
WooCommerce, where it's already part of the business
The whole point. Checkout, payments, stock and shipping built in
Bookings, enquiries and integrations. For a full shop, we'd point you to Shopify
Upkeep
Plugin and security updates every month. Our care plan handles them
Shopify handles security and updates. You pay a monthly plan, plus any apps
Very little. No plugins to patch, and every change is saved so it can be undone
Changes after launch
Small edits by your team. Bigger ones through us
Small edits by your team. Bigger ones through us
Your team edits the content. New sections from us land fast, often the same day
Not sure which fits? That's what the first call is for. We build in all three, so the answer is about your business, not our stack.
Our newer way of building
What we mean by custom code
The site you're reading is built this way. So are more and more of our clients' sites. Here's what's different.
Built ahead of time, so it's quick
Every page is built before anyone visits, then served from close to your customer. No database working away on each click. Pages load fast, and Google notices.
Your team still edits it
You get a simple visual editor for the things that change often. Blog posts, case studies, team, jobs. Write it, add a photo, hit save. No code.
Every change saved, every change reversible
Each edit is saved as its own version. If something looks wrong, we roll it back in seconds. No guessing who changed what.
See it before your customers do
Bigger changes get their own preview link. Click through the new page on your phone, give us your notes, then it goes live.
AI in the workshop, a person at the wheel
We use AI tools inside the code to do the legwork. A new section or a fix lands in hours, not a week. A developer checks every change before it goes live.
Nothing to patch
No plugins means no plugin updates, and far fewer ways in for hackers. Less to maintain. Less to worry about.
How we choose
Which platform for which job
The pick follows what you're building. Here's where we usually land.
What you’re building
Our pick
Why
A marketing or service site that needs to bring in enquiries
Custom code
Fastest pages, strong for search, and very little upkeep
An online shop
Shopify
Checkout, payments and stock that just work, with a big app store behind it
A content site with a few products on the side
WordPress
WooCommerce handles the shop while the content does the selling
A big site with a team that lives in WordPress
WordPress
Keep your editors where they're comfortable. We sort the design, the build and the hosting
Bookings, quote calculators or a customer area
Custom code
Built around what you need and connected to the tools you already use
A WordPress or Shopify site that's already working
Stay put
A redesign or a speed fix is often the better spend. We can talk that through with you
It depends on what the site has to do. Selling products? Usually Shopify. Lots of content and a team that knows WordPress? WordPress. A service business that needs enquiries and a fast site? Custom code. Come in and talk us through the project, and we'll work it out with you.
We're already on WordPress. Do we have to move?
No. If it's working and your team is happy in it, we'll redesign it and tidy up what's underneath. We only suggest moving when the platform itself is holding you back.
Can our team still edit a custom-coded site?
Yes. You get a visual editor for the things that change often, like blog posts, case studies and team members. Nobody needs to touch code. New page layouts come through us, and they're quick.
What's custom code actually built with?
Mostly Astro, with a visual editor on top for your team. Next.js when the site behaves more like an app, with logins or live data. It's hosted on modern platforms like Vercel. You don't need to know any of that to use it, but it's there if your IT people ask.
What does the AI actually do?
It does the legwork inside the code. Drafting a new section, fixing a layout, checking for broken links. A developer reviews every change before it goes live. It's why small changes come back in hours, not a week.
Do you work on Shopify stores we already have?
Yes. We redesign stores, build out new sections, sort speed issues and connect the apps you rely on. You don't always need a full rebuild to get a better shop.
Will we lose our Google rankings if we move platform?
Not if it's done properly. We map every old URL to its new home with a redirect, carry over page titles and descriptions, and keep a close eye on Search Console after launch.
Do you build in Webflow or Framer?
No. We build in WordPress, Shopify and custom code, and we're good at those. If you're on Webflow or Framer and want to move, we can bring you across.
How long does a website project take?
Most websites take 4 to 10 weeks, depending on the size of the build. A focused marketing site lands at the shorter end. Bigger sites with custom integrations or a large shop take longer. We'll give you a clear timeline once we've scoped it together.
How do you price it?
Every site is different, so we quote against a written scope rather than a price list. Integrations, shop setup and content migration are all factored in. Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a clear proposal.
What happens after launch?
Our care plan kicks in. Hosting, security updates, content changes and a monthly look at how the site is performing, with fixes where the numbers say we need them.
Let's talk about where you're headed.
Tell us what you're scaling, launching, or rebuilding. We'll come back with a thoughtful reply and a time to talk it through.
