Website Development

I build all types of website mainly using two technologies. For off-the-shelf projects I favour Wordpress. For custom built websites and web applications I use PHP Laravel. My projects range from small website for traders and small companies, through to larger commercial sites for medium sized companies and charities. I often build websites that don't fit into any existing off the shelf software. For these and other bigger projects I have a network of colleagues and freelancers that I call on to work with me.

Broadly speaking there are two ways to build a website:

• using an off-the-shelf package known as 'Content Management Systems' (or CMS for short)
• or going down the custom or bespoke build route to design and build from scratch

Off-the-shelf or Content Management System (CMS) Websites

CMS based websites are created using software that comes bundled with many features. The primary feature is the facility to create pages and edit content yourself. Websites built this way are usually a good deal cheaper to set up than their custom built equivalent. One major benefit of CMS packages is that they usually have many 'plug ins' or 'extensions' that extend their functionality in various ways.

There are many CMS packages available that you may have heard mentioned but I predominantly specialise in Wordpress. Although 'off-the-shelf' is a common industry term to describe these sites, it is a rather misleading expression. There is often still a lot of work to be done to set them up. It's also worth noting that while the CMS package is free, you often have to pay for many of the extensions.

Custom Built Sites:

Where there is no natural fit with an off-the-shelf package then your website will need to be custom built. I use Laravel which is an excellent php based framework very well suited to this type of project.

Costs and Pricing:

There is no hard and fast way to measure the potential cost of a project without discussing it in detail with a developer first. I try to make pricing completely transparent. Before starting work I'll go through the project with you on the phone. I then get back to you with a detailed estimate of costs based on the various aspects of your project. I'm very happy to work within a set budget or to build your site in stages to spread the cost. I always aim to help you maximise what you get for you money and so give lots of advice on ways to make savings.