A website built by a person, not a platform.

What you actually get

Not a template with your logo dropped in, and not a page builder you are left to figure out on your own.

• A site designed for your business, not the same layout as every other business in town
• Written for you, so you are not staring at a blank box wondering what to put
• Works properly on a phone, because that is where most of your customers will see it
• Set up for search from day one, with your Google Business Profile sorted so you show up on Maps
• Fast, because slow sites lose people before the page has finished loading
• A contact form that reaches you, and photos of your actual work rather than stock images of strangers

What it costs

Two ways to do it. Same site, same care taken, the difference is who looks after it once it is live.

Why the handover costs more up front: without the monthly plan it is a one off piece of work rather than the start of an ongoing relationship, so the price reflects that. Neither option locks you in. If you take the monthly plan and later decide you would rather host it yourself, tell me and I will hand everything over.

How it works

1. We talkYou tell me what your business does and what the site needs to achieve. If a website is not actually what you need, I will say so.
2. I build a first versionUsually about a week. You get something real to look at rather than a mockup or a mood board.
3. You tell me what to changePlain English is fine. Move that, lose this, the photo is wrong. Normally a round or two.
4. It goes live, or it comes to youOn the monthly plan, I handle the domain, hosting and Google and you touch nothing. On the handover, you get the files and a plain written guide, and I help get them online wherever you want them.
5. After thatOn the monthly plan, you email me when something needs changing and it gets changed. On the handover, the site is entirely yours and you owe me nothing.

Sites I have built

Local businesses, all still live. Have a look at the real thing rather than taking my word for it.

GLF Enterprises

Stone fabrication and installation in Santa Cruz

Aboveboard Construction Inc

Residential construction in Santa Cruz County

The Cozy Companion

Pet care, errands, and everyday help

Ashley Temple Massage

Massage therapy and wellness services

Who this is for

Small local businesses. Trades, services, one and two person operations. People who need a site that makes them look like the real business they already are, without a monthly bill that grows every year and a dashboard full of things they did not ask for.

If what you have in mind is bigger or more complicated than that, tell me anyway. I would rather point you somewhere better than take money for something I am not the right person to build.

Common questions

Which option should I pick?

Take the monthly plan if you would rather never think about a hosting renewal, an expired security certificate or an update again, and you like the idea of emailing one person when a price or a photo needs changing.

Take the handover if you already have hosting you are happy with, or someone technical around, or you just prefer owning it outright with no monthly bill. Tell me which way you are leaning and I will be honest about whether it actually suits your situation.

If you hand it over, will the contact form still work?

Yes, because I will set it up for wherever the site is going to live rather than assuming it stays with me. This matters more than it sounds. A contact form that quietly stops working after a move is the worst thing that can happen to a small business site, because visitors think they have messaged you and nothing ever arrives. It gets tested before you sign off.

Do I own the website?

Yes, on either option. The domain is registered in your name and the site is yours. If you ever stop working with me you keep it, and I will hand over everything you need to move it somewhere else. No hostage situations.

Will I show up on Google?

Every site I build is set up properly for search from day one, and I get your Google Business Profile sorted so you appear on Maps when someone nearby searches for what you do. That is part of the build.

What I will not do is promise you page one. Beating established competitors on competitive terms takes time and ongoing work, and anyone who guarantees it up front is selling you something. I will tell you what is realistic for your line of work before you spend anything.

What if I already have a website?

Send me the link. Sometimes the honest answer is that it needs replacing, and sometimes it just needs fixing, which is cheaper. I will tell you which.

Do you work with businesses outside Santa Cruz County?

Most of my clients are local and most prefer meeting in person, which I am happy to do. But building a site does not need me in the room, so if you are further afield, get in touch and tell me where you are.