Frequently asked questions

Every site is hand-coded from scratch with HTML, CSS, and PHP — no WordPress themes, no page builders, no drag-and-drop editors. That means the code does exactly what it needs to and nothing else: no bloat, no unused plugin overhead, no third-party scripts injected without your knowledge. The result is a site that loads faster, scores better on Core Web Vitals, and has fewer attack surfaces than a builder-generated site. You also own the output completely — it's readable, documented code that any competent developer can pick up.

By default, every site is built as pure hand-coded PHP — no CMS, no plugins to update, and fewer security vulnerabilities. If you need to manage your own content through a back-end dashboard, I can also build on WordPress with a custom theme and no page builders. See the full tradeoff breakdown → For a direct cost and ownership comparison, see custom PHP vs. WordPress →

A single-page website typically takes 1–2 weeks. Multi-page sites usually take 3–6 weeks. The main factors that affect timeline are the number of pages, whether content and photography need to be sourced, and how quickly feedback rounds move. Projects with all content ready on day one finish faster. Every quote includes a realistic timeline based on the actual scope — not a best-case estimate that quietly slips.

Yes — the majority of clients are fully remote. ArdinGate works with small businesses across the US and Canada, handling everything by email, shared docs, and video calls when needed. Initial quotes typically come back within 5 business days, and the quality of the work is identical whether you're in Miami, Minneapolis, or Toronto. There's no in-person meeting requirement at any stage — discovery, design review, launch, or ongoing support.

Primarily small businesses with 1–50 employees — solo operators, service companies (contractors, consultants, agencies), local retailers, restaurants, healthcare practices, and growing startups. The sweet spot is a business that wants a professional, high-performing online presence without agency overhead. There's no hard ceiling on size — the right fit is a business that values direct communication and wants to own what they pay for, not rent it.

Fill out the contact form — it's a quick 3-step intake. Step 1 picks your project type (new website, redesign, e-commerce, landing page, web application, SEO setup, or something else) and an optional budget range. Step 2 is a short project description. Step 3 collects your name, phone, email, and business name. After you submit, you'll hear back within 5 business days with any clarifying questions, a realistic scope, and a quote. No commitment required just to talk.

The website cost estimator is a self-serve tool that gives you a rough project cost before you reach out. It walks through your site type, the features you need, and your hosting preference, then produces a ballpark number. It's not a binding quote — just a way to get a realistic range in about two minutes so you're not going in blind.

A single-page website fits everything on one scrollable URL — typically a hero section, services summary, and a contact form. It's appropriate for solo freelancers, niche services, or very early-stage businesses that need something clean and fast. Single-page sites start at $1,200. A multi-page website has separate URLs for different sections — home, about, services, contact, and whatever else your business needs. Each page can be indexed and ranked independently by search engines, which is a significant SEO advantage. Multi-page sites start at $2,800. Most established small businesses do better with a multi-page build. See pricing breakdown →

You'll need to provide the core business information — what you do, who you serve, your service list, any specific copy you want used. Professional photography is your call; many clients use existing photos or stock imagery, and both work fine depending on the business. If you need help with copywriting, that's available as a quoted add-on through the cost estimator. Projects where the client provides complete, approved content on day one finish significantly faster.

Yes — existing logos, brand colors, fonts, and style guidelines are incorporated directly into the build. If you have brand standards documentation, share it at the start of the project. If your logo only exists in a low-resolution format, a high-resolution SVG or PNG version helps. If you don't have a logo yet, that's a separate conversation — logo design can be scoped as part of the project or handled beforehand.

The clause that matters most is ownership — the contract should state in plain language that on final payment you own the code, design assets, and database, and that your domain is registered in your name. Beyond that, look for clear scope and revision terms, milestone-based payments (a deposit and a balance at launch, not everything up front), and what happens after launch. A developer who won't put any of this in writing is a red flag. What to look for in a web dev contract →

Core Web Vitals are three scores Google uses to measure how a page feels to a visitor — how fast the main content loads, how quickly the page responds to a tap, and how much it jumps around while loading. They're a confirmed ranking factor and they affect conversions directly, since slow or jumpy pages lose visitors. Hand-coded sites pass them by default because they only load what the page needs; page-builder sites often struggle on mobile. Core Web Vitals explained →

The key is a careful migration: every existing URL is mapped to its new location with 301 redirects, your content and metadata are preserved, and the sitemap is resubmitted to Search Console. Done that way, rankings carry over and usually improve once the new site loads faster. Your content ports over and plugin functionality is rebuilt into the code, so nothing is lost. The traffic-loss horror stories come from skipping the redirect step. How to migrate off WordPress →

Every website includes a custom responsive design built from scratch, a working contact form, mobile-first layout across all screen sizes, one domain registration (first year), Open Graph tags for social sharing, and an XML sitemap. Multi-page sites include navigation menus, separate page layouts, and internal linking structure. Technical SEO setup — semantic markup, structured data, title tags, Google Search Console — is included with every multi-page build and available as a $300 add-on for single-page sites. Full pricing breakdown →

Yes — one domain registration is included with every new website at no extra cost. That covers the first year, and the domain is registered in your name so you own it outright. Standard .com, .net, .org, and most common TLDs are covered. Premium or auctioned domains — rare names being resold at market rates — aren't included, but those situations are uncommon. After the first year, renewal is handled through your registrar account at standard rates.

Wix and Squarespace are reasonable if you need something online in an afternoon and speed matters more than performance. The practical tradeoffs: you're renting the platform, not owning anything — if it raises prices or shuts a feature down, you adapt or leave. Your design flexibility is bounded by their template system, meaning two businesses in different industries can end up with nearly identical sites. Builder-generated code ships with 40–60 CSS and JavaScript files your visitors don't need, which is why builder sites consistently score lower on Core Web Vitals and take 3–5 seconds to load compared to under 1 second on a hand-coded site. A custom site is a one-time cost for a product you fully own. See the full comparison →

Small content updates — swapping text, updating hours or pricing, adding a photo, fixing a typo — are included starting with the Care plan ($50/mo) and up; Core ($30/mo) covers infrastructure only and doesn't include edit hours. Larger work like new pages, design overhauls, or new functionality is quoted separately as a project. You'll always get a scope and price before any work starts, so there are no surprise invoices. If you're not on a hosting plan, post-launch work is available on a quoted basis.

Projects are paid in two parts: a 50% deposit before work starts, and the remaining 50% at launch before DNS cutover. There's no upcharge for splitting the payment this way — it's just the standard arrangement. Multi-page builds include the first 12 months of Core hosting at no charge, so billing starts in month 13. Single-page builds are billed monthly from the date the site goes live, with no setup fee.

Technical SEO setup is included at no extra charge with every multi-page website build. For single-page builds, it's a $300 add-on. For an existing site that wasn't originally set up with SEO in mind, standalone SEO setup runs $800–$1,500 depending on page count and how much existing markup needs cleanup. That one-time fee gets you a clean technical foundation — semantic HTML, structured data, Search Console setup, sitemap, and a written audit — that any future agency can build content on without charging you to undo broken markup first. SEO setup details →

For a simple portfolio or a short-lived placeholder, sometimes yes — both are easy to launch and fine if you don't plan to grow past a few pages. The trouble comes when the business outgrows the template: you're paying a monthly subscription forever, the site loads slowly on mobile (which hurts Google rankings), and you can never actually move it. The honest breakdown is on each comparison page. Squarespace vs. custom → · Wix vs. custom →

Webflow is the strongest of the visual builders, but its "export" only gives you static HTML — the CMS, forms, and dynamic features stay locked on the platform. Shopify is great for high-volume stores, but the monthly plan, per-sale transaction fees, and pile of paid apps add up fast for smaller catalogs. Both are worth comparing against owning your code outright. Webflow vs. custom → · Shopify vs. custom →

A good freelancer is a great deal but hard to vet — the failure modes are missed deadlines, unmaintainable code, or someone vanishing mid-project. An agency is reliable but you pay for the whole apparatus, and the senior person from the pitch usually isn't the one writing your code. A one-person studio is the third option: agency reliability, freelancer pricing, same person start to finish. Freelancer vs. agency vs. studio →

A $500 website is real — it's the price of dropping your content into a template that's been sold to a hundred other businesses. The things that make a site work for you — a conversion-focused layout, real SEO setup, fast load times, optimized images, ongoing support — are either missing or sold back as add-ons until the cheap site isn't cheap. The most expensive version is the common one: the bargain site doesn't bring in business, sits for a year, then gets rebuilt properly. Cheap web design vs. custom →

A hand-coded single-page site runs $1,200–$2,200 and a multi-page small-business site typically runs $2,800–$5,000, as a one-time cost — e-commerce and web apps are quoted per project. The full breakdown of what drives the price, one-time vs. subscription cost, and how to budget is in the cost guide. How much does a website cost? →

Custom e-commerce is quoted per project because cost scales with features — catalog size, shipping and tax rules, accounts, and integrations. The thing most store owners underestimate is the platform tax on hosted builders: the monthly plan, per-sale transaction cut, and stacked paid apps. The cost guide breaks down custom vs. Shopify over a few years. E-commerce website cost →

Rough ranges: a single-page site is 1–2 weeks, a multi-page business site 3–6 weeks, e-commerce 6–10 weeks, and a web application longer. Content readiness and feedback speed decide the timeline far more than the development itself. How long does it take? →

A redesign typically runs $3,000–$7,500 depending on page count and how much is added or rewritten. And no — a properly done redesign doesn't cost you rankings: every old URL is 301-redirected to its new home and content is preserved, so search authority carries forward and usually improves once the site loads faster. Website redesign cost →

No — that's the point of managed hosting. Uptime monitoring, SSL certificate renewals, DNS management, and server-level security patches are covered on every plan starting at Core ($30/mo). Care ($50/mo) adds application-level security patching on top of that, plus monthly content edits. If something goes wrong, you hear about it when it's already being fixed — not when a customer tells you the site is down. Priority ($75/mo) adds same-day response for critical issues and monthly analytics reporting. See all hosting plans →

Core ($30/mo) covers the fundamentals: uptime monitoring, nightly offsite backups, SSL certificate, DNS management, and email support with 24–48 hour response. It's right if your site is relatively static and you rarely need changes. Care ($50/mo) adds one hour of content edits per month, proactive security patches, priority response queue, and a quarterly performance review — good for businesses that update their site a few times a month. Priority ($75/mo) adds three hours of content edits, same-day response for critical issues, monthly analytics reporting, and staging environment access — for businesses where the site is a core part of operations. Full plan comparison →

Yes. Hosting has no long-term contract — cancel with 30 days' written notice and there's no cancellation fee. Your site stays live through the end of your current paid period, so there's no abrupt outage mid-cycle. After that, your site files and database are retained for 30 days in case you want a full export — no charge, no holdbacks — then purged for good.

If you're on a hosting plan, uptime is monitored and most issues are caught before you even notice them. If something does go down, response time follows your plan: Core gets a reply within 24–48 hours, Care gets a same-business-day response, and Priority guarantees a same-day response on critical issues. The most common causes — a server hiccup, a misconfigured deployment, a PHP update that breaks something, or a DNS issue — are typically resolved the same day. If you're not on a hosting plan and your site goes down, you'd need to handle it through your own host or bring in a developer separately.

Managed hosting is the difference between a server that stores your site and a service that actively maintains it. With standard unmanaged hosting, you get a server and you're on your own — updates, backups, security patches, SSL renewal, and troubleshooting are your problem. Managed hosting means someone is watching the monitors, applying updates before they break things, and answering the email when something goes sideways. ArdinGate's plans cover uptime monitoring, nightly offsite backups, SSL management, DNS, server-level security patches on every plan (with proactive application-level patching from Care up), and same-person support from whoever built the site — no tiered ticket queue, no asking you to clear your cache first. Full managed hosting explainer →

No. Support is tied to the managed hosting plan because that's how access and active monitoring work. If you want to host elsewhere, you'll receive a full export of your site files and database and can move it anywhere — but ongoing support requires the hosting plan.

Domain registration is included for the first year. After that, renewals are handled through your registrar account at standard rates — typically $15–$50/year for a .com. The domain is registered in your name, so renewal notices and billing go to you directly. If you'd prefer ArdinGate to manage renewals on your behalf, that can be arranged as part of a hosting plan.

Every project includes a 30-day post-launch window that covers bugs and anything that slips through final QA. If something behaves differently in production than on staging — a form that doesn't fire correctly, a layout that breaks on an edge-case device, a DNS configuration issue — that's handled at no extra charge within the window. It's not for new features or scope additions, just making sure what was built is working as intended. After the 30 days, if you're on a managed hosting plan, the Care and Priority tiers include ongoing content edit hours and same-day or priority response for critical issues. If you're not on a hosting plan, post-launch work is available at the standard rate.

Yes — the code, database, and all custom assets are yours once the project is fully paid. The code is hand-written PHP, fully readable by any developer, and not locked in a proprietary theme or page builder format. By default, your site is deployed and operated on ArdinGate's infrastructure — I handle the server, SSL, backups, and uptime so you don't have to deal with any of it. If you ever want the site running on your own hosting instead, the Website Transfer & Handoff moves everything over and hands you the full codebase with documentation. See managed hosting plans →

Yes — the domain is registered in your name, not in any ArdinGate account. It's yours from day one, and canceling hosting or leaving ArdinGate has no effect on domain ownership. Registration includes the first year at no charge. After that, annual renewal runs through your registrar account at standard rates (typically $15–$50/year for .com). If you ever want to transfer the domain to a different registrar, that's straightforward and doesn't require ArdinGate's involvement.

Yes. The code is clean, hand-written, and documented — any competent PHP developer can work with it. If you want a new developer to take over while the site stays on ArdinGate's hosting, that's straightforward: I give them access and step back. If you want to move to their infrastructure, the Website Transfer & Handoff handles the migration — I move the live site, configure DNS, and hand over everything they need to hit the ground running.

Redesigns are handled as a new project quoted separately. Your existing content, copy, and contact form data are fully portable — nothing is lost in a redesign. If you're on a hosting plan, there's no downtime during development since the new build goes live only when it's ready.

An optional flat-fee service available any time after launch. I migrate your live site from ArdinGate's infrastructure to a hosting environment of your choice, configure DNS, deliver the full source code repository with documentation, and provide a 14-day support window for post-transfer questions. You walk away with a fully operational site on your own server — no ongoing dependency on ArdinGate to keep it running. Your new host's fees are separate and billed directly to you.

No lock-in and no penalties. Cancel your hosting plan with 30 days' notice and request the Website Transfer & Handoff — you'll leave with a live, fully operational site on your own infrastructure, the complete source code, and everything your next developer needs to continue from a clean state.

Yes — building them together is the best approach. The website and app share the same brand identity, connect to the same back-end, and launch as a cohesive product. App development is handled through ArdinGate Studios.

Both iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store), delivered together from a single shared codebase. Building cross-platform means you're not paying for two separate development projects or waiting twice as long — both versions ship at the same time, and updates apply to both simultaneously. You're not choosing one platform over the other and leaving half your customers out. App development is handled through ArdinGate Studios.

Typical timelines: Companion App 4–6 weeks, Business Utility App 8–12 weeks, Web + App Bundle 10–14 weeks. Every project starts with a discovery phase to scope the work before any code is written. See the full process →

A companion app extends an existing website — it syncs with the same back-end and typically covers 2–4 screens of the most important customer interactions. Examples: a loyalty app for a retail store, a reservations app for a restaurant, an account dashboard for a service business. Companion apps start at $4,500. A business utility app is a standalone tool that handles a complete workflow independently — ordering, scheduling, dispatch, client management — without necessarily needing a paired website. These are more complex, typically 6–15+ screens, and start at $6,500. See app pricing →

No — you don't need one set up before the project starts. ArdinGate Studios manages the App Store and Google Play listings on your behalf by default, which means you don't need your own developer accounts unless you want them. If you prefer to own the listings yourself, I help you set up your Apple Developer account ($99/year) and Google Play account ($25 one-time) as part of the launch process. At any point after launch, you can request a Transfer & Handoff to move the listings to your own accounts for a flat $500 fee. Ownership details →

Yes. ArdinGate Studios can build a companion app that connects to an existing site's back-end — whether that's a WordPress site via the WordPress REST API or a custom back-end with an API layer. The main requirement is that your site has a way to serve data to the app, which most modern sites can handle. If your current setup doesn't have one, building a lightweight API as part of the app project is straightforward. The app itself works the same regardless of who built the site.

Laravel and Symfony are excellent tools for large-scale applications — they add structure that pays off at team scale. For a small-business site, that structure is overhead: you're loading a full routing layer, ORM, and service container to serve 10 pages. Custom PHP means the codebase is exactly as complex as the project requires — no more.

Yes — PHP is actively maintained and widely used, running the majority of the web (including WordPress, which powers 40%+ of all sites). Modern PHP is fast, has a strong type system, and bears almost no resemblance to the PHP-4-era reputation it's sometimes dismissed with. It's a solid choice for small-business sites precisely because it's mature, well-documented, and any competent developer can pick up the code.

You receive every source file — PHP, CSS, JS, database schema, everything. No proprietary CMS license, no platform account required to run the site. You can hand the files to any developer on earth, move to any host, or bring it in-house without permission or a migration fee.

No. Most content edits are HTML changes — you can learn enough to swap a phone number or update a service list in an afternoon. For anything structural, maintenance plans cover the rest. See maintenance plans →

Client portals, booking and scheduling tools, internal dashboards, inventory management, custom CRMs, form-driven workflows, multi-step intake systems, and quote/invoice generators. If it involves users, roles, data input, and a database, it's in scope.

Web applications are quoted per-project after a discovery call. Complexity — number of user roles, data models, third-party integrations — determines scope more than line count. Simple internal tools typically run $6,000–$11,000; multi-role portals with API integrations run $16,000–$30,000.

Yes — this is a common pattern. The web app shares a database with the marketing site, or communicates with it via a REST API. ArdinGate Studios also builds companion mobile apps that can extend the same back-end to iOS and Android.

All source code is delivered at launch. Ongoing changes can be handled on a maintenance retainer or quoted individually. Because the codebase belongs to you, you're not locked into any particular developer for future work.

Not if the migration is handled correctly. Redirects are set up from old URLs to new ones, canonicals are updated, and the sitemap is resubmitted to Search Console on launch day. For sites with significant organic traffic, a pre-launch crawl is done to confirm every indexed URL has a clean redirect.

A redesign of a 5–10 page site typically takes 3–5 weeks from discovery to launch. Larger sites with 20+ pages take 6–10 weeks. Timeline is scoped per project.

Redesigns start at $3,000 for small 3–5 page sites and typically run $3,000–$7,500 for full multi-page rebuilds. Large sites with 20+ pages or significant content migration are quoted individually.

Yes — a WordPress-to-custom migration is a common redesign path. You get the redesign plus freedom from the WordPress maintenance cycle. See the WordPress to Custom migration page →

Custom responsive design built from scratch, a working contact form, mobile-first layout across all screen sizes, one domain registration (first year), Open Graph tags for social sharing, and an XML sitemap. Multi-page sites include navigation menus, separate page layouts, and internal linking structure. Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build.

Page builders generate code bloated with third-party scripts, template overhead, and plugin dependencies. A hand-coded site is written from scratch for your specific business — no unused CSS, no drag-and-drop artifacts, no monthly platform subscription. The result loads faster, scores better on Core Web Vitals, and is owned by you outright. See the full comparison →

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: semantic HTML, unique title tags and meta descriptions per page, Open Graph, JSON-LD structured data, XML sitemap, robots.txt, and Google Search Console. For single-page builds it's a $300 add-on. Full SEO setup details →

A landing page has one goal and removes everything that doesn't support it — no nav, no footer links, no sidebar distractions. Every element points at the conversion action. Regular pages serve multiple purposes; landing pages serve one.

Yes — Mailchimp, ConvertKit, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and custom CRM endpoints are all supported. Alternatively, form submissions post to email directly using the existing contact handler, no third-party dependency required.

Landing pages run $600–$1,200 — a single, focused page with form integration starts at $600, and complex layouts, multiple variants, or custom animations run up to $1,200. Ad-specific landing pages are priced as a bundle when ordered alongside a website build.

Stripe is the default — it has the best developer API, supports every major card type, and handles subscriptions if you need them. PayPal, Square, and Authorize.net are also supported. All integrations handle webhooks for order confirmation and refund processing server-side.

For a store doing under $50k/year, Shopify's transaction fees are a manageable cost and the hosted infrastructure is genuinely convenient. Over $100k/year, the fee math starts to favor a custom build. The other consideration is control: Shopify limits what your checkout can do. If you need custom cart logic, bulk pricing, or a non-standard fulfillment flow, you're either fighting the platform or paying for Shopify Plus.

Product management (create, edit, archive, image upload), order management (view, fulfill, refund), customer management (accounts, order history), and basic reporting (revenue by date range, top products). Custom admin features are quoted per spec.

Every product page gets a unique meta title, description, and structured data (Product schema with offers, price, availability). Canonical URLs prevent duplicate content from faceted navigation. XML sitemap auto-includes all product URLs.

No — if the migration is done correctly. Every indexed URL gets a 301 redirect to its new equivalent. Sitemap is resubmitted on launch day. Search Console is monitored for crawl errors for 2 weeks post-launch. In practice, well-executed migrations see no ranking drop, and often see improvement from the performance gains alone.

Blog posts are migrated as static PHP pages. If you have a high volume of posts (50+), I'll discuss whether to migrate all of them or focus on the ones driving actual traffic (identifiable from Search Console). Migrating 200 posts that get zero traffic doesn't help SEO — it just creates maintenance overhead.

A typical 5–15 page WordPress site migrates in 2–3 weeks. Sites with active blogs, WooCommerce, or heavy customization take 4–6 weeks. Timeline is scoped after a crawl of the existing site.

A custom CMS is purpose-built — the interface matches the content, the database is normalized for your data model, and there are no vestigial options from features you didn't ask for. WordPress with custom post types works fine but still carries the full WordPress stack, plugin ecosystem, and update cycle. A custom CMS has exactly as much as you need and nothing extra.

Events and ticketing, real estate listings, restaurant menus, product catalogs, team member directories, case studies and portfolio items, job listings, and any repeating structured data that doesn't fit cleanly into "page" or "post." If you have a spreadsheet you're manually translating into HTML updates, you need a custom CMS.

That's the goal. Every admin interface is built with non-technical users in mind — clear field labels, sensible defaults, inline validation, and no exposed HTML fields unless the editor role explicitly requires it.

A simple custom CMS for one content type with 2–3 editor fields runs $3,500–$7,000. A full-featured multi-type admin with roles, media management, and a draft workflow runs $10,000–$18,000, depending on scope. Quoted after a content model mapping session.

An API is something your code calls — you make a request, you get a response. A webhook is something that calls you — an external service sends an HTTP request to your server when an event happens (a payment succeeds, a form is submitted, an appointment is booked). Most integration work involves both: your app calls the payment API to charge a card, and the payment processor sends a webhook to confirm the charge succeeded.

Most tools that matter have a documented REST API — Stripe, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Twilio, SendGrid, Calendly, Acuity, and dozens more. If the tool has an API with an auth mechanism, integration is in scope.

Either. Some clients need only the back-end API and will connect their own front-end. Others need the full stack — PHP back-end, public-facing site, and admin interface. The API work is scoped and priced independently and can be added to a website project.

Integrations with well-documented third-party APIs (Stripe, Mailchimp, etc.) are typically fixed-price: $500–$1,500 per integration depending on complexity. Custom REST API development is quoted per endpoint count and data complexity, generally starting at $2,000 for a small set of authenticated endpoints.

Updating text, swapping an image, adding a team member, changing hours or pricing, adding a new service card or FAQ item, updating a link. Structural changes (adding a new page, changing a layout, building a feature) are quoted separately. Most maintenance-plan clients use about 45 minutes of the monthly hour — small businesses don't need that many edits once the site is well-structured.

Managed hosting ($30–$75/mo) covers infrastructure: uptime, SSL, backups, DNS, security patches. Maintenance plans add content edits on top of that. Some clients have both; others use a maintenance plan only (hosting their site elsewhere). See managed hosting →

Response time follows your hosting tier: Core gets a reply within 24–48 hours, Care gets a same-business-day response, and Priority guarantees a same-day response on critical issues (site down, form broken, SSL error).

Core ($30/mo) is right for static sites that rarely change — basic monitoring, backups, SSL, and email support. Care ($50/mo) adds one hour of content edits per month and a same-business-day response, which suits most active small-business sites. Priority ($75/mo) adds three hours of edits, same-day response for critical issues, monthly analytics, and staging access — right for businesses where the website is a primary sales or operations tool. Full plan comparison →

In most cases, yes — as long as the site is clean hand-coded PHP or a well-maintained WordPress build without too much legacy plugin debt. A brief code review is required before taking on external sites. Get in touch to discuss the specifics.

Hand-coded sites have a structural advantage: no plugin overhead, no bloated JavaScript bundles, and no CMS-generated markup that confuses crawlers. Core Web Vitals scores are higher by default, which Google uses as a ranking signal. That said, content and backlinks are the dominant ranking factors — clean technical SEO sets the floor, but what you put on the pages determines the ceiling.

Technical SEO setup is included at no extra charge with every multi-page website build. For single-page builds it's a $300 add-on. For an existing site that needs cleanup, standalone setup runs $800–$1,500 depending on page count and how much existing markup needs reworking. See pricing →

Not from ArdinGate. The initial setup covers the technical foundation — structured data, sitemap, Search Console, on-page optimization. Ongoing work (content creation, link building, keyword research) is content marketing, not technical SEO. You can handle that yourself, hire an SEO agency, or leave it alone and let the site rank on its merits. The technical foundation doesn't expire.

Every setup includes a written audit delivered as a PDF: what's indexed correctly, what's missing or thin, which pages are competing with each other for the same keywords, and specific recommendations for content expansion. You can act on it yourself or hand it to a copywriter or SEO agency as a clear starting point — one that doesn't require them to audit what you already have.

This depends on what's slowing it down. Sites with unoptimized images, render-blocking Google Fonts, and no critical CSS extraction typically see LCP drop from 4–6 seconds to under 2 seconds — a pass from failing to green. Sites that are already fast but have one or two CWV issues are different work: targeted fixes rather than a full pass. A brief audit is done before quoting to confirm what's achievable.

Yes — Core Web Vitals have been a confirmed ranking signal since June 2021 (Google's Page Experience update). The effect is strongest on mobile and most visible when two pages are otherwise similar in quality. A failing CWV score caps how high a page can rank relative to a passing competitor.

Site speed optimization runs $600–$2,000 — $600 for a single-template site (home plus a few service pages, same code patterns throughout), up to $2,000 for larger multi-template sites with significantly different page structures. Includes the written before/after report.

The ADA doesn't specify websites directly, but courts have consistently ruled that business websites are places of public accommodation under Title III. The DOJ issued guidance in 2022 confirming this position. Demand letters targeting non-compliant small-business websites are common — typically sent by plaintiffs' firms running automated scans against categories of businesses.

WCAG AA is the legally defensible standard — it's what DOJ guidance references and what courts use as the benchmark. AAA is a higher standard that includes criteria like live audio captions and sign language interpretation. AAA compliance is not required and would be impractical for most small-business sites. The remediation here targets AA. Full WCAG compliance guide →

Rarely, and usually not perceptibly. The most common fixes — alt text, ARIA labels, focus indicators, contrast adjustments — are invisible to sighted users but significant for screen reader users and keyboard navigators. Cases where a design change is required (e.g., low-contrast brand colors) are flagged and discussed before implementation.

Accessibility audit plus remediation is priced per site based on page count: $800 for sites under 10 pages, up to $1,800 for 10–25 pages. Includes the written report. For new builds, WCAG AA compliance is included at no additional charge.

Law firm websites start at $2,800 for a multi-page build covering practice areas, attorney bios, and a contact or intake form. Sites with individual pages per practice area, case intake workflows, and trust signal sections — bar memberships, certifications, peer review ratings — typically run $2,800–$5,000. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full law firm web design details →

For SEO, yes. Each practice area — personal injury, family law, criminal defense, estate planning — has its own search intent. A dedicated page ranks independently for that keyword and helps potential clients self-qualify before contacting you. Lumping everything onto a single Services page is weaker for search and harder for someone in a stressful situation to navigate quickly. Individual practice area pages also let each one link to the most relevant attorney bio.

Yes — case intake forms are standard on law firm builds. The form captures contact info, case type, and a brief description of the situation. It routes directly to your email, is rate-limited to prevent spam, and doesn't store personally identifiable information on the server beyond routing — many firms treat that as a low privilege-exposure setup, but confirm the specifics with your state bar counsel. If your state bar has specific website disclaimer requirements, flag them during scoping so your counsel can review the exact language before it goes live.

Yes — attorney bio pages are built with Person schema markup that includes bar admissions, certifications, peer review ratings, and professional affiliations. Google can surface credential details in rich results, and a well-structured bio page performs better for city + practice area + attorney queries. It's also the right credibility infrastructure for a potential client who's vetting you against other firms before reaching out. What's included in SEO setup →

Contact and intake forms are built with privilege in mind: no data is stored server-side beyond what's needed to route the inquiry, and submissions go directly to your email — no third-party form services, no data sold or shared with ad networks. Many firms treat that setup as low-risk for privilege purposes, but confirm with your state bar counsel given your specific practice. If your state bar has website disclaimer requirements, flag them during scoping so your counsel can review the exact language.

Dental practice websites typically run $2,800–$5,000 for a multi-page build with individual treatment pages, an appointment request form, insurance information, and a before/after gallery. Booking system integrations add cost depending on API complexity. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full dental web design details →

Yes — appointment request forms are standard. For real-time booking integrated with your practice management software (Dentrix, Eaglesoft), that's a custom API integration which adds cost but replaces phone tag entirely. Many practices use a simpler request form that routes to the front desk for phone confirmation — included in the base build. Which approach makes sense depends on whether reducing phone volume is a priority for your team.

Yes, and they're worth prioritizing. Before/after galleries are standard on dental builds. Photos are optimized for web (WebP, compressed, responsive srcset) so the gallery loads fast without hurting Core Web Vitals. Slider or side-by-side layout — whichever fits better. Good before/after content consistently outperforms any other section for conversion on dental sites because it demonstrates outcomes visually in a way copy can't.

A standard dental marketing website — services, appointment requests, contact forms — doesn't store or transmit Protected Health Information (PHI), so many practices treat it as outside HIPAA's covered-entity requirements; confirm with your compliance counsel given your specific setup. Contact and appointment request forms route to your email and store nothing server-side. If you need a patient portal with medical records access, that's a separate scope requiring a proper Business Associate Agreement and a compliant hosting environment — a different project entirely.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: Dentist/LocalBusiness schema with your service area, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap submission to Search Console. Individual treatment pages — cleanings, whitening, implants, Invisalign — each rank independently for their keyword, giving you more search surface area with no ongoing cost. A well-structured dental site combined with an active Google Business Profile is the standard formula for local new-patient acquisition. What's included in SEO setup →

Accounting firm websites typically run $2,800–$5,000 for a multi-page build with individual service pages, a free consultation CTA, trust signals, and a secure contact form. Firms that want industry vertical pages — separate pages targeting restaurant clients, dental practices, real estate investors — add cost per vertical but each one adds independent keyword ranking value. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full accounting firm web design details →

The standard set covers services people search for: tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, financial advisory, and business formation. If you specialize in a particular area — estate planning, forensic accounting, nonprofit audits, cost segregation — that gets its own page. Each service page targets its own search keyword independently, which is how the site builds organic search coverage over time without requiring a blog or ongoing content publishing.

If you have genuine specialization in specific industries — restaurants, dental practices, real estate investors — separate industry pages are worth building. A page targeting "CPA for restaurants" ranks independently from your general accounting page and attracts higher-intent traffic from business owners who want an accountant who already understands their books. These pages can be added incrementally as your client base in a given industry grows.

Contact forms on this build route submissions directly to your email and store nothing server-side. They're rate-limited to prevent spam, served over HTTPS, and use CSRF protection to prevent cross-site abuse. No client financial information is stored in the site's infrastructure — the form is a routing mechanism, not a data store. If you need a secure client document portal for sharing tax documents or financial records, that's a separate custom application scope.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness/Accountant schema with your service area, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap submission to Search Console. For local accounting firms, individual service pages plus a well-maintained Business Profile is the core local search strategy. National SEO — targeting "CPA for startups" type queries — requires more content depth, but individual service pages are the first building block. What's included in SEO setup →

Real estate agent websites start at $2,800 for a multi-page build with an agent bio, buyer and seller landing pages, and lead capture forms. Sites with neighborhood or area landing pages typically run $2,800–$5,000 depending on how many areas need coverage. IDX integration adds cost on top of that. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full real estate web design details →

IDX (live MLS listing feeds) can be integrated via iFrame embed or API depending on your MLS board's rules and the IDX provider you're using. Most agents use a lightweight embed of their IDX provider's hosted search on one page, with all custom content (bio, area pages, buyer/seller guides) built custom around it. That approach gives you the best of both: SEO value from your custom content, plus live listing data that stays current without building a full custom MLS search engine.

Google can't crawl or index dynamic IDX content effectively — it's JavaScript-rendered data that changes constantly and sits behind iFrames or API calls. Custom area landing pages with real written content about a neighborhood — schools, commute, what makes it desirable — are static HTML that Google can index, rank, and surface for "homes in [area]" or "[city] real estate agent" queries. IDX gets visitors browsing listings; custom area pages get you the search traffic that brings them to the site in the first place.

Buyer and seller forms capture different information: buyers share price range, timeline, preferred areas, and financing status; sellers share property address, rough square footage, timeline to list, and whether they've had a recent CMA. Both route to your email and store nothing server-side. The differentiation in form fields lets you qualify the lead immediately on the first reply instead of spending the entire first call asking the same questions you would have captured in the form.

Local SEO for real estate is primarily about area-specific content and your Google Business Profile. Technical SEO setup — RealEstateAgent/LocalBusiness schema, sitemap submission, NAP consistency — is included with every multi-page build. Area landing pages give you additional search surface area for neighborhood-level queries. Your Business Profile handles the map pack. The combination of strong area content and an active Business Profile is the standard formula for local real estate ranking. What's included in SEO setup →

Nonprofit websites typically run $2,800–$5,000 for a multi-page build with mission and impact content, program pages, a volunteer sign-up form, and basic contact. Donation integration adds cost depending on complexity. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. No ongoing platform fees after launch. Full nonprofit web design details →

Yes — donation flows are a standard feature. Integration options include Stripe (direct, no platform fee beyond Stripe's standard processing rate), Give if you want a WordPress ecosystem, or embedding a button from your existing processor (PayPal Giving Fund, Donorbox, Classy). A full custom Stripe checkout built into the site has the lowest ongoing cost because there's no additional platform taking a percentage of donations on top of payment processing fees.

Grant-ready transparency content — 990 summary, annual report, financial breakdown, leadership bios — is built into the About or Financials section depending on how much detail you want public. Funders and major donors check this before making grant decisions, and having it prominently accessible signals organizational maturity. PDFs can be linked inline; summarized financial data can also be displayed as on-page content for better accessibility and search indexability.

Yes — volunteer sign-up forms are standard. Basic forms capture name, contact info, availability, and areas of interest, then route to your volunteer coordinator. More complex volunteer management — shift scheduling, hours tracking, recurring commitments — is a separate custom application scope. Most nonprofits are well served by form-to-email routing on the marketing site until they grow large enough to need dedicated volunteer management software.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: NGO/Organization schema with your location and mission, sitemap submission to Search Console, and a full on-page SEO audit. Nonprofit SEO is different from commercial SEO — you're primarily targeting people who care about your cause or are searching for organizations in your service area, plus funders researching grant opportunities. Program-specific pages and impact content build the search footprint that supports both audiences simultaneously.

A full SaaS marketing site — homepage, feature pages, pricing, integrations, use-case verticals — typically runs $2,800–$5,000. Landing pages for a single campaign or product launch start cheaper. Prices vary by page count, pricing toggle logic complexity, and whether you need a trial signup integration with your app's API. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full SaaS marketing site details →

Webflow and Framer are capable tools, but both lock you into a monthly platform subscription that never goes away, template-based sites load 2–3 seconds or more even with careful optimization due to framework overhead, and the platform controls pricing and availability. A hand-coded custom site eliminates the subscription, loads faster because there's no framework to bootstrap, and you own the code outright — host it anywhere, port it to any stack, no vendor dependency. Full comparison →

Yes — a lightweight custom PHP CMS for blog posts or a changelog can be added to a SaaS marketing site. It's simpler than WordPress: no plugin surface area, no update treadmill, fits the exact content model you need. For teams who prefer a hosted headless CMS (Contentful, Sanity), the marketing site can connect to those APIs instead, keeping your content in a purpose-built editing interface while the front-end stays hand-coded and fast.

Yes — trial signup CTAs can route to your app's hosted signup page or integrate with your app's API to create a trial account inline on the marketing site. The first option is simpler and usually sufficient. The second gives you a completely branded, zero-redirect signup experience that can improve conversion if the friction of a redirect is currently a measurable drop-off in your funnel.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: SoftwareApplication schema, sitemap submission to Search Console, Core Web Vitals optimization, and an on-page audit. SaaS SEO is different from local service SEO — you're targeting feature-specific queries, integration-specific queries ("CRM that integrates with Slack"), and use-case queries ("project management for freelancers"). Integration pages and use-case/vertical pages are the highest-leverage SEO investment for most SaaS products because they target high-intent queries that map directly to purchase decisions. What's included in SEO setup →

Cleaning service websites start at $1,200 for a single-page site covering services, service area, trust signals, and a quote request form. Multi-page sites with separate pages for residential, commercial, deep clean, and move-in/move-out services — plus a before/after gallery and service area map — typically run $2,800–$5,000. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full cleaning service web design details →

Yes — quote request forms are a core feature of every cleaning site. The form captures property type, square footage, frequency, and preferred timing, then routes to your email. If you use a job management tool like Jobber or ZenMaid, submissions can push directly into it. For businesses that want instant online booking with date selection and confirmation emails, that's an extension of the form — just ask during scoping.

Yes — and for organic traffic it makes a difference. Separate pages for residential cleaning, commercial cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/move-out, and post-construction each rank for their own queries. Someone searching "commercial cleaning service [city]" is ready to hire; a dedicated page converts that traffic far better than a bullet point on the homepage.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness schema with service area, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap submission to Search Console. Service-specific pages and city-targeting pages give search engines specific content to rank for the queries cleaning companies compete on locally. What's included in SEO setup →

Single-page sites typically deliver in 1–2 weeks. Multi-page sites with service pages, gallery, and quote form take 3–6 weeks. Turnaround depends almost entirely on how quickly content — service list, service area, before/after photos — comes in. Every project starts with a scope call before any timeline is committed.

Fitness studio websites start at $1,200 for a single-page site covering classes, location, hours, and a contact or trial inquiry form. Multi-page sites with a class schedule, membership pricing page, trainer bios, and booking integration typically run $2,800–$5,000. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full fitness studio web design details →

Yes — Mindbody, Acuity, Pike13, Glofox, and other fitness platforms can be embedded or linked directly. Embedding keeps prospective members in your site's look and feel rather than bouncing them to a third-party scheduling interface. If you want to own the booking data and skip platform fees entirely, a custom booking flow is also an option — scoped based on how you run classes and sell memberships.

Yes — and it should. A dedicated membership page that clearly lays out your tiers, what's included, and a strong CTA is one of the highest-converting pages a fitness site can have. No CMS required. On the Care plan or higher, pricing updates are handled for you as part of your monthly content-edit hours.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness schema with address and geo, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap to Search Console. Fitness is a competitive local SEO vertical — individual pages for class types (HIIT, yoga, cycling, personal training) give Google specific content to rank for queries that are ready to convert. What's included in SEO setup →

Landscaping websites start at $1,200 for a single-page site covering services, service area, and a quote request form. Multi-page sites with separate service pages (mowing, hardscaping, irrigation, seasonal cleanups), a before/after gallery, and service area map typically run $2,800–$5,000. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full landscaping web design details →

Yes — quote forms are a core feature of every landscaping site. The form captures property address, service type, lot size, and preferred timing, then routes to your email. All forms include spam protection so you get real leads. If you use a CRM or job management tool like Jobber, the form can be set up to push submissions directly into it.

On the Care plan or higher, content changes are part of your monthly edit hours — email the update and it's live within 24 hours. For seasonal switches that happen on a predictable schedule, the site can be built with seasonal page variants that are simple to activate. The update flow gets set up to match how your business runs across the year.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness schema with service area, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap submission to Search Console. Individual service pages (lawn mowing, hardscaping, irrigation, seasonal cleanups) give search engines specific content to rank for relevant queries — that's where landscaping companies pick up organic traffic beyond their brand name. What's included in SEO setup →

Retail websites start at $1,200 for a single-page site covering your story, product categories, location, hours, and contact. Multi-page sites with a product catalog, sale and event pages, and online ordering typically run $2,800–$5,000. Full custom e-commerce with a shopping cart starts higher — get in touch for a custom quote. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full retail web design details →

Depends on how you sell. A static catalog with product photos, descriptions, and pricing — plus a "visit the store" or "call to order" CTA — is often all a boutique needs. If you want actual online checkout, Snipcart embedded into a custom PHP site is the lighter path. A fully custom store with inventory management is available for businesses processing meaningful online volume. The approach gets scoped to how you operate.

On the Care plan or higher, product and inventory updates are part of your monthly content edit hours — email the changes and they're live within 24 hours. For higher-volume inventory, the catalog can be built against a lightweight data file or connected to a simple admin interface. The update workflow gets matched to how often your inventory turns.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness schema with address and geo, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap to Search Console. Product-category pages and neighborhood pages give search engines specific content to rank for local queries — gift shops, clothing boutiques, specialty retailers. What's included in SEO setup →

Salon and spa websites start at $1,200 for a single-page site covering services, location, hours, and booking link. Multi-page sites with separate service menus, staff bios, gallery, and online booking integration typically run $2,800–$5,000. Technical SEO setup is included with all multi-page builds. Full salon & spa web design details →

Yes — any booking platform you're already on can be embedded or linked directly from your site. Vagaro, StyleSeat, Acuity, Square Appointments, Mindbody — all work. Embedding keeps clients on your site and in your brand rather than bouncing them to a third-party booking portal. If you're not on a platform yet, the right one can be scoped as part of the project.

On the Care plan or higher, gallery photos and menu changes are part of your monthly content edit hours — email them and they're live within 24 hours. For higher-volume portfolios, the gallery can be built against a folder-based structure so adding photos is as simple as uploading a file without touching any HTML.

Technical SEO setup is included with every multi-page build: LocalBusiness schema with address and geo coordinates, Google Business Profile sync review, NAP consistency check, and sitemap submission to Search Console. Salons and spas are a strong local SEO vertical — your GBP listing drives most local pack results, and the site's structured data reinforces it. Service-specific pages (haircuts, color, facials, massages) give Google more to rank for specific queries. What's included in SEO setup →

Single-page sites typically deliver in 1–2 weeks. Multi-page sites with staff bios, gallery, and booking integration take 3–6 weeks. Turnaround depends almost entirely on how quickly content — service list, staff photos, pricing — comes in. Every project starts with a scope call before any timeline is committed.