Custom WordPress sites built around how your business actually works, not around a template's defaults. I handle the full path from design translation to launch, billed hourly with a log you can audit.
A bespoke build covers the technical work needed to turn a brief or a design into a working WordPress site, hosted, configured, and ready to use. The exact mix depends on the project, but most builds include:
If something on the brief sits outside the standard scope (a custom integration, a complex e-commerce flow, a headless front-end), we'll talk through it before the estimate goes out.
Being clear about what's outside the scope is part of giving you a realistic estimate. A bespoke build doesn't include:
Every project is slightly different, but the shape of a bespoke build looks roughly like this:
We talk through what you need, what you've already got (designs, content, host), and what timeline you're working to. If the project's a fit, I send a written estimate within 48 hours. The estimate is a realistic hours range, not a fixed quote.
I set up local and staging environments, get your designs into a working WordPress structure, and start building the content model. You'll get access to the staging URL early so you can see things take shape.
The bulk of the work. Templates, custom fields, forms, integrations, and the dozens of small decisions that turn a design into a functioning site. Weekly check-ins keep you in the loop without filling your calendar.
Cross-browser testing, performance tuning, accessibility checks, and the small refinements that take a build from 'shipped' to 'actually ready.' Not glamorous work, but it's where a lot of the long-term reliability comes from.
DNS handover, final QA, and going live. I monitor the site closely for the first few days post-launch in case anything surfaces, and I'm available for any small fixes during that window without re-billing.
Most bespoke builds run 40–120 hours and 4–8 weeks from kick-off to launch. The actual number depends on a few things:
I bill hourly at $55 / hour (GBP / USD / ZAR via the currency switcher), with a time log you can audit at any point during the build. Estimates hold up because they're based on years of similar work, not on hopeful guesses.
Every project's stack depends on the brief, but here's what I reach for most often on a bespoke build:
WordPress core · Bedrock · Composer · WP-CLI
Hello Elementor + Elementor Pro for editable builds · Custom themes on Sage when the project warrants it · Tailwind CSS, SCSS, or vanilla CSS depending on the brief
ACF Pro · CPT UI · Meta Box (when ACF won't cut it)
Gravity Forms · Fluent Forms · WPForms
WP Rocket · Cloudflare · Kinsta or WP Engine for hosting (or your existing host if you have a preference)
DDEV locally · Cursor · Claude Code · GitHub for version control
The full directory of tools I work with sits on the Tools page, where each has its own breakdown.
Four questions that come up specifically about bespoke builds. General FAQs on cost, timeline, and pricing sit on the Services page.
A bespoke WordPress build with a custom plugin that integrates with Google Sheets, used as the recruitment backbone for a UK-based research network. Detailed write-up in progress.
Notify me when it's ready →A short brief is all I need to give you a realistic answer on timeline, cost, and whether I'm the right fit. If you don't have a brief yet, a few sentences about what you're working on works just as well.
WooCommerce builds for B2C and B2B clients across the UK, US and Europe. Product catalogues, payment gateways, tax configuration, shipping logic. All set up properly so you're not fighting the platform six months in.
The work that doesn't fit neatly into a template. CRM hookups, payment platforms, booking systems, headless setups, custom plugins, and bespoke functionality. Usually the kind of work that's been sitting in your backlog because no one wanted to touch it.
Slow sites hurt rankings and conversions. I diagnose what's actually causing it (render-blocking scripts, unoptimised assets, plugin bloat, server config) and fix the things that move the needle. Real measurements before and after.
Updates, backups, security monitoring, and a person who picks up when something breaks. For clients who'd rather get on with their business than learn what a PHP error means.