Most WordPress sites are built in one of two ways: a bloated theme with 40 plugins duct-taped together, or a bespoke theme nobody on your team can edit without a developer. I build a third option.
Elementor Pro gives your team the ability to edit pages without touching code, but most Elementor sites are slow and messy because they're built page-by-page with no underlying structure. My builds start with a proper content architecture, reusable sections, global styles, ACF fields where they matter, so the site stays fast and consistent as it grows.
What's included
Every project covers the same core work. Scope beyond this is discussed upfront and estimated in hours.
- Design translation from Figma, XD, or sketches
- Custom Elementor Pro build with reusable templates and global styles
- ACF setup for content fields where Elementor isn't the right fit
- Mobile-first responsive across phone, tablet, desktop
- Core Web Vitals optimisation (LCP, CLS, INP) before launch
- On-page SEO setup with Rank Math or Yoast
- Contact forms wired to your email or CRM
- GA4 and Search Console configuration
- Staging environment for your review throughout
- Launch checklist, handover docs, and a 30-day warranty on bugs
How long it takes
Most bespoke builds land between 40 and 120 hours of development work, spread over 4 to 8 weeks. The range depends mainly on page count, custom functionality, and how ready your content is when we start. Here's a rough breakdown:
The longer you've been building WordPress sites, the better you get at spotting the 20% of decisions that quietly drive 80% of the final hours. I try to flag those early, in plain English.
Discovery & planning
A kickoff call, a review of your content and designs, and a shared document mapping every page and its components. This is where we catch the scope surprises before they cost real money.
Build & review
I work against a staging environment you can access anytime. Weekly progress calls, Slack or email in between. You see the site as it's built, not at a mysterious big reveal.
Launch & handover
Pre-launch checklist (redirects, analytics, SEO, security), go-live during a quiet window for your traffic, and a handover session with documentation. Then 30 days of bug fixes included in the original estimate.
What it costs
Everything is billed at $55/hour against a range I give you after scoping. A typical small business site runs $2,200 to $4,400. A larger site with custom functionality, 20+ pages, or a complex integration lands closer to $4,400 to $6,600. I invoice monthly for hours worked, with a clear log you can audit line by line.
No deposits. No packages. No pre-launch bonus fees. You pay for the hours I actually spent on your project, every month, until it's done.