Key facts
- A refresh keeps the platform and structure and updates design, content and speed
- A rebuild is usually needed for non-responsive, unsupported or unmaintainable sites
- Map every old URL to a new one and set 301 redirects to keep rankings
- Rewriting content often helps enquiries more than changing colours
- dijitul redesigns start from £250 + VAT; small refresh work is £45 an hour + VAT
- You should own the new site and domain outright
Signs a refresh is enough
- The site is on a current, supported platform and updates without breaking.
- It works properly on phones.
- You can edit it yourself.
- It ranks and gets enquiries, but looks dated or off-brand.
- Specific pages need rewriting, new photos or clearer calls to action.
A website refresh can update typography, colours, imagery, key pages and speed without disturbing what already works. That is often charged by time, at £45 an hour + VAT.
A refresh is also a good moment to tidy behind the scenes: remove plugins you no longer use, compress the images already on the site, update the privacy notice and cookie banner, and check every form still reaches the right inbox. These jobs cost little and often fix the problems people blame on the design.
Signs you need to start again
- It looks broken on phones, or there is a separate mobile site.
- It is slow and fails Core Web Vitals because of a heavy theme or page builder.
- It runs on an old, unsupported version of its platform or PHP, or uses plugins that are no longer maintained.
- You cannot edit it without paying a developer for every change.
- Your developer disappeared and nobody has the logins or source code.
- The business has changed: new services, new audience, new brand.
- It fails basic accessibility checks that would need rebuilding to fix. See WCAG explained.
A rebuild is not a failure of the old site. Most sites built six or more years ago were made for a different web: slower phones, different search behaviour and older platforms. Starting again lets you build on what you have learned about your customers since then.
What a rebuild costs
A full website redesign with dijitul starts from £250 + VAT for up to 5 pages, from £500 + VAT for up to 15 pages with copywriting, and from £750 + VAT for ecommerce. Very large sites or complex migrations get a fixed quote. Rebuilding is also a chance to fix content, which often matters more than design: a page per service, clear prices, real reviews and a strong call to action. See how much a website costs.
How to keep your Google rankings
- List every URL on the old site, plus the pages that get traffic and links, from Search Console and a crawl.
- Map each one to its closest page on the new site. Keep URLs the same where you can.
- Set 301 redirects for every URL that changes.
- Keep the content that ranks. Rewrite and improve it, but do not delete pages that bring visitors without replacing them.
- Remove noindex from the new site at launch and submit the sitemap.
- Monitor Search Console for 404 errors in the weeks after launch.
Our pre-launch checklist covers the rest.
Questions to answer before you decide
- What is the site for now? If the business has changed since the site was built, the structure probably needs to change too.
- Which pages bring in enquiries? Check Search Console and Analytics. Those pages must survive, improved, whatever you decide.
- Can you edit it? If small changes need a developer, a rebuild on a CMS you can use yourself pays back quickly.
- How old is the platform? Unsupported software is a security risk that a new design will not fix.
- What do customers say? Ask a few. They often point out things you have stopped noticing, such as hard-to-find prices or a contact form that is a chore on a phone.
If most answers point to problems with structure, platform or editing, start again. If the foundations are sound and the issue is presentation or content, refresh.
When to call us
Send us your web address and tell us what is not working. We will tell you honestly whether a refresh or a rebuild makes more sense and give you a fixed price. Request a quote or call 01623 650333.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a website be redesigned?
There is no fixed rule. Many small business sites are redesigned every few years, when the platform ages, the business changes or the site stops performing. Regular content updates and maintenance can extend a site's life considerably.
Will a redesign hurt my SEO?
It can if URLs change without redirects, ranking content is removed or a noindex tag is left on. Done carefully, with every old URL mapped and redirected and content kept or improved, a redesign usually helps.
Can you redesign a website someone else built?
Yes. We need access to the domain, the current hosting or platform, and Google Search Console if you have it. If a previous developer has gone quiet, our guide to moving your website to a new designer explains how to recover access.
Is it cheaper to refresh or rebuild?
A refresh is usually cheaper upfront if the platform is sound. If the site is old, slow or hard to edit, patching it can cost more over time than rebuilding. dijitul redesigns start from £250 + VAT.
Can I keep my existing content in a redesign?
Yes, and you should keep content that ranks or converts. We usually tidy and improve it, adding clearer headings, calls to action and FAQs, rather than throwing it away. Pages that bring visits should keep their URL or be redirected.
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