Static Website Design UK

What a static website is

A normal CMS site, like WordPress, builds each page when someone asks for it: the server runs PHP, queries a database, assembles the HTML and sends it. A static site does that work once, when we publish. The result is a folder of finished HTML, CSS and image files that any web server or content delivery network can send instantly.

Static does not mean dull or unchanging. The site can have animations, forms, maps, booking widgets and a blog. It simply means pages are prepared in advance rather than on every visit.

Why static sites are fast

Google's thresholds on web.dev for a good experience are Largest Contentful Paint within 2.5 seconds, Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less and Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less, measured at the 75th percentile. Static sites start with a big advantage:

• No server processing. The HTML is already built, so time to first byte is short, especially from a CDN near the visitor.
• Little JavaScript. Astro's documentation says it renders components to HTML and CSS and strips client-side JavaScript automatically, only hydrating components marked as interactive islands. Eleventy ships no client-side JavaScript by default.
• Predictable layouts. Image dimensions are set at build time, which keeps layout shift close to zero.

Why static sites are secure

Most website attacks target the moving parts: login pages, out-of-date plugins, database queries and file uploads. A static site has none of those on the live server. There is no admin area to brute-force and no PHP to exploit. The remaining risks sit with your domain, your hosting account and any third-party scripts, and we lock those down with strong passwords, two-factor authentication and security headers.

That also means less upkeep. A static site can run for years without updates. Compare that with WordPress, where core and plugins need regular patching.

Astro or Eleventy?

Both are free and open source. We choose based on what your site needs to do, not on fashion.

How we build and host a static site

1. Design. We design the pages first, mobile-first, with your content and calls to action in place.
2. Build. Templates in Astro or Eleventy, semantic HTML, a small CSS file and images processed at build time into AVIF and WebP at several widths.
3. Content. Text lives in Markdown or a headless CMS, kept in a Git repository so every change is recorded and can be rolled back.
4. Forms and extras. Contact forms, maps and booking widgets added only where needed, loaded so they don't hold up the page.
5. Deploy. The site builds automatically when content changes and is served over HTTPS from a fast host or CDN, with security headers set.
6. Search. Titles, descriptions, schema markup and an XML sitemap generated from the content, then submitted to Google Search Console.

You own the repository, the domain and the hosting account.

The honest limits

• Editing is different. Without a traditional admin area, you edit through a Git-based CMS, a headless CMS, or by sending changes to us. If you update daily and want a familiar editor, WordPress may suit you better.
• Dynamic features need services. Forms, search and comments rely on third-party or serverless tools.
• Not for every shop. Live stock, baskets and customer accounts belong on Shopify or WooCommerce.

Static sites shine for brochure websites, landing pages and one-page sites. Builds start from £250 + VAT, and small edits are £45 an hour + VAT. See our prices or get in touch.

What you get

• A custom design built as a static site with Astro or Eleventy
• Hand-written, semantic HTML and minimal CSS
• Responsive images in AVIF and WebP with correct sizes for each screen
• Contact forms handled by a form service or serverless function
• Schema markup, sitemap and Search Console set up
• An editing route that suits you: a Git-based CMS, Markdown files, or changes by us
• Source code in a repository you own

Prices and how it works

Websites from £250 + VAT, business websites from £500 + VAT and ecommerce from £750 + VAT. Small changes are £45 an hour + VAT. You get a fixed quote before we start.

1. Free chat

   Tell us about your business, who your customers are and what the website needs to do. No charge, no obligation.

2. Fixed quote

   You get a fixed price and a clear list of what is included, in writing, before anything starts.

3. Design

   We plan the pages and design the site around your customers, then share it for your comments.

4. Build and test

   We build it mobile-first, write or polish the copy, set up SEO foundations and test it on real phones.

5. Launch and hand over

   We launch, connect analytics and Search Console, and show you how to update it. You own it all.

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