How long does it take to design a website?

Standard custom small business websites go live in 1 to 4 weeks once we have your content and brand assets. Larger ecommerce or multi-page projects typically take 2 to 4 weeks.

Do you only work with London businesses?

We are based in the City of London but serve small businesses across Greater London, Hertfordshire, and the rest of the UK including Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

Will my new website actually rank on Google?

Yes. Every website we build is SEO-ready from day one with proper schema, fast loading, mobile-first design, and on-page optimisation. With our Local Growth System we also handle Google Business Profile and local SEO so you appear in the map pack and 'near me' searches.

Do you offer ongoing website maintenance?

Yes. Our Website Management service covers unlimited edits, security updates, backups, fast hosting, and uptime monitoring so you never have to think about your website again.

What industries do you build websites for?

We have built websites for 25+ industries including plumbers, electricians, roofers, builders, dentists, solicitors, accountants, estate agents, restaurants, barbershops, beauty salons, fitness coaches, photographers, cleaners, and more.

How do I know if my website needs a full redesign or just updates?

If fewer than 3 items in each category of this checklist pass, you likely need a redesign. If most pass but a handful are failing, targeted updates will be more cost-effective. The key signals that point to a full redesign: mobile experience is broken, the site is built on an outdated platform (Flash, old WordPress themes), or your conversion rate is below 1% of visitors.

How much does a website redesign cost in London in 2026?

A professional redesign from a quality London agency typically costs £1,500–£6,000 for a small-medium business website. Larger, feature-heavy sites can cost £8,000–£25,000+. Be very cautious of quotes under £800 - these usually deliver a template with minimal customisation and no SEO.

Will a redesign hurt my existing SEO rankings?

It can - if not handled carefully. Preserve all existing URLs (or set up 301 redirects), carry over existing meta titles and descriptions as a starting point, submit a new sitemap to Google Search Console after launch, and monitor rankings for 4–6 weeks post-launch. A well-executed redesign should improve SEO, not hurt it.

How long does a website redesign take?

For a small business website (5–15 pages): 3–6 weeks from brief to launch with a good agency. Larger sites with custom features or e-commerce can take 8–16 weeks. Rush jobs are possible but usually compromise quality. Set a realistic timeline and stick to it - redesigns that drag past 3 months rarely turn out well.

Home/Blog/Website Redesign Checklist

Guides 11 min read 22 December 2025

The London Business Website Redesign Checklist: 27 Things to Audit in 2026

Most London businesses commission a website redesign based on a feeling - "it looks old". But without auditing what's actually broken, you risk spending thousands and ending up with the same problems in a new design. Use this interactive checklist first.

Do You Actually Need a Full Redesign?

The answer isn't always yes. A full redesign is expensive, time-consuming, and - if handled badly - can temporarily hurt your SEO rankings. Before committing, be honest about what's actually broken. Use the interactive checklists below to find out.

The 27 checks are split into four categories. Tick each one if your current website passes. At the end, your score will tell you whether you need a full redesign, targeted fixes, or just minor tweaks.

Be honest when completing this audit - test on your actual phone, not just a desktop browser. Most website problems only surface on mobile devices.

Performance & Speed Audit

A slow website loses visitors before they see a single word of your content. Google ranks slow sites lower. Tick each item that your site currently passes.

Performance Checks (6 total)0/6 passed

Page loads in under 2.5 seconds on mobile (test with Google PageSpeed)

Critical issue

Core Web Vitals pass: LCP < 2.5s, FID < 100ms, CLS < 0.1

Critical issue

Images are compressed and served in WebP or AVIF format

Hosting is on a UK-based or CDN-backed server (not a cheap shared host)

SSL certificate is valid and all pages redirect to HTTPS

Critical issue

No broken links or 404 errors on key pages (check with Screaming Frog or Google Search Console)

SEO Audit

SEO problems are usually invisible until you know what to look for. These are the most common ones we find on London business websites.

SEO Checks (7 total)0/7 passed

Every page has a unique, keyword-targeted title tag under 60 characters

Critical issue

Every page has a unique meta description under 160 characters

Critical issue

Each page has a single H1 tag containing the target keyword

Critical issue

Google Business Profile is claimed, verified, and fully optimised

Critical issue

Google Search Console is set up and no manual actions or crawl errors present

Location pages exist for every area you serve (e.g. /web-design-hackney)

Schema markup (LocalBusiness, Service) is implemented correctly

Design & UX Audit

First impressions are formed in milliseconds. These checks assess whether your website builds confidence or erodes it.

Design & UX Checks (7 total)0/7 passed

Site looks professional and modern on mobile (test on an actual phone, not just a browser emulator)

Critical issue

Brand fonts, colours and logo are consistent across all pages

Photography is real (your team, premises, work) - not generic stock

Navigation is clear and users can find any page within 2 clicks

Critical issue

The site does not look like it was built before 2020

Text is readable - minimum 16px body font, strong contrast ratio

Critical issue

Page layouts work correctly on screens from 320px to 1920px wide

Critical issue

Conversion Audit

Traffic without conversion is just wasted potential. These checks identify the most common barriers between visitors and enquiries.

Conversion Checks (7 total)0/7 passed

Phone number is visible without scrolling on mobile (sticky header)

Critical issue

There is a clear primary CTA on every key page

Critical issue

Google reviews (rating + count) are displayed prominently on the homepage

Certifications, accreditations and trust badges are visible above the fold

Contact form works and sends confirmation to both user and business

Critical issue

WhatsApp or live chat option is available for visitors who prefer messaging

The homepage clearly answers: what do you do, where do you do it, why trust you - within 5 seconds

Critical issue

What to Do With Your Results

70–100% (18–27 passed)Minor updates needed

Your website is fundamentally sound. Address the specific failing checks - most can be fixed without a full redesign. Focus on critical items first.

40–69% (11–18 passed)Targeted improvements needed

Significant issues exist but a full rebuild may not be necessary. Get a professional audit to determine which problems require structural changes vs. surface fixes.

0–39% (0–10 passed)Full redesign recommended

Your website is actively costing you leads and customers. The cost of doing nothing - in lost leads and missed rankings - exceeds the cost of a proper rebuild.

Want us to do this audit for you?

We'll conduct a professional 27-point audit of your website and send you a prioritised report - completely free.

Get Free Website Audit

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Back to all articles

The London Business Website Redesign Checklist: 27 Things to Audit in 2026

Do You Actually Need a Full Redesign?

Performance & Speed Audit

SEO Audit

Design & UX Audit

Conversion Audit

What to Do With Your Results

Frequently Asked Questions

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