Clear, effective websites for small businesses in Staffordshire and beyond, built to generate enquiries.
A good website is not a luxury. It is the place where people go to check you out before they ring you, email you or walk through the door. If your site is slow, confusing or looks like it was built ten years ago, it is costing you business. We build websites that present your business properly, explain what you do and make it easy for people to get in touch.
As an independent web designer based in Cheadle, Staffordshire, I have been building websites for small businesses since 2004. I work directly with you, which means no account managers, no confusing handovers and no jargon. You deal with the person who actually builds your site.
We design and build websites for all kinds of small and medium-sized businesses. Most of our work falls into three broad groups.
A straightforward site that tells people who you are, what you do and how to contact you. Ideal for tradespeople, consultants, salons, cafes, clinics and other local businesses that need a professional online presence without unnecessary features.
A site built to be found in Google and to turn visitors into enquiries. This includes careful planning of page structure, clear calls to action, fast loading times and on-page SEO. Suitable for businesses that want their website to actively bring in new work.
Online shops for businesses that want to sell products directly to customers. We keep the buying process simple and the site easy to manage, so you can update products and process orders without needing a developer on call.
Before we start building, we talk. I want to understand what your business does, who your customers are and what you need the website to achieve. A plumber in Stoke-on-Trent needs something different from a solicitor in Stafford or a gift shop in Leek. The design, the wording and the structure should all reflect that.
We do not start with a template and force your business into it. We start with your goals and work out what the site needs to do. That might mean a simple five-page site or something more involved. Either way, the result is a website that feels like your business, not a generic small-business site with your logo stuck on top.
A pretty website is useless if people cannot find what they need or if it takes so long to load that they give up. We pay as much attention to how a site works as to how it looks.
More than half of all web traffic now comes from phones. Every site we build is responsive, which means it adapts to the screen it is viewed on. Buttons are easy to tap, text is readable without zooming and menus work with a thumb. If your site is awkward on a phone, you are losing customers.
People are impatient. If a page takes more than a few seconds to appear, many visitors will leave before they have even seen what you do. We build sites that load quickly by keeping the code lean, optimising images and avoiding bloated plugins. A fast site is also better for Google rankings.
Visitors should not have to hunt for your phone number or your services page. We structure sites logically, with clear menus and obvious next steps. Whether someone wants to read about your services, check your prices or get in touch, they should be able to do it without thinking.
A website that nobody can find is not much use. We build every site with basic search engine optimisation in mind: clean code, sensible page titles, proper headings and content that actually answers what people are searching for. If you want to go further, we offer SEO and marketing services that build on those foundations.
When you work with Tim @ Thunderhat, you are not passed between departments or left waiting for a call back. You deal with the same person from the first conversation to the day the site goes live, and afterwards if you need help.
I will tell you if something is not worth doing. If you do not need a complicated feature, I will say so. If your money is better spent on something else, I will tell you that too. My job is to give you a website that helps your business, not to sell you things you do not need.
Most of our clients are small and medium-sized businesses in Staffordshire, the West Midlands and further afield. Some are starting from scratch and need their first website. Others have an existing site that is out of date, hard to update or not bringing in any enquiries.
You might be a builder in Newcastle-under-Lyme, an accountant in Uttoxeter, a restaurant in Lichfield or a manufacturer in Cannock. You might sell products online or just want people to find your phone number. If you need a website that does its job properly, we can help.
Every website is different, so it is hard to give a fixed price without knowing what you need. A simple brochure site will always cost less and take less time than an online shop or a site with lots of custom features. Here are the main things that affect the price.
A five-page site is quicker to build than a thirty-page site. Each page needs to be designed, written and checked, so more pages mean more time.
If you want a completely bespoke design, that takes longer than adapting an existing layout. We can do either, but it is worth being clear about what you need.
Things like booking systems, members' areas, complex forms or integrations with other software all add time and cost. We will always tell you if there is a simpler way to achieve the same result.
The words and pictures on your site matter just as much as the design. If you have good photos and clear text ready to go, the project will move faster. If you need help writing content or sourcing images, we can do that too, but it adds to the work involved.
We agree on the scope of the project before we start. If you change your mind about something halfway through, that is usually fine, but it may affect the cost and the deadline. Clear communication at the start keeps things on track.
A website is not a one-off job. It needs updates, security patches and occasional tweaks to keep it working well. We offer website care plans that cover the essentials, so you do not have to worry about the technical side. If you want to make changes yourself, we build sites that are easy to update, and we are always happy to talk you through it.
If you need a new website or your current one is not doing its job, get in touch. We will have a chat about your business, what you need and whether we are the right fit. There is no obligation and no hard sell. Call 07930 127013 or email tim@thunderhat.com.
Can't see your question? Call or send a message and we'll answer it.
It depends on what you need. A simple brochure site starts at £300, while a site with more pages, custom design or e-commerce will cost more. We will give you a clear quote once we understand your requirements.
A straightforward brochure site usually takes two to three weeks from start to finish. Larger projects with more pages or custom functionality can take longer. We will agree a realistic timescale before we start.
Yes. While we are based in Cheadle, Staffordshire, we work with clients across the West Midlands and the rest of the UK. Most communication is done by phone, email and video call, so distance is not a problem.
Yes. We build sites on WordPress and other content management systems that are easy to update. We will show you how to make basic changes, and we are always available if you need help.
We can arrange hosting for your website as part of a care plan, which includes updates, backups and security monitoring. This keeps everything in one place and means you do not have to deal with a separate hosting company.
We can redesign an existing site or make improvements to what you have. We will look at your current site, discuss what is working and what is not, and recommend the most sensible way forward.
Tell us about your business and what you need — a new website, better rankings, or both. Free, no-obligation chat with Tim.
