Custom WordPress themes written from scratch, with no page builder and no plugin bloat. Fast, secure and set up so you can update your own content with confidence.
Get a fixed-price quoteStarts with a free 20-minute call. Or ring 07732 765398.
More than four in ten websites on the internet run on WordPress. That statistic is sometimes used to justify it as a safe, obvious choice. The more useful way to think about it is this: WordPress is genuinely good software, and when it is built well it gives a business owner something valuable, a professional website they actually control.
The problem is that WordPress built badly is a different thing entirely. Bloated page builders, poorly chosen plugins, themes that cannot be modified without breaking something, and a handover that leaves the client dependent on the developer for every small change. Many businesses end up with a site that works until it does not, and no clear picture of why.
What I build is the other version. Custom themes built from scratch, clean code, a site structure that makes sense, and a handover that leaves you genuinely able to update your own content without needing to call anyone.
Every WordPress project starts with a clear brief and a shared understanding of what the site needs to do, who it needs to serve, and how you will use it once it is live.
Your site is built on a custom WordPress theme written from scratch, not a purchased theme that has been modified until it half-fits. This means the code is clean, the design is yours, and nothing is carrying functionality you do not need.
For sites that need more than standard WordPress functionality, such as custom post types, bespoke database queries and tailored admin interfaces, I handle the underlying PHP and MySQL development myself rather than patching it together with plugins.
All front-end development uses Bootstrap 5, giving your site a solid, responsive foundation that works correctly across all devices and screen sizes without requiring separate mobile optimisation.
A site that loads slowly loses visitors before they have read a word. Every build is optimised for performance from the start, not as an afterthought. markexcell.co.uk scores in the top band of Google's PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals tests on both mobile and desktop, and the same standards apply to client work.
WordPress's real value is in what it lets you do after launch. The admin interface is configured so that updating pages, publishing posts, adding images and managing your content is straightforward. You will not need a developer to change your opening hours or add a new team member.
Every project includes a clear handover. You will know how to log in, how to make common updates, and who to contact if something unexpected happens. The goal is a site you own and understand, not one you are dependent on someone else to maintain.
A fixed, written quote after a free call, with no VAT to add. You own the website, the theme and the hosting account outright.
A WordPress theme written from scratch for your business, built for speed and search, and set up so you can manage it yourself.
If your current site is slow, hard to edit or held together by plugins, I can review it and quote for speed, security and maintenance fixes, or tell you honestly if a rebuild would be better value.
Don't need to edit the site yourself? A hand-coded website starts from £995. Looking locally? See WordPress development in Witney or Oxfordshire.
The Recycler's expensive, agency-built website was rebuilt in WordPress and moved to more affordable hosting, cutting their costs by 90%.
The development of the site was handled with complete competence and authority. Delivered on time, on budget and with an uncomplicated, expert smoothness that you do not always see in the world of websites. It was an excellent partnership.
WordPress development suits a particular kind of client well. You are probably in the right place if:
If you are not sure whether WordPress is the right platform for what you need, that is a reasonable question to start with. A short conversation is usually enough to work out whether it is the right fit or whether something simpler would serve you better.
We talk through what the site needs to do and how you want to manage it day to day.
A written price for the agreed scope, so there are no surprises later.
You approve the design first, then I write the custom theme around it.
Launch on hosting in your name, and a walkthrough so you can edit it with confidence.
Certified in
Three WordPress rebuilds and new builds, for a publication, a charity and a county council.
Global trade publication
Rebuilt for about a tenth of the original cost, with its global ranking lifted from around 1,150,000 to 229,000.
Read the case studyNational charity
A members’ website rebuilt in WordPress within a fixed one-year deadline, on time and on budget.
Read the case studyCounty council
Each site won on the strength of the last, on secure hosting approved by the council.
Read the case studyWork completed while running my previous business. Client names are withheld. All case studies
Whether you have a clear brief or you are still working out what you need, a short conversation is usually enough to establish whether there is a good fit and what the right approach looks like.
Get a fixed-price quote