Web design for UK businesses, built for search and AI
We design websites around how your business actually works: what you offer, who it’s for and how people find their way to an enquiry. No templates or page builders: smaller sites are hand-coded, larger ones are built on Bones, the web platform we make.
Why structure comes first
Most websites are designed page by page. It looks good on launch day, then new services, case studies and pages get added without a plan, and the site slowly stops making sense to visitors and to search engines.
We start by agreeing what the site needs to say and how it fits together. The design is then built around that structure, not the other way round, so the site can grow without being redesigned every few years.
Two ways to build
Static website, from £1,200. For a smaller site that presents your business clearly. We agree the scope in a short brief, design it for you and hand-code it in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, with no content management system. Content changes are made by us. It usually takes 2–4 weeks.
A site on Bones, from £12,500. For a site that will grow, with many services, case studies or pages. It starts with a Structural Blueprint (£6,500, credited in full against the build if it starts within 6 months) and is built on Bones, the web platform we make, with structured data generated from your content.
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<p><?= $summary ?></p>What you get from a DBETA website
Every site is designed and built for one business. Here is what that gives you.
Designed for you, not from a template
Hand-coded, or built on Bones, with no theme, page builder or plugin stack underneath.
Built around your services
Your services, case studies and evidence are connected the way your business actually works.
Consistent as it grows
Pages follow an agreed content model, so new services and case studies fit in without a redesign.
Readable by search engines and AI
On Bones, structured data, AIDI files, sitemaps and llms.txt are generated from your content. We do not guarantee rankings or citations. How it works.
Set up for speed
Caching, compression and minified assets are configured as part of the build, not added afterwards.
Documented at handover
We document what we built, so your team or another developer can work on it.
The rules of web design we follow
Simple rules, applied on every page. They matter more than any trend.
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Clarity before decoration
A visitor should know within seconds what the page is about and what to do next. Style supports that, never replaces it.
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One main action per page
Each page has a clear next step, such as booking a call or reading a case study, rather than ten competing buttons.
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Clear visual hierarchy
Size, weight, colour and space show what matters most, so people can scan a page before they read it.
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Consistency
The same components behave the same way everywhere: buttons, links, cards and menus look and work alike on every page.
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Readable text
Comfortable text sizes, line lengths and contrast between text and background, on every screen.
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Space is part of the design
White space groups related things and separates the rest. Crowded pages are harder to read.
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Mobile first
We design for the smallest screen first, then add layout as the space grows.
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Predictable navigation
Menus, page names and links say where they go, so visitors never have to guess.
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Keep pages light
Every image, font and script adds load time, so each one has to earn its place.
The skills behind a design that scales
A site that can grow needs more than a good-looking homepage. These are the skills that keep a design working as pages, services and screen sizes are added.
Information architecture
Deciding what the site covers, how pages group together and how visitors move between them, before any visual design starts.
A design system, not one-off pages
Colours, type sizes, spacing and components are defined once and reused, so a new page is assembled from parts that already work together.
Responsive layout
Layouts built on flexible grids that rearrange for the screen they are on, rather than separate designs for phone and desktop.
Type and spacing that scale
Text and spacing that grow smoothly between screen sizes, so headings stay readable on a phone and in proportion on a wide monitor.
Designing with content in mind
Components are tested with long titles, short ones and missing images, so real content does not break the layout later.
Motion with restraint
Animation that supports the content rather than delaying it, and that can be switched off for visitors who have asked their device to reduce motion.
Designed for every screen
Many visitors arrive on a phone, others on a laptop or a wide monitor. We design for the smallest screen first, then add layout as the space grows.
Phones
The starting point. One column, readable text, buttons large enough to tap, and the most important content first.
Tablets, from 768px
Content starts to sit side by side: two-column grids, wider cards and more room around headings.
Laptops and desktops, from 1200px
Full layouts with multi-column sections, sticky headings and the complete navigation menu.
Large screens, from 1600px
More space and larger type, while text columns keep a width that is comfortable to read.
Frameworks, animation and styling
The tools behind this site, which runs on Bones 8.0. Static sites are hand-coded in HTML, CSS and JavaScript; larger sites are built on Bones.
Styling
Hand-written CSS
No page builder or CSS theme. Styles are written for the design, in small files bundled and minified into one.
Design tokens
Colours, fonts and spacing stored as CSS custom properties, so a brand change is made in one place.
Fluid sizing
CSS clamp() for type and spacing that scale between screen sizes, with CSS Grid and Flexbox for layout.
Light and dark themes
Colours that follow the visitor’s device setting for light or dark mode.
Animation and interaction
GSAP and ScrollTrigger
Animations that play as sections scroll into view, and the curved transition between pages.
Lenis scrolling
Smooth scrolling to links within a page, kept in step with the scroll-linked animations. Normal scrolling stays native.
SplitType text reveals
Headings that brighten letter by letter as you scroll.
Reduced motion respected
When a device is set to reduce motion, the page transition, slider autoplay and several smaller animations are switched off.
Components
SVG illustrations
The illustrations on this site are drawn in code, so they stay sharp at any size and follow the theme colours.
Swiper sliders
Touch-friendly sliders, such as the client testimonials.
Phosphor icons
One consistent icon set across the site.
AI-assisted, human-led
We use AI tools to speed up research, content drafts and design ideas. Every design, page and line of copy is reviewed and approved by our team before it goes live.
Examples
Websites we have designed and built
Website, CRM and SEO for a Window and Door Company
A digital transformation project featuring a new website, structured SEO strategy and a custom CRM designed to improve visibility, lead generation and operational efficiency. Read case studyOslo Cleaning Website, Hosting Upgrade and Local SEO
A localisation-led web design, hosting and SEO project delivering a bespoke Norwegian cleaning website with structured service pages, local SEO targeting and a self-service quote system for Oslo customers. Read case studyElectrical Web Design, Branding & e-Shop Build
A full brand and website launch for a new electrical services company, including a bespoke identity, a scalable website, custom e-commerce functionality and managed hosting for reliability from day one. Read case studyProperty Developer Website Rebuild and Performance Upgrade
A hybrid CMS combining DBETA Framework 6.0 with WordPress and managed hosting, giving Purelake full control over its content updates. Read case studyAutomotive Website, Local SEO and Online Pricing
A bespoke automotive website with SEO, managed hosting and a self-service booking system. Read case studyBilingual Membership Platform and CMS Development
A scalable multilingual platform with regional pages, member profiles, advanced directory filtering and a custom CMS designed for a nationwide business network. Read case studyHow a site on Bones runs
Plan, design, build and launch, with optional support after launch. A static website follows a shorter path: a brief, the design and build, then launch.
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Structural Strategy
We agree what the site covers and how it fits together, and write it up as your Structural Blueprint. About Structural Strategy.
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Scope and price
We turn the Blueprint into fixed deliverables, a price and a timeline. Nothing is charged until you agree the estimate.
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Design and build
The pages are designed around the agreed structure and your brand, and built on Bones 8.0. About Bones Implementation.
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QA and launch
We test and deploy, then check the live site and its structured data.
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Handover and support
You get the documentation. Optional retained support is available from £149 a month.
Is it right for you?
A good fit if
- your current site is hard to update or no longer reflects what you do
- you are launching a new business, service or brand
- you are moving away from an outdated CMS, theme or plugin stack
- you want one agreed structure behind every page
Probably not, if
- you want to edit every page yourself in a CMS; our static sites are updated by us
- you want to start designing before the structure is agreed
- you need Bones 9 now; it is being rebuilt on Laravel and is not yet generally available
Already have a website?
You may not need a new one. The Structural Audit reviews your current site and tells you whether it needs a redesign, a rebuild or a structural fix. It is a fixed fee of £2,500 and takes 2–4 weeks.
If your main concern is being found in search and AI answers, start with the AI Visibility Audit. See all prices on the pricing page.
FAQ
Common questions
Short answers to what clients ask us most. Anything else, just ask.
Ask a question
Do you use templates or WordPress themes?
No. Smaller sites are designed for you and hand-coded in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Larger sites are built on Bones, the web platform by DBETA. Neither uses a theme, page builder or plugin stack.
How much does a website cost?
A static website starts from £1,200 + VAT, with the scope agreed in a short brief. A larger site built on Bones starts from £12,500 + VAT and begins with a Structural Blueprint at £6,500 + VAT, which is credited in full against the build if it starts within 6 months. For an existing site, the Structural Audit is £2,500 + VAT. Prices are fixed and agreed before work starts.
How long does it take?
A static website usually takes 2–4 weeks. For a site on Bones, the Structural Blueprint takes 3–5 weeks and the build then takes 8–14 weeks, depending on scope.
Can you redesign our existing website?
Yes. For an existing site, the Structural Audit reviews what you have and maps it against a clearer structure, so we can tell you whether it needs a redesign, a rebuild or a structural fix.
Will our new website rank on Google or appear in AI answers?
Sites on Bones generate structured data, AIDI files, sitemaps and llms.txt from your content, which helps search engines and AI tools read them. We do not guarantee rankings or citations.
Who owns the website?
Your content and data belong to you, and we document everything we build. Bones itself remains DBETA’s proprietary platform; the terms for using it on your site are set out in your agreement.
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