Why maintenance matters
A website is not finished at launch. Software needs updating, security certificates renew, plugins develop vulnerabilities, and prices, photos and opening hours go out of date. Left alone, a site slowly breaks: first a contact form stops sending, then a plugin conflict takes a page down, then the site is hacked through an update nobody installed. Our care plans keep it healthy so you can get on with running the business.
Good web hosting is the foundation. A cheap shared server crowded with thousands of other sites will be slower, less reliable and harder to recover when something goes wrong.
Who it is for locally
We look after sites for local businesses across Colchester Essex that do not have a developer on the team and do not want to think about servers:
- Cafes, pubs and shops in the town centre that need menus, events and opening hours changed quickly
- Trades on the Stanway and Tollgate estates, where the website is a lead source and downtime means lost calls
- Seasonal businesses on Mersea Island and the coast, which need banners and booking details updated before each season, as covered in our post on seasonal websites for coast and country
- Online shops where a broken checkout costs money by the hour, especially those we built through our ecommerce websites service
What a care plan includes
- Managed web hosting on fast infrastructure with a global content network, so pages load quickly in Colchester and further afield
- SSL certificates installed and renewed automatically
- Security and software updates for WordPress, themes and plugins, tested before they go live
- Daily backups kept off-site, with restores when needed
- Uptime monitoring so we know if the site goes down, usually before you do
- Small content changes each month, such as new prices, photos or a seasonal banner
- A quarterly check on speed, broken links, form delivery and search errors
Plans compared
The right level depends on how much your website does for the business. These are the typical tiers; we confirm the details and pricing after a quick look at your site.
| Essential | Standard | Priority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managed hosting and SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Software and security updates | Monthly | Weekly | Weekly, plus urgent patches same day |
| Off-site backups | Daily | Daily | Daily, longer retention |
| Uptime monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes, with faster response |
| Small content changes | Occasional | A set amount each month | A larger allowance each month |
| Health check | Twice a year | Quarterly | Monthly, with a short report |
| Best for | Brochure sites that rarely change | Most small-business sites | Shops and sites that generate most enquiries |
How it works, step by step
- Health check. We review the current site: hosting, software versions, plugins, backups, speed, security warnings and anything already broken.
- Fix list and quote. If we find problems, we explain them in plain English and quote to fix them before we take the site on.
- Migration. We move the site to our hosting, test it on a temporary address, then switch the domain over at a quiet time. Email is checked separately so nothing goes missing.
- Monitoring and updates. From then on, updates, backups and monitoring run on schedule.
- Change requests. You email us what you need changed. Small edits are usually done within a couple of working days.
- Regular review. At each health check we report what we did and flag anything worth considering, such as a slow page or an outdated plugin.
How long it takes
A health check usually takes a few days. Migration for a typical small-business site normally takes one to two weeks from approval, most of which is testing and waiting for domain changes to take effect. A site in poor condition takes longer, because we fix it first.
What drives the cost
Hosting and maintenance pricing for small UK businesses is commonly somewhere between a few tens of pounds and a couple of hundred pounds a month, depending on what is included. The main drivers are:
- Platform: a static site needs far less ongoing work than WordPress with many plugins
- Number of plugins and integrations: each one needs updating and testing
- Traffic and shop features: busy sites and checkouts need more resources and closer watching
- Content change allowance: the biggest variable for most clients
- Response time: faster guaranteed response costs more
Our guide to website costs in Colchester covers how ongoing costs fit into the wider budget.
Common mistakes
- Domain registered in the web designer's name. If they disappear, so does your control. Always own it yourself.
- Backups stored on the same server. If the server fails, the backups go with it.
- Updates switched off "to avoid breaking things". This is how most small sites get hacked.
- Bundled email on cheap hosting. When that hosting has problems, email goes down too. We recommend a separate email provider.
- No one testing the contact form. Forms fail silently. We check delivery as part of every health check.
How we measure success
We judge a care plan by boring, reliable numbers: uptime, the time taken to apply security updates, page speed over time, successful backup restores when tested, and how quickly change requests are completed. You see these in your health check reports.
No lock-in
Plans run month to month. If you want to move, we hand over everything: files, database, domain access and documentation.
Sites we did not build
We take on hosting and maintenance for existing websites too, including older WordPress builds from other web developers. If the site needs more than maintenance, our WordPress development service covers repairs and improvements. Businesses across the area, from Colchester to Wivenhoe, are welcome to ask for a health check.
Questions we get asked
Can I keep my domain name with my current registrar?
Yes. You should always own your domain in your own name. We only need access to point it at the hosting, and we can help move it into an account you control if a previous web designer registered it for you.
What happens if my site goes down?
Uptime monitoring alerts us when the site stops responding. We investigate, restore from backup if needed, and tell you what happened and what we have done to stop it happening again.
Are content changes unlimited?
No. Each plan includes a set amount of time for small changes such as prices, photos, opening hours or a seasonal banner. Larger work, like new pages or features, is quoted separately so there are no surprises.
Do you host sites built on platforms other than WordPress?
We host static and WordPress sites. For hosted platforms such as Shopify, Squarespace or Wix, the platform handles the hosting, but we can still offer maintenance time for updates and changes.
Is there a minimum contract?
No. Plans run month to month. If you want to leave, we hand over your files, database, access and notes so the next team can pick up without delay.