Website Maintenance - Terms and Conditions

Website Maintenance Services Terms & Conditions

By paying for our monthly maintenance package, you agree to the following:

Scope of Services

  • Updates: We will apply updates to WordPress plugins and core files once per month on average unless a critical vulnerability is identified. In such cases, updates will generally be conducted within 72 hours of the identification of the vulnerability being detected but we can’t guarantee that.
  • Malware Scanning: We will perform daily malware scanning to maintain the security and integrity of your website. If the case arises that Malware has been found on the website Kinsta provide a free cleaning service as part of their hosting packages. If for whatever reason they can’t fix the hack we will then endeavour to fix the issue.
  • Uptime Monitoring: We will monitor the uptime of your website every 5 minutes to ensure continuity of service and to provide immediate notification in the event of site downtime. If the site goes down we will liaise with the web host to get the website back up.
  • Daily Backups: We will perform daily backups of your website to ensure a recent and functional version can be restored in the event of critical issues or data loss. Backups are kept for 30 days only.

Fees and Payment

The cost for our maintenance package is £99 plus VAT per month, payable in advance. Payments are due on receipt of the invoice. Additional development or changes beyond the scope of our Services will be performed on an ad-hoc basis at a rate of £400 per day plus VAT.

Support Hours

Maintenance support is provided from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (UK Time), Monday through Friday. We do not provide support outside of these hours or on weekends.

Termination

You are free to cancel the maintenance service at any point.

Confidentiality

Both parties agree to keep all knowledge and information concerning the other’s business confidential.

Limitation of Liability

We can’t guarantee uptime or that the site won’t be compromised at any point during the maintenance period.  We also can’t be liable to you or any third party for damages, including lost profits, lost savings or other incidental, consequential or special damages arising out of the operation of or inability to operate this web site and any other web pages, even if you have advised us of the possibilities of such damages.

Governing Law and Venue

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of English and Welsh courts. Any disputes arising out of these terms and conditions shall be settled under exclusive jurisdiction of English and Welsh courts.

Website Downtime Protocol

In the event of website downtime, the following process will be adhered to:Upon detection of website downtime, we will first determine the nature of the problem based on the HTTP error code presented.

  • Website Issues: If the HTTP error code indicates that the issue is with the website (such as error codes 4xx and 5xx), we will promptly start troubleshooting and attempt to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The actual resolution time may vary depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
  • Hosting Issues: If the HTTP error code suggests that the issue is with the hosting (such as error codes 2xx and 3xx), the responsibility of resolving the issue rests with your web host. In such cases, you will need to liaise with your web host to rectify the problem. We will provide guidance on how to communicate the problem to your web host, but we cannot directly intervene in these situations.

Please note that while we strive to provide as much assistance as possible, we are not responsible for problems arising from third-party services, including but not limited to, your web hosting provider.

WordPress and Plugin Updates

In the course of maintaining your website, updates to WordPress core files and plugins will be required. While these updates are crucial for the functionality, security, and performance of your website, there may be occasions where such updates may cause issues or disruptions. This can include minor functionality issues or in rare cases, it may temporarily break the website.Upon detection of such an issue, we will take one of the following courses of action:

  • Roll back to the previous, stable version of WordPress or the relevant plugin(s).
  • Contact the plugin author or the WordPress support community to resolve the issue.

However, we must stress that the timeframes for resolution cannot be guaranteed, as this often involves liaising with third-party software providers who operate on their own schedules. As such, we cannot be held responsible for the delays caused due to third-party response times.

By purchasing our maintenance packages, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. If you do not agree with these terms and conditions, you should not purchase our maintenance packages.

Please note that these terms and conditions are subject to change without notice, and the continued use of our Services following any changes signifies your acceptance of those changes.

Who I work with

I've worked with a wide range of clients, from small businesses to large corporations. My expertise in creating custom websites has made me a sought-after freelance web designer. I have a knack for understanding client needs and translating them into functional, aesthetically pleasing websites. My portfolio showcases my versatility and ability to adapt to different industries and project requirements.

I also collaborate with web design agencies, offering white-label services that can be more advantageous than hiring larger firms.

01

Startups

I work with startups who are just finding their feet to launch them into the digital space. I’m a believer in building relationships and look for companies who I can work with long term.

02

Companies

If you already have an existing website you feel could be improved, I’d love to hear from you. I work with established companies of all sizes to provide them with creative digital solutions.

03

Agencies

I work with agencies on a white label basis to provide them with both website design and website development. If you’re looking for a freelancer to help extend your services please get in touch.

Freelance Web Designer FAQ

  • Why hire a Freelance Web Designer?
    Hiring a freelance web designer is often cheaper than going to an agency because they have less overheads. They are also usually more responsive as the client will always have direct contact with the freelance at all times. A Freelance Web Designer will usually specialise in a few different skillsets and can help you build whatever you are looking for from small brochure sites to full eCommerce builds.

  • How much does it cost to hire a Freelance Web Designer?
    All freelance web designers will charge for projects slightly differently. I charge on a per project basis, so I would ask you to send me a brief outlining your requirements. That way I can see if we'll be a good fit and if I believe I have the skills needed to bring your project to life. I can say that my prices for bespoke design & development typically start at around the £2,500 + VAT figure.

  • What's your payment schedule?

    So I usually break the project into two payments. The first 50% is paid upfront as an initial kick off invoice. The remaining 50% is paid when no more changes are required on the development server and the site is ready to go live.

  • How long will my website take?
    Every Web Design Project will be broken down into various parts with a typical brochure site taking around 6 - 8 weeks from start to finish. A more complicated build or something eCommere based could be anywhere from 8 - 20 weeks depending on the size and how complex it is. For a rough breakdown of an average timeline please see the below table:
    Research & Initial Meetings Week 1
    Concept / Design stage Weeks 2 - 4
    Development Stage Weeks 4 - 5
    Testing / QA Stage Weeks 6 - 7
    Launch Weeks 8

  • What do I need to get started?

    For the best possible start to your project it's always best that you have everything you need to hit the ground running. It's not a deal breaker if you don't have these ready it can just make things take slightly longer.

    • Branding - I'll ask you to supply any brand guidelines you have before we begin. If you dont have any that's not a problem, simply supplying your logo in an SVG format will suffice.
    • Photography - If you have an image library I'll ask to access to this, again if you don't have this we can look at sourcing images for you from stock libraries like Shutterstock or Unsplash.
    • Content If you have already planned out your content with sitemaps and corresponding documents outlining all the content that goes on each page, fantastic! If not, I will ask for a rough content plan so we know what needs to go on each page and then we can fill the pages with placeholder 'lorem ipsum' until you have written the content.

  • I've already got a web designer, can you do web development only?

    Yes. If you already have a web designer on board and are looking for a web developer to bring it to life then feel free to get in touch. My only requirement is that the designer you choose will need to be able to supply me with hand over files in a modern format such as, XD, Sketch, Figma or anything that's larger used for web design.

  • I already have a web developer, can you do web design only?

    Yes. I can supply your developers with full hand over documentation using InVision and design the vast majority of my sites using Sketch or Figma. This means that your developers will be able to export all the assets they require in an SVG format which means the site will look crisp across multiple devices / screens.

  • I have purchased a premium theme can you edit it for me?
    While a premium theme can be a great starting point, it's not always the best solution for every project. A lot of times they can be restrictive, difficult to customise and don't always offer the best or most up-to-date design trends. In most cases, I would recommend starting with a blank canvas and building your site from the ground up. This will ensure that your site is truly unique and reflects your brand and business exactly how you want it to.

    If you're interested in working with a freelance web designer, get in touch today for a free consultation. We can discuss your project in more detail, outline a proposal and provide you with an estimate of costs

  • I've got an existing site and I would like to make a few edits can you help?
    Unfortunately, I don't work on existing websites. This is because every project is unique and requires a bespoke approach to achieve the best possible results. Creating a new website from scratch will allow me to take into account your brand, business and target audience, resulting in a site that not only looks good but also functions perfectly for you and your visitors. If you're interested in working with a freelance web designer, get in touch today for a free consultation. We can discuss your project in more detail, outline a proposal and provide you with an estimate of costs.

  • Will I be able to edit my website once completed?
    Yes. I'm an advocate for content management systems (CMS). Using a CMS like WordPress means that you will be able to easily edit your website yourself with ease, without the need for any programming knowledge, by adding/editing pages and blog posts, etc. A training session will also be offered to make sure that you are comfortable updating your website.

  • Will my website be Search Engine Friendly?
    Yes. I always make sure that my websites are search engine friendly and follow all the latest best practices. I also pay close attention to Google's Core Web Vitals to make sure the website is as fast as possible, this includes modern coding practices like using WebP/SVG imagery and if using a CMS caching plugins will be utilised to again improve the performance.

  • Do you provide web hosting?
    While I don't offer web hosting directly, I do work with a couple of chosen providers whom I have worked with for the last 10 years. They are Nimbus Hosting and Kinsta, neither of these is cheap but with web hosting you get what you pay for. If you want a site that's secure, scalable and fast then you need to pay for a host that can offer you that.

  • What Content Management System do you use?
    As a web designer I often use WordPress to power the majority of my websites. Clients often like to use this as it's open source (meaning it doesn't require an expensive yearly licence to use) and it's very easy to use. I do work with other PHP based CMS's such as Craft & Perch.

  • I've been told that WordPress isn't very secure, is this true?
    I often compare this to the Windows vs Mac argument from several years ago where Apple were proudly boasting that "Mac's don't get viruses" the reality of this is fairly obvious when you think about it. Windows had a massive market share compared to Apple at the time so the hackers were focusing their efforts on this because they could target a larger audience. Things have changed since then and at the last open tally the latest version of OS has more open vunertabilities than the latest version of windows. So what does this have to do with WordPress? Well WordPress powers approximately 40% of the web and has the largest market share by a huge amount. WordPress itself isn't inhereintly unsecure, but when you pair things such as weak passwords, bad web hosting and not keeping the plugins/core files up to date then it's a recipe to get hacked. The truth is that any website that has a database/public facing login is at risk of being hacked if proper security precautions aren't followed. If you want your website to be as secure as humanly possible then consider ditching a CMS altogether and going for a flat file build.

  • What size companies do you produce web designs for?
    I enjoy working with a wide range of companies and individuals, and I bring the same skills to my work for small clients that I do for larger ones. I'm just as interested in working with small businesses as I am are big ones, and because I'm a local business, I have an edge when it comes to meeting the demands of developing organizations.

  • Do you work internationally?
    I have worked on projects with companies and individuals all over the world and I'm always open to new opportunities. I have a good understanding of the web design process and what it takes to deliver a project on time, so whether you're in the UK, US, Europe or Asia, I can work with you. If you'd like to work with me on your next project you can get in touch here.

  • Why 'The Lonely Pixel'?
    I opted to use a brand rather than my name to set myself apart from the competition. The majority of other freelance web designers just use their names. I can't honestly say why the name Lonely Pixel jumped out at me but after many domain searches it was the only one that stuck!

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