Frequently Asked Questions

I need a website but it's not exactly a small business. Should I still contact you about my project?
Sure! You can either email us with your idea or you can schedule a free 30 minute consultation and we’ll let you know if we'd be a good fit.

I have some unique needs for my website, are you able to develop custom content?
Yes, we are able to develop custom content and we would love to talk over your specific project needs in our free 30 minute consultation. After the consultation we will provide a quote or estimate based on your needs.

Can you help me edit my existing website that another web firm built?
We wouldn't be able to edit an existing site, however we would be happy to build a new site for you. We've found it's cheaper in most cases to start over than it is to retrofit or complete an existing website. We have this policy so that we can 100% stand behind everything that we craft.

What is your refund policy?
We pride ourselves on our outstanding communication, service, and website design and will always work to make the situation right. We do not offer refunds for any design or development services completed. Most of our clients stay with us for the life of the website but if for any reason you decide you want to take your site to another hosting service and get another company to service the site, we will assist you in making the transition.

What is your termination policy?
We require all sites we build to be hosted through us so we can provide the best care and attention. You will be billed monthly and you can leave any time.

What do your websites cost?
Our most basic websites start at $2,500 + monthly maintenance costs starting at $49/month. Our upper end is around $10,000 + monthly maintenance costs starting at $149/month.

We usually ask for a 50% deposit and the remaining 50% due upon launch, however we can be flexible in working with your specific budget needs. For more detailed information, check out Our Pricing page.

Are there any recurring costs involved with owning a website?
Yes. Many design companies won't mention recurring costs before starting your project. At a minimum, you'll need monthly web hosting and an annual domain name registration. Our website care plans are a single-rate solution which include monthly hosting along with managed maintenance and security to keep everything running smoothly.

What happens after I decide to have my website built by The Grenwoods?
Once you have filled out and sent over a contact form we will reach out by email to schedule your free 30 minute consultation. After your consultation we will prepare a custom quote for your business or organization and send it to you for approval.

If I don’t want to update my own website content, can The Grenwoods do it for me?
Of course! We offer two website maintenance packages that include 30-60 minutes of service per month, including content updates. If you need more time than that we will charge our hourly rate of $90/hr.

How does the payment process work?
After your free 30 minute consultation we will provide you with a custom quote. Upon acceptance of the quote a 50% deposit will be due. Once we have completed your website design and development, the final 50% is collected and your website is then scheduled for launch. If you need a different payment schedule, just let us know and we'll do our best to accomodate!

What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit/debit cards for one-time or recurring payments. Our payment processing is handled by FreshBooks, and we never store payment information outside of their secured system. Under certain circumstances we offer check payments but because of our travel, mail is slow and costly for us to receive.

Do you offer a discount for nonprofit organizations?
Yes, we offer discounted website care packages for nonprofit organizations. We can discuss this more in your free 30 minute consultation.

Do I own my website?
Yes! Most of our clients stay with us for the life of the website but if for any reason you decide you want to take your site to another hosting service and get another company to service the site, we will assist you in making the transition.

Another company says they can build a website much cheaper. Why shouldn’t I use them?
The cost of building a website varies so widely in the market, we agree it can get confusing. The cheapest websites are typically built using a relatively generic template that is not generally compatible with custom features. Our experience with templates is that you always want to customize them more than you’re able to. Also, you will most likely not get help with keeping your site properly updated which can lead to a broken site or a security breach.

I've received quotes that are much higher than your prices. How are you able to offer lower prices?
Websites come in all shapes and sizes, just like cars. You'll find quotes ranging from a few hundred dollars all the way up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our websites are designed to be a balance of features and price for small businesses. We've been able to keep our prices low by reducing overhead and streamlining our process. Our finished websites often exceed the quality of agencies charging much more than us.

How long does it take to build a site?
After we have had a chance to talk over your website needs in your free 30 minute consultation, and you have signed off on our custom quote, it should take 3-5 weeks for us to design and build a typical, small scale website of up to 7 pages. The most time consuming phase of any web project is collecting and writing the content so if a quick turnaround time is important we can talk over ways to speed up the process.

This is my first time purchasing a website. Will you help walk me through the whole process?
Of course! We will guide you through each phase of the project answering any questions you may have along the way. The last thing we want is for you to be uncomfortable or overwhelmed. When you are ready to start, the first step is scheduling a free 30 minute consultation.

Do I need to have all my content prepared prior to contacting you?
No, we can get started by using placeholder content while you work towards completing your content. We'll even provide you with a content outline to follow to make things easier. This gives you guidance on the type of text and images that would perform best on your website.

Does The Grenwoods offer copywriting services?
Not directly, however, we offer guidance in the way of helping to build your sitemap and the structure of your website in the planning stages. This allows us to provide you with a fairly clear road map as to what content is left for you to provide. The writing and gathering of content is usually what takes the longest in building a new website so we do our best to keep the process organized and flowing in the right direction.

What kind of businesses do you work with?
We most often work with small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations. We have developed websites across many business industries including travel, healthcare, technology, food, apparel, publishing, arts, festivals and more.

Where are you located and can you work from a distance?
Absolutely we can work from a distance! We're great at communicating via phone and email and our clients come from all over the United States.

As far as where we’re located, that’s a harder question to answer since we are digital nomads traveling around the United States full time. While that may sound a tad unreliable at first, we assure you that we are focused, seasoned web designers who highly value the relationships we build with our clients.

We are available by phone, email and text during normal business hours Monday-Friday.

Are your designs pre-made templates?
No. We handcraft every website to the exact needs of each client. However, we reuse certain components between clients because we feel it's the best solution, not because it's easier.

I keep seeing the term "responsive web design". What does this mean?
Responsive web design is a technique used to build a website that adapts its layout to fit the size of any device. Instead of having to build an additional website for mobile devices, you can lower initial costs by only needing a single website. Responsive design ensures that your website works well on a wide variety of screen sizes, from smartphones and tablets to small and large desktop monitors.

Are your sites mobile-friendly?
Yes. Many of our clients see a majority of their traffic from mobile phones. Every website we build is mobile-friendly and we put an emphasis on making sure the website experience is complimentary across devices.

Can you help me source photos for my website?
Absolutely! Photography is a huge part of your site’s design and we would love to help you find and purchase stock photos that compliment your brand and help tell your story. We will include a quote for this service after we have gone over your website needs in your free 30 minute consultation.

How many design revisions do you allow for?
Every website we build includes two rounds of revisions. This means you will have the chance to review and make changes to your site during the design phase and again before launch. We ask that you give us a comprehensive list of changes each time to make the process quick and smooth.

Who will I work with during the project?
This is a great question to ask and you should ask it of any web design firm you are considering. Many agencies will send work out to freelancers or interns and give little or no access to clients who want to speak directly with their designers or developers. Our clients work directly with our tight knit crew of 2 - us! You will either be working with Paul or Maria Grenwood, depending on your project needs and what stage of the process you are at.

Do your websites include content management system (CMS) software?
Yes. We exclusively use WordPress, the leading CMS currently in use on the internet. We also use a visual page builder that makes updates by us, or you, even easier.

Will I be able to make changes to the site after it is completed?
Yes. We use WordPress to build our sites and this powerful content management system allows anyone with good computer skills to make changes to their own website. Above this, we have installed a visual page builder to make the process even easier. We are also available to make changes for you, if you don’t have time or you need more complex changes.

If I don’t want to update my own website content, can The Grenwoods do it for me?
Of course! We offer two website maintenance packages that include 30-60 minutes of service per month, including content updates. If you need more time than that we will charge our hourly rate of $90/hr.

What happens if my site is inaccessible or displays incorrectly?
Contact us immediately. We can almost always resolve the issue with a single phone call or email.

Do you charge for technical support?
No, we offer free technical support to keep your site up and running at it’s best. We take care of all hosting concerns keeping your site updated and secure at all times. If you make a mistake or break the site while trying to make edits, just give us a call and we’ll restore your site to the most recent daily backup.

What happens if I have problems using the visual page builder to make edits to my site?
If you run into limits with what edits you are able to make on your own you can always call us to help. Our Standard and Premium Care Plans include 30-60 minutes of service per month for these types of requests. With the Lite Care Plan you would be charged $90/hr for us to make any content or design changes after the site is live.

How long does it take for someone to respond to an email?
We prioritize service needs by the Care Plan you have. We try our best to respond to all emails the same day but we can only guarantee this for those on our Premium Plan.
If you have an emergency, we recommend texting or calling us.

We are available by phone, email and text during normal business hours Monday-Friday.

What is web hosting?
In it's most basic form - web hosting refers to the server (computer) which responds to requests to view your website. Any time you visit a website, there is another computer somewhere in the world you connect to in order to view it. Just like computers can have different software & features installed, so can your hosting environment.

Do I need web hosting?
Yes. This is what makes your website accessible through the internet.

Do you offer website hosting services?
Yes. Fully-managed web hosting is included with all of our Website Care Plans. Simply put, we take care of everything for you.

Do you offer email accounts with your web hosting?
No, but for very good reason. Most web hosts that bundle email service into web hosting give you a barebones email system. There often isn't spam controls or fraud and virus protection and you're given a very limited amount of storage space. We recommend both G Suite by Google and Microsoft Office 365 as they provide a level of service almost nobody can match.

What is a domain name?
A domain name is a memorable phrase used to access your website, often "yourbusinessname.com". Every computer connected to the Internet has a long string of unique numbers used to identify itself called an "IP address". Without a domain name, you would need to remember the IP address in order to view a website.

How do I purchase a domain name?
If you don't have a domain name, we can purchase and register one on your behalf at no additional charge. The cost of domain names varies widely so we ask that our clients pay for the purchase of the name itself. We will automatically renew your domain for you annually for free.

What is WordPress?
WordPress is a website creation tool and a powerful website content management system. For the websites we create, WordPress enables website owners to easily and quickly make updates on the backend of the website.

What is a CMS?
A CMS is a content management system, or web application, that enables website owners to add pages to, edit pages, and manage a website. Essentially, it’s the backend of the website where updates can be made and content can be added or deleted.

Will I be able to make changes to the site after it is completed?
Yes. We use WordPress to build our sites and this powerful content management system allows anyone with good computer skills to make changes to their own website. Above this, we have installed a visual page builder to make the process even easier. We are also available to make changes for you, if you don’t have time or you need more complex changes.

We will provide documentation and videos that walk you through how to make basic edits. We also offer a complimentary 30 minute training call to all customers that feel more comfortable with an interactive demonstration from one of us.

Why use WordPress?
WordPress is currently the leading CMS in use on the internet. The top 100 blogs and websites in the U.S. use WordPress and about 20% of all websites worldwide use it as well. With such a large community of WordPress users, there is also a large developer community for WP. In addition to the support community availability and the wide variety of plug-in options out there, WordPress is also an open source content management system so you don’t need to rely on a developer to update the site.