Birmingham web development that doesn’t turn into a plugin zoo
Custom WordPress, Shopify, and React / Next.js builds for Birmingham businesses. Clean code, fast hosting, Core Web Vitals properly. Project-based.
Plugin bloat is killing most Birmingham WordPress sites
The typical Birmingham small business WordPress site was built on Elementor, Divi, or WPBakery, had 20 plugins bolted on over two years, and now scores 32 on mobile PageSpeed. Hosting is cheap and oversold. Images aren’t optimised. Database is full of transients that nobody has ever cleaned up.
We build the opposite way. Custom PHP themes (not page builders). Vetted plugins only, fewer than 10 per site usually. VPS hosting we manage directly. Images compressed at upload. Proper caching. CDN where it matters. Sites score 90+ on mobile PageSpeed Insights at launch and stay there.
For Birmingham ecom, Shopify is usually the right call now. Custom WooCommerce rarely makes sense. For apps and performance-critical sites, Next.js on Vercel or our own infrastructure.
Stacks
WordPress
Custom PHP themes. ACF, not Elementor. Our own Signal SEO Command Center plugin. Hosted on UK-based VPS.
Shopify
Custom theme work, Liquid, section extensions, app integration. Proper theme architecture.
React / Next.js
Custom apps, headless builds, marketing sites where performance is critical. On our infra or Vercel.
What we’ve built
Olympian Health is a custom Shopify build. David Rozman’s backend booking system is a custom WordPress extension with real business logic. Our own signal.marketing runs three custom WordPress plugins we built ourselves.
For Birmingham clients we’ve shipped everything from single-page marketing sites to custom Shopify builds to full internal tools on Next.js. Stack matches the job.
Typical timelines
- Simple WordPress (5-10 pages): 3-5 weeks
- Shopify theme: 4-8 weeks
- Complex WordPress (custom post types, integrations): 6-10 weeks
- Custom Next.js app: 10-20+ weeks
FAQs
Do you host?
Yes for WordPress. UK-based VPS we manage. Faster and often cheaper than managed WP hosts.
Can you fix my existing site?
Sometimes. Custom WordPress: usually yes. 40-plugin builder site: usually cheaper to rebuild.
What about ongoing maintenance?
Optional retainer: updates, backups, security, monitoring, small content changes.
Do you integrate with Klaviyo, HubSpot, Salesforce?
Yes — most common stacks. Depends on scope.
Do you design too?
Yes via Website Design, or from your existing Figma.
“Flawless design. Delivered quicker than I expected.”
— Reece King, verified Trustpilot review
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Let’s chat
Tell us what you’ve got and what you want. Realistic scope and timeline back in 48 hours.
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