Getting Started
How much does a website cost with The Bigger Pixel?
Most of our projects sit between R35,000 and R80,000, scoped to a fixed price after a discovery call so there are no surprise invoices. Small brochure sites start around R25,000; large custom builds with bespoke functionality run R120,000 and up. E-commerce and booking systems are quoted separately based on scope.
How long does a typical project take from brief to launch?
A standard website runs 6 to 10 weeks: one week of discovery and wireframes, two to three weeks of design, two to three weeks of development, and a final week for content, QA, training, and launch. E-commerce, membership sites, and custom booking systems typically take 10 to 16 weeks.
What is your process from brief to launch?
Discovery call → written proposal → 50% deposit → discovery workshop → wireframes → visual design → development → content population → QA and testing → training → launch → 30 days of post-launch support included. You get progress check-ins at every phase and clear approval points before we move forward.
Do you take a deposit before starting?
Yes. Projects start on a 50% deposit, with the balance due at launch. Larger projects can be broken into three payments: 40% start, 40% at design sign-off, 20% at launch. All terms are set out in a written proposal before any work begins.
What information do you need to give me a quote?
A rough page count, whether you need e-commerce or booking functionality, whether you have brand assets and copy ready, your target launch date, and any sites you admire. We usually book a 30-minute discovery call to scope properly before quoting — most quotes are back within 2 to 3 working days.
Web Design
Do you design custom websites or use templates?
Every website we design is custom to your brand — bespoke layouts, custom typography, and design decisions specific to your business. We do not resell marketplace themes or template packs. If a template genuinely fits your brief, we will tell you and save you the design fee.
Do you design responsive websites that work on mobile?
Every site we design is fully responsive from day one — desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts are treated as first-class, not afterthoughts. We test on real iOS and Android devices before launch, not just browser emulators.
Can I request revisions during the design process?
Yes. Our design process includes two rounds of revisions at wireframe stage and two at high-fidelity design stage. Feedback is captured in one place and turned around within 2 to 3 working days so the project keeps momentum.
Do you provide the design files afterwards?
Yes. On request we hand over the working Figma files at project close. You own the design outright and can take them to another agency if you ever choose to move.
What if I do not have brand guidelines yet?
We can develop brand elements as part of the project — colour palette, typography system, and design language — enough to make the website coherent. For a full brand identity build we partner with brand studios we trust and can introduce you.
Web Development
Do you use page builders or hand-code websites?
Both, depending on the project. We build custom WordPress themes coded from scratch for larger and more complex sites; we use Elementor Pro or Gutenberg for sites where content editing flexibility matters more than pixel-perfect control. Every project is scoped honestly to which approach fits best.
Which CMS do you build on?
WordPress is our primary platform — we have been building on it since 2010. We also work in Next.js and headless architectures for projects that need it. We do not build on Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or other closed platforms as our default.
Can you integrate my website with third-party tools?
Yes. We build custom integrations to HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Xero, Sage, PayFast, Yoco, Stripe, Google Calendar, Mailchimp, and any other platform with a documented API. If it has an API, we can connect to it.
What if I need custom functionality no plugin offers?
We build custom WordPress plugins for functionality generic plugins cannot deliver — booking systems, quoting engines, multi-vendor marketplaces, API middleware, and internal admin tools. Full source code ownership, no licensing fees, no vendor lock-in.
Do I own the code and content of my website?
Yes, absolutely. On final payment you own everything — the design files, the code, the content, and the database. No licensing, no monthly code fees, no lock-in. If you ever move to another agency, everything comes with you.
E-commerce & WooCommerce
Which payment gateways can you integrate?
For South Africa we regularly integrate PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, Ozow, Stripe, and Netcash. We also support international gateways including PayPal and 2Checkout. Most e-commerce projects support multiple gateways so customers can pick the one they trust.
Which shipping providers do you support?
We integrate The Courier Guy, Aramex, Bob Go (formerly Shiplogic), Fastway, and Pargo directly. Rate lookups, waybill generation, and tracking updates can all be automated. For custom couriers or store pickups we build tailored logic.
Can you sync my stock with my accounting system?
Yes. We routinely sync WooCommerce stock and orders with Xero, Sage One, and QuickBooks. Multi-channel stock management (WooCommerce + Takealot + physical store) is also possible with the right ERP layer.
Can you migrate my existing online store?
Yes. We migrate stores from Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Magento, OpenCart, and legacy custom platforms into WooCommerce. Products, customers, orders, and SEO redirects all come across. Downtime is typically under an hour.
Do you build multi-vendor marketplace stores?
Yes. We build multi-vendor stores using WooCommerce with Dokan or WC Vendors as the base, then customise the vendor dashboards, payout logic, and commission structures to match your business rules.
Hosting & Maintenance
Do I need to buy hosting from you?
No — you can host wherever you prefer. We do offer managed WordPress hosting because it lets us guarantee performance, security, and uptime, and it means one throat to choke when something goes wrong. If you host elsewhere, we will still work with you.
What is included in a maintenance retainer?
Core WordPress and plugin updates, daily off-site backups, uptime monitoring, security scanning, uptime alerts, and a monthly allocation of small change requests (copy tweaks, image swaps, minor design changes). Retainers start from R2,000/month.
How often is my website backed up?
Daily off-site backups on every hosting plan, retained for 30 days, with one-click restore. Weekly full-site snapshots are kept for longer for larger sites and e-commerce stores. Backups are stored on separate infrastructure from the live site.
What happens if my site goes down?
Uptime monitoring pings the site every minute. If it goes down we get alerted immediately and start investigating within business hours (or on our on-call rota for higher-tier plans). Most outages are resolved within 30 minutes.
Can you take over hosting from another provider?
Yes. We migrate sites from Afrihost, Xneelo (Hetzner), 1-grid, WP Engine, SiteGround, GoDaddy, and other hosts regularly. The move is done off-hours with a staging site and a DNS cutover so there is typically no downtime visible to your customers.
Working With Us
Where are you based?
We are based in Linksfield, Johannesburg. Most of our work is done remotely across the Gauteng and greater South Africa client base, with in-person meetings for local clients on request.
Do you work with clients outside of Johannesburg?
Yes. Roughly a third of our client base is outside Gauteng — Cape Town, Durban, Nelspruit, and further afield. We also work with international clients (UK, US, Australia). Everything runs remotely by default and works well.
How do we communicate during the project?
You get a single point of contact (usually Dave) for the duration of the project. Weekly check-in calls plus written progress updates. Feedback and files go through a shared workspace so nothing gets lost in email threads.
What if I want to make changes after launch?
Every project includes 30 days of post-launch support for genuine bugs and small copy tweaks. Larger changes after that are quoted per project or covered by a maintenance retainer.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes, happily. Send us your NDA before the discovery call and we will sign it. For sensitive projects (fintech, health, membership platforms with user data) we work under NDA as standard.
