# A WordPress agency that builds fully custom — no page builders. > A UK WordPress development agency building fully custom WordPress — hand-coded themes, no page builders, no off-the-shelf themes. Fast, editable, 90+ Core Web Vitals. Hire WordPress developers who build properly. URL: https://www.smartastudio.com/services/wordpress-development **WordPress Development** Hand-coded WordPress themes, real performance, and content your team can actually manage — not a pile of plugins and a bought theme. WordPress powers a huge share of the web, but most of it is templates and plugins stacked until it crawls. We do not work that way. Every build is a bespoke theme in clean code — Tailwind and GSAP on the front, ACF-structured content behind — tuned to 90+ Core Web Vitals. No Elementor. No off-the-shelf themes. _We have rebuilt WordPress platforms that load 4x faster and cut admin time by 65%._ - **90+** — Core Web Vitals scores we build to - **Fully custom** — Hand-coded themes, no page builders - **Nantwich, UK** — Where we design and build ## Three ways we work with WordPress. Whether you want a bespoke build, a rescue from a slow plugin-heavy site, or a partner to run WordPress properly — this is where we come in. - Build — bespoke, hand-coded WordPress themes (no page builders) - Migrate — rescue a slow, plugin-heavy site and rebuild it properly - Optimise & run — speed, security and maintenance for an existing site ## Custom WordPress, built the right way. - **Fully custom, no page builders** — Every theme is hand-coded to the design — no Elementor, no bought theme, no bloat. Clean markup you own and can extend. - **Performance is engineered in** — We build to 90+ Lighthouse and green Core Web Vitals — the opposite of the slow, plugin-laden WordPress most people have suffered. - **Content your team can manage** — ACF-structured fields and a tidy editor mean your team updates pages confidently — no fear of breaking the layout. - **A small, senior team** — You work with the people building it. No account-management layer, no offshoring, no hand-off to juniors — senior hands throughout. ## A WordPress build, done properly. Every engagement ships the same standard of work — the tangible things you keep. - **A bespoke custom theme** — Hand-coded to your design in clean PHP, Tailwind and GSAP — no page builder, no off-the-shelf theme. - **Core Web Vitals in the green** — We build to 90+ Lighthouse and green field-data. Fast WordPress is a decision, not luck. - **A content model with ACF** — Advanced Custom Fields set up so editors change content safely — structured, labelled, hard to break. - **WooCommerce when you sell** — A custom WooCommerce build for stores that need to convert — checkout tuned, not bolted on. - **Security and maintenance done right** — Sensible hardening, updates and backups — WordPress kept fast and safe, not left to rot. - **A clean handover** — Documented, sensible code and a tidy admin your next developer will thank us for. ## How we work: Audit, Design, Build, Run. A clear path from goal to launch — and beyond. The same method behind every SmartaStudio build. ### Audit Duration: Week 1 - We start with what the site has to achieve, what exists today, and where the technical and content gaps are. - For rescues: we map the plugins, the bloat and the URLs, and plan a clean rebuild that keeps your rankings. You get: A clear scope, sitemap and technical plan. ### Design Duration: Weeks 2–4 - A bespoke design system and page designs in Figma, specced with motion — signed off before a line of theme code is written. You get: Art-directed designs and a component system. ### Build Duration: Weeks 4–10 - A hand-coded custom theme: clean PHP, Tailwind and GSAP, ACF-structured content, measured against Core Web Vitals. You get: A fast, editable, fully custom WordPress site. ### Run Duration: Ongoing - Launch, then hosting, security, updates and ongoing design & build on retainer — WordPress kept fast and current. You get: A partner who keeps it quick and safe. ## WordPress development at a glance. - **Category:** WordPress development agency (fully custom, no page builders) - **Best for:** Businesses that want the familiarity of WordPress without the bloat — a fast, bespoke, editable site, or a rescue of a slow existing one. - **Typical work:** Custom WordPress themes, WooCommerce stores, plugin-heavy site rescues, multi-site, ACF content models. - **Stack:** WordPress (custom theme, ACF), WooCommerce, Tailwind CSS, GSAP, clean PHP — no page builders, no off-the-shelf themes. - **Proof:** We rebuild WordPress to 90+ Core Web Vitals as standard; recent rebuilds load up to 4x faster with 65% less admin. - **Engagement:** Fixed-scope projects (typically 10–12 weeks) or ongoing build, hosting & maintenance on retainer. Based in Nantwich, UK; £ GBP. ## WordPress development, answered. ### The basics **What makes custom WordPress different from a normal WordPress site?** Most WordPress sites are a bought theme plus a stack of plugins, which is why so many are slow and awkward to edit. We hand-code a bespoke theme to your design, use Advanced Custom Fields for structured content, and keep the plugin count low — so the site is fast, clean and yours. **Do you use Elementor or other page builders?** No. Page builders add weight and lock you in. We build custom themes in clean code, which is faster, more flexible and easier to maintain — while still giving your team an editor they can use confidently. **Can you build a WooCommerce store?** Yes. We build custom WooCommerce stores tuned to convert — a considered checkout and product experience, not a default theme with the shop bolted on. ### Working with us **Can you rescue or rebuild our slow WordPress site?** Yes. We audit the plugins and the bloat, rebuild on a clean custom theme, and keep your URLs and rankings intact. We measure speed before and after — recent rebuilds have loaded up to 4x faster. **Do you handle hosting and maintenance?** Yes. We offer hosting, security hardening, updates and backups, plus ongoing design and build on retainer, so WordPress stays fast and safe rather than drifting. **How much does a WordPress project cost?** Marketing sites typically start around £4,000–£8,000 +VAT; WooCommerce and larger builds run higher depending on scope. We scope every project properly before quoting. All prices in £ GBP. ## Got a WordPress project in mind? Tell us what you are building — or what needs rescuing. We will tell you the right way to build it on WordPress, honestly and in plain English.