Why Choose Groundwork Digital?
Professional websites without the agency price tag or DIY headaches
Professional websites without the agency price tag or DIY headaches
When it comes to getting a website for your small business, you've got three main options: hire a big agency, do it yourself with a website builder, or work with a specialist like Groundwork Digital. Let's break down the differences honestly.
We get asked this a lot. Here's the honest answer.
I'm Connor, a sole trader in Titirangi. No agency, no staff, no fancy office. Just me and my computer.
Low overheads = low prices.
Your website isn't meant to impress marketing executives. It's meant to help customers find you on Google and understand what you do. That's it.
Simple sites are faster to build, cheaper to host, and don't break.
Unlike Squarespace where everything is bundled (at $30-60 NZD/month forever), I build the website and you handle the hosting setup.
It's easy - I walk you through every step. But that's why there's no ongoing fee.
| Feature | Groundwork Digital | Big Agencies | DIY Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Range (NZD) | $550+ | $5,000 - $20,000+ | $25-60/month (ongoing) |
| You Own Everything | ✓ Yes | Usually | ✗ No (locked in) |
| Ongoing Costs | None (optional updates) | Often required | Required monthly fee |
| Custom Design | ✓ Fully custom | ✓ Fully custom | Template-based |
| Timeline | 1-3 weeks | 4-12 weeks | Varies (DIY) |
| Direct Contact | ✓ Yes (Connor) | Account managers | Support tickets |
| SEO Included | ✓ Yes | Sometimes extra | Basic only |
| Mobile Responsive | ✓ Always | ✓ Always | ✓ Usually |
| Free Hosting | ✓ Yes (most sites) | Extra cost | Included (locked in) |
| Technical Knowledge Required | ✗ None | ✗ None | Some required |
| Best For | Tradies & small businesses | Large companies | Hobbyists, blogs |
Bottom line: If you're a small business or tradie looking for a professional website without the agency price tag, Groundwork Digital is your best choice.
Cost comparison (NZD): Wix/Squarespace at $40/month = $480/year = $2,400 over 5 years. Our single-page website is $550 + GST one-time. You save money AND own it outright.
Reality check: Most tradies and small business owners don't have time to learn website builders. Hours spent building a website = hours not earning money in your actual business. Let us handle it.
We understand your industry. No jargon, no BS—just straightforward web design for hardworking businesses.
Locally owned and operated in Titirangi, Auckland. Supporting Kiwi small businesses. No outsourcing.
Pay once, own forever. No mandatory monthly fees. Updates are optional and affordable—only pay when you need changes.
Most websites completed in 1-3 weeks. We know you're busy running your business—we move quickly without sacrificing quality.
Work directly with Connor. No account managers, no getting passed around. Direct contact and honest, clear communication.
Clear, upfront pricing. What you're quoted is what you pay. No hidden fees, no surprise invoices, no upselling.
Unlike Squarespace or Wix where hosting is bundled in, we give you more control. Here's how it works.
We design and build your website, then send you the files. You own everything outright.
We recommend a free hosting service that handles around 100 form submissions per month. The process is simple - we walk you through every step, or we can do it for you.
Once live, you manage your own hosting. That's why there's no ongoing management fee. If issues arise (unlikely with these simple sites), the hosting provider has excellent support.
If you already own a domain (through Google, GoDaddy, or any registrar), we help you point it to your new website. You keep full control of your domain - we just adjust the settings to point to your hosting. Your emails and everything else stay exactly the same.
If you need a new domain, you purchase it yourself and connect it to your site. Domains cost around $25-40 NZD per year for a .co.nz address. We can recommend where to buy one, but the purchase and any email setup is your responsibility. It's straightforward, and we're happy to give tips.
Go make one - whether or not you buy a website from us. It's the simplest way to have an online presence and reach customers in your area. A website makes it even easier, but start with Google.
Here's what you'll need to handle (with our help):
Your website address (e.g., yourbusiness.co.nz). You buy it, you own it forever. We'll recommend where to get one if you don't have one already.
We use a free hosting service that handles ~100 form submissions per month. Takes about 5 minutes to set up. We can do this with you on a call, or do it for you.
Point your domain to your new site. Sounds technical, but it's just copying a few settings. We can walk you through it or do it for you.
Honestly? There's nothing to manage.
These are simple static websites - no databases, no plugins, no security updates, no software to maintain. Once it's live, it just works.
If you want to update your content down the track, you can either pay us for changes or learn to edit the files yourself. But there's no ongoing maintenance required. What's going to break? Nothing.
Your website is built to your specifications - your colors, your content, your branding. But we keep the process efficient so we can keep costs low.
Before we start, you fill out our intake form with your content, photos, colors, and what you want. The more detail you give us, the closer we get it first time.
We build your draft site. You review and confirm the overall look, structure, and layout. This is where we nail the design direction.
We refine the copy, fix any content issues, and make final design tweaks. After this, we're ready to go live.
We don't do agency-style design reviews where we sit down and go through every detail together. You tell us what you want changed, we make the changes. It's efficient, it's fast, and it keeps your costs down.
Happy to have a conversation if something's unclear - but we're not going back and forth 10 times on button colors. That's how $550 becomes $5,000.
Let's build something great for your business. No BS, no overcharging, just professional web design for tradies and small businesses.
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