Is your website driving people away rather than attracting business because it is broken?

At We Fix Websites we fix and revamp your broken website and take it from Meh! to Wow! There are some websites out there that are a real mess. Maybe the owner has not bothered to have their outdated information updated. It could be that their web developer has found greener pastures. Either way, there are many outdated websites where links do not work, phone numbers and email addresses do not exist anymore, and outdated technology means the website is not properly visible. We take care of this, for less than you would expect.

You do not always need a complicated website with over-the-top programming and content. Your site can be as simple as this one. It has only one page and very little clicking, tapping, or navigating is required. Simply scroll to find the information you are looking for.

Note that the websites listed here are only ones where existing sites have been redone. For a portfolio of new websites, check out our Andries Oberholzer Consulting portfolio.

What services do we offer?

We focus on revamping existing and neglected websites to make them look modern and appealing. Technology changes rapidly. What was innovative yesterday is boring today. More importantly, things that were not possible a few months ago are now standard, and we use technology and its advantages for our benefit. We will revamp your old website and make it functional again.

Content Writing

The things you don't see

Designing a website is one thing. Making it work is something different. We take care of the technical aspects you cannot see but which are vital for its exposure, such as proper content writing, correct source code, and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

Content Writing

Up-to-date code

We use HTML 5, CSS 3, and PHP to ensure your website's code is in line with industry standards. We test our source code with the W3C to ensure compliance. Sometimes we will use a responsive template to get started, otherwise everything is written from scratch.

Presentation

Sensible presentation

Some websites go overboard with unnecessary gimmicks. We zoom in only on the message you want to convey. Your product or service is the focus, nothing else. We extensively proofread all website content ensuring there are no errors or ambigious messages.

Quick Turnaround

Quick turnaround time

Revamping your website does not have to take weeks. We do it as quickly as you can supply us with the required information so that you can get back on track, promote your product or service, and generate income. There are some projects we quoted for but did not get the contract, that to this day have not been revamped by the other party. It's their loss, not ours.

Affordable Design

Affordable design

We want you to have a website that represents your brand without adding content you do not need, and unnecessary costs you should not have to incur. Over-the-top content does not always add value. Useless plugins are what slow down other websites. This is exactly what we avoid, hence our refusal to use platforms that encourage multiple useless plugins.

Available on all platforms

Available on all platforms

Your website must be available on all platforms – desktop, tablet, or mobile, and in both portrait and landscape mode. We ensure this by only using responsive code and layouts that by default display properly on mobile devices. While we do not use a "mobile first" approach, we understand that it is important to see how the sites we produce are viewed most often, and ensure it works perfectly.


How does the process work?

This is more or less the process we follow:

  1. A client contacts us to assess their website.
  2. We use our resources to test the website and send an overall report to the client, along with an invoice. We render a service and offer our advice, and of course this should be paid for.
  3. Once the client has paid the invoice, we send them a detailed analysis of what is wrong with the code, and how to fix it. The client now has two options:
    • They can fix the errors themselves or give it to their current developer, based on the report and the areas we have pointed out. In this case the website may still look the same, but at least the problem areas have been taken care of; or
    • They can contact us to take over the website and revamp it for them. In this case the entire website is redeveloped. Often code was written so poorly by the previous person in charge that it may be more expensive to try and fix it than to rewrite it. The advantage of the latter is a completely new look and feel.
  4. Should the client decide to use our services, then we will waive the cost of the initial assessment and absorb this as part of the project to revamp the website. If the client has already paid for the report and wants us to do the revamp for them, then we will credit the amount on the invoice for the deposit of the project.
  5. We will now maintain the website for the client for as long as they require our services. We do not always have a long-term SLA (Service Level Agreement) but will perform ad hoc maintenance on the website as and when the client requires it.

What if things go the other way and an existing client wants to get someone else to continue with their website?

This happens, and we do not have a problem with it. It is for this reason that we never exclusively keep the FTP login details. It is their website, and the client is free to choose who works with it. Unless there are outstanding fees payable to us, we will never control access to the FTP server. In the event that there are outstanding fees owed to us but they are not paid, we just write it off.

How are websites the same and how do they differ?

All websites share aspects that are similar to other sites. It's like a car – all cars have four wheels and need the same basics to function. For a website, you need navigation, and navigation is usually at the top of the page. You need a footer, and this is found at the bottom of the page. There's no getting away from this. However, there will be areas where your website is very different from others. It is about making your website stand out, along with the service you render or the product you sell.

Note though that people expect websites to work in a certain way, and find known things in predictable spaces. If your requests are totally out of the ordinary and we feel it will not work, we will tell you.

The most recent revamp projects we have completed for clients

From small to large projects, there are always solutions to help you get up to speed again and make your business stand out. What is our success ratio? Out of every four clients we have contact with maybe two will continue to have their websites revamped. For us is is not about the number of clients we have, but whether they are happy with the work we have done for them and if the new website adds value to their business.

[ Here is some of the most recent work we have done for clients... ]  [ Other projects recently completed for clients... ]

Frequently Asked Questions

We answer your questions here:

Do you use WordPress, Drupal, Squarespace, and the like to speed up development time?

Absolutely not. We will never tie up a client with WordPress and its limitations. In fact, we often rewrite sites to take owners away from the restrictions WordPress has and give them access to their code so that anyone can work with it without needing to learn a new interface. Note that we are not saying WordPress cannot be used to produce a good website, but it requires an understanding of proper development to ensure the process is managed properly.

My business just recently turned down a request by a client to develop their website with WordPress. We simply will not get involved in the typical copy-and-paste environment WordPress and others offer.

[ Here are the reasons why we will not use WordPress. ]

What coding language do you use then?

We use pure HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP, Ajax, and MySql where and when required. Code is verified with the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) before we publish it. In addition, we test your website's structure with recognised SEO testers to ensure it functions optimally. Finally, we register the site with Google through its console to ensure the site is properly indexed. We also use AI to generate compliant code, that would have taken hours to write, in seconds. If this is important to you, we use Brackets and VS Code for writing code, XCode for special tasks, and Pixelmator Pro (Mac) for graphic and photo rendering and editing.

W3C   HTML 5   CSS3   JavaScript   Brackets   PHP   VS Code   Pixelmator Pro   XCode

What else do you do for the client?

It is one thing to put together a website. It is quite something else to ensure it does not operate in a vacuum. We do the following for all clients, in addition to the website itself:

  • Every HTML page is validated with the W3C.
  • Every feedback form is protected with Google's reCAPTCHA V3. [ See our spam-protected contact page... ]
  • Customised 404 pages are created that blend in with the theme of the website. [ See our custiomised error page... ]
  • The entire website is tested for dead links. Every single item on your website needs to be linked to something else. A link must take you to another page or an image, and an image must be contained in a HTML file. The worst thing that can happen is a hyperlink that takes you to a non-existent page.
  • A XML sitemap is created and maintained. If no changes were made to the website in a given month, the XML file is updated monthly. If any changes were made, the XML sitemap is updated at the same time.
  • We create a favicon so that adding a shortcut on the desktop of your device does not just show a letter, but a version of the client's business logo.
  • If the site is hosted on a Linux server running Apache, we ensure that a properly configured .htaccess file is used to manage server-side functionality.
  • Most businesses do not even think of the small print – things like the disclaimer, privacy policy, and terms and conditions. We generate these for the client. However, it is their responsibility to ensure that their businesses function in line with what these documents state.
  • We configure a tracking mechanism to monitor visits to the website.
  • We ensure a very small, but important file is created and uploaded – robots.txt.
  • We test the website for SEO (search engine optimisation) to achieve the best possible score. Anything over 80% is deemed a great result. Currently, our website's score is 90%. Few websites get even close to this.

    Seobility Score für wefixwebsites.co.za
What changes will you make?

Not all websites need a total redesign. It could be that critical meta information is not available. Then we add it and re-index the site. Maybe the standard of the content is poor. We rewrite it. What about redundant information? We remove it. Do you have new products or services? Then we add them.

Do I have to move to another service provider?

No. If you are happy with your current ISP, stay there. If you have reached the end of the road with them, we will suggest a new service provider and arrange to move over your website.

What information do you need from me?

It depends how relevant the current information is. If we can use the text and contact details, we continue with that. It is important that the information we have or that you give us, is accurate. We may ask you to provide login details of the current service provider so that we can access information to be used.

How will the revamped website benefit me?

It will not look like your daughter's boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's brother did the job. Instead, it will look professional and drive business to you.

Is there any continuous maintenance involved?

If your website has been well-designed and all of the information has been supplied, the website should continue well into the future. However, we will keep our eye on the site all the time. Note though that regularly supplying us with updated information is your responsibility.

Who owns the source code?

You do. It is your site and you paid for its development. Once the development has been completed, we send you a copy of the source code in a compressed file. We also send you a PDF document with the entire development history including all the handwritten notes we made, as well as any printed documentation such as login details. We do this as it is important to know when certain things were done and why. You may want to use another developer in future, in which case the PDF document's content may be valuable. We also send you the FTP details so that you, or a new developer, can access the content.

If maintenance is ongoing, we will keep the required FTP server details with us. If no further maintenance is required, we send you the login details and we move on, job done.

What do you do if a client has not paid or refuses to settle their account?

We can either lock the website or write off the amount and move on. Usually we do the latter. However, the client's dishonesty will come back to bite them. We can legally withhold the content, but where do you draw the line? Word will spread though and a dishonest client will be avoided by other developers.

What about projects that just did not work out?

Sometimes our best intentions are not good enough for the client. Without identifying them, here are some examples of potentional projects that turned south and are now in limbo:

  • The client's current website, still active, is a mess. We contacted them because we needed a service they provide, and during the discussions it turned out that they wanted their website redeveloped. Somehow we knew this one was not going to work out. We did a mockup for them but they had a zillion excuses. They eventually returned the product we sent to them to have fixed, in the same condition. They were not able to deliver on their promise to fix the item.
  • The client claims to be a top programmer developing industrial project delivery management tools and leveraging AI to do so. The current website looks like a box of grey-scale Smarties. We created a mockup to drastically improve the professional appearance of the website. They claimed it "lacks soul", whatever that is supposed to mean. They failed to understand why hardcore code writing is preferred over machine generated code. Three months later, their current WordPress site is still up, looking as bad as ever. Maybe whoever else they approached to redo their website was met with the same resistance they had with us.
  • The client is involved in renewable energy. Their WordPress site looked bad with loads of spelling errors. They did not accept our quotation. They revamped the website themselves and the new one looks as bad as the old one. The information on the main page is very generic and says nothing about what they are supposed to do, or the service they deliver.
  • The last one is someone who is involved with electrical maintenance. The client wanted us to assist their own web designer to teach him how do the website for them. Think of the logic here for a moment. You do not want us to design your website, but you want us to share our expertise with your buddy who would then do the site at a cut throat price? It would never work out. So there designer went ahead and used exactly the same WordPress template than the one above.

There are more examples but let's just say you are not going to win over every client out there.

I have another query. Who do I contact?

Send us email or phone 084 531-8046. We are available on WhatsApp and Telegram as well.