Not every tired website needs to be torn down. Sometimes a focused refresh fixes the problem for a fraction of the cost and time; sometimes a refresh is lipstick on a structural problem. Here's how to tell which situation you're in.
Signs you only need a refresh
- The structure and content are sound, but the design feels dated.
- It works on mobile but loads slowly or looks cramped.
- You're broadly happy, it just doesn't reflect where the business is now.
If that's you, a Quick Refresh, a redesigned homepage and key page, a speed pass and SEO basics, is usually enough.
Signs you need a full rebuild
- It's not properly mobile-first, or fails Core Web Vitals.
- There's no real SEO foundation and you're invisible on Google.
- You can't edit it yourself, or it's built on something fragile.
- The information architecture itself is wrong.
These are structural, paint won't fix them. That's a Full Rebuild.
The grey area
If you're genuinely unsure, the deciding question is: is the foundation sound? A refresh improves what's there; a rebuild replaces a foundation that's holding you back. Spending refresh money on a broken foundation is the most common way businesses waste a budget.
Let the numbers decide
A free 12-metric audit scores your foundation objectively, performance, SEO, mobile, security and design, so the refresh-or-rebuild call is based on evidence, not a hunch. If you're weighing cost, our pricing guide breaks down both.