Expert WordPress Specialists

STL CodeScape offers hand-coded, fast, and secure WordPress development tailored to your business. Book a consultation for custom themes, SEO, and high performance.

Custom, fast, and future‑proof WordPress — built for your business

Let’s build you a WordPress site that’s fast, clean, and easy to run—so your team can publish without wrestling with plugins or bloated page builders. We hand‑code everything—no page builders, no guesswork. You’ll get a lightweight custom theme that loads fast, scales with your growth, and gives your team full control in the editor. No black‑box plugins. No surprises. Secure, SEO‑friendly, and accessible by design. We’re St. Louis based and can work on-site or remote, and we collaborate smoothly with in-house teams and branding agencies.

Ready to see what’s possible? Book a consultation to talk goals, timelines, and must‑have features. Just need ballpark pricing? Get a quick estimate to explore budget options.

Prefer to talk now? Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com.

Why teams choose us

• 10+ years building on WordPress
• 80+ custom sites launched
• Under 4-hour average support response on active care plans
• 100% hand-coded themes (no page builders) for maximum performance and control

You’ll see a sticky “Book a consultation” button as you browse. There’s also a 60‑second estimate form near the top.

Book a consultation Get a quick estimate

Trusted by teams across St. Louis and beyond

From local nonprofits and manufacturers to multi-location service brands across the Midwest, teams choose STL CodeScape for speed, reliability, and easy collaboration. If you want a WordPress partner who ships fast, picks up the phone, and sweats the details, you’re in the right place. Let’s talk about your site—email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421.

Client logos (featured strip)

• You’ll see our work with St. Louis branding agencies, B2B manufacturers, healthcare providers, nonprofits, professional services, and eCommerce retailers. (Logo strip displayed here.)
• Want your logo here next quarter? Partner with us on your next build or rebuild—quick intro calls available.

What clients say

“Pages that used to take 5–6 seconds now load in under two. Our leads jumped immediately.” — Marketing Director, B2B manufacturer (St. Louis)

“Responsive, transparent, and easy to collaborate with. They feel like part of our team.” — Digital Manager, regional nonprofit

Prefer to talk to a real client? We’ll connect you with references—just ask.

Snapshot results

• 90%+ Core Web Vitals pass rate at launch (LCP, INP, CLS)
• 35–60% average page-load time reduction after rebuilds or migrations
• 99.95%+ average uptime on managed sites (12‑month rolling)

Curious how your site stacks up? Request a quick performance check and roadmap: jc@stlcodescape.com or 314-657-7421.

What we build

We design and ship high-performance WordPress tailored to your brand, content, and stack. Here’s what that looks like. If something here matches your shortlist, let’s talk timelines and budget ranges.

Custom WordPress themes

Fully hand-coded, block editor–first builds with reusable blocks and patterns. Semantic HTML, theme.json for consistent design tokens and fast iteration. Pixel-accurate to your designs, documented, and easy to extend. Want to see a component library or code sample? Ask and we’ll share relevant work and a fast, fixed-scope estimate. Explore our approach to hand‑coded theme development.

See custom theme options

Performance and Core Web Vitals

CWV fixes and ongoing tuning driven by real metrics (LCP, CLS, INP). Critical CSS, code splitting, image optimization/CDN, server-side caching, query tuning, lazy loading, and script deferral so pages feel fast on any device. Start with a quick performance snapshot; we’ll show you the top wins before you commit. Learn more about our approach to performance optimization and caching.

Plugins and integrations

Purpose-built plugins only when needed; otherwise we extend via hooks and filters to stay lean. We integrate CRMs (HubSpot, Salesforce), analytics (GA4, Matomo), payments (Stripe, Authorize.net), SSO (Okta, Azure AD), marketing tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo), and custom REST/GraphQL APIs, following WordPress standards. Bring your stack—we’ll map the integrations in a short discovery and de-risk the edge cases. See how our business process automation connects WordPress to your back office.

Explore integrations

WooCommerce builds and optimization

Fast, conversion-focused storefronts. Optimized product templates, faceted search, cached catalogs, smoother cart and checkout, payment gateways, tax/shipping, ERP/inventory syncs, and fraud controls. Built to handle spikes without breaking UX. Not sure where to start? Request a checkout audit and we’ll pinpoint the revenue leaks.

Migrations and replatforming

Move from legacy CMSs or bloated themes/builders to a lean custom theme. We handle content modeling and mapping, plugin rationalization, 301s and SEO parity, URL strategy, and zero-downtime cutovers to reduce risk and boost performance. We’ll draft a step-by-step migration plan and timeline so you know exactly what to expect.

Accessibility and compliance

WCAG 2.2 AA baked into components and reviews: keyboard navigation, clear focus states, contrast, semantic landmarks, ARIA where appropriate, and media captions/transcripts. Accessibility is part of the system, not a final audit. Ask for our checklist and sample reports—we include accessible patterns from day one. Our web‑first graphic design also prioritizes accessibility.

Headless or hybrid architectures

When it clearly helps performance or workflow, we deliver headless/hybrid builds: WordPress as CMS with Next.js/Nuxt front ends, WPGraphQL/REST, and edge rendering/CDN caching. Editorial ease with app-grade speed. Unsure if headless is worth it? We’ll compare approaches for your use case and recommend only what pays off.

Ongoing website management and care

Proactive updates, backups, uptime and security monitoring, WAF and hardening, performance watchlists, and continuous UX/content improvements with clear SLAs and monthly reporting. Your site keeps improving after launch. Start with a 30-day pilot and see the difference in stability and speed. Explore our managed hosting and care options.

Explore care & hosting

Curious what this could look like for your site? Email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421 for a no-pressure, 20-minute fit call.

Why choose STL CodeScape

Hand-coded, no page builders

Clean, transparent code you own. We craft custom themes and blocks from scratch with no licenses or lock-in. Your code lives in your Git repo, follows WordPress standards, and stays easy for any competent developer to maintain. Want to see how we structure things? Ask for a sample coding standards doc or a sanitized repo snippet.

Performance and security by default

Lightweight themes and a minimal, vetted plugin set. Performance budgets set early. Core Web Vitals–friendly practices like critical CSS, code splitting, modern image formats, preloading, and caching. Security includes least-privilege roles, 2FA guidance, routine patching, security headers, daily backups, WAF/CDN setup, and plugin audits. Curious where you stand now? Start with our notes on performance optimization and caching.

An editor experience your team will love

We shape the block editor with custom blocks and patterns, sensible fields, and clear labels so non-technical users can publish confidently. Reusable page patterns, guardrails to prevent off-brand content, role-based permissions, and hands-on training with quick-reference guides. Want a feel for it? Book a 15-minute editor demo and publish a page with us, live.

Accessibility and SEO from day one

WCAG 2.2 AA practices are built into design and QA: semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, focus states, labels, contrast, and ARIA only where appropriate. Technical SEO essentials are included: structured data, canonical/redirect rules, clean URL architecture, meta defaults, XML sitemaps, robots directives, and fast performance. You’ll get a launch baseline report with recommendations and options for ongoing audits. See our accessibility‑minded design approach.

Scalable architecture for what’s next

We structure content with the right custom post types, taxonomies, and fields. A component library and theme.json design tokens back it up. Ready for integrations (CRM, marketing, analytics), WooCommerce, and headless/hybrid use with REST/GraphQL later. CI/CD, staging, and automated testing keep releases safe. Planning e‑commerce or a CRM tie‑in? We’ll map a phased roadmap on your discovery call. Explore related AI and WordPress integrations.

A St. Louis–based partner that plays well with others

We collaborate with branding agencies and internal teams: faithful Figma buildouts, content planning with marketing, and clear communication in your tools (Slack, Asana, Jira). Local when you need in-person time. Responsive when you don’t. Prefer to start fast? We can jump into your Slack this week. See how we support advertising and creative teams.

Documentation, knowledge transfer, and no lock-in

You’ll get an admin guide, a block/pattern catalog, architecture notes, and recorded training. You own the code, accounts, and hosting. Stay with us because you want to. Bringing dev in-house later? We’ll hand off cleanly and train your team.

Ready to see if we’re a fit? Email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421 to schedule a quick consult.

How we build: a clear 5‑step process

We keep projects predictable with a five-step path, weekly check-ins, and one accountable point of contact from kickoff to go-live. If you want a website project that doesn’t drag on or surprise you, here’s exactly how we get you live with confidence.

1. Discovery and strategy

   We start with fast, focused discovery so you know what you’re buying and what success looks like.

   • Define goals, KPIs, audiences, and primary user journeys
   • Audit the current site and content (what to keep, rewrite, or retire)
   • Map required integrations (CRM, analytics, payments, marketing tools) and data flows
   • Establish SEO baseline and a measurement plan
   • Set success criteria, scope boundaries, risks, and a clear timeline

   Quick next step: book a 20‑minute fit call to validate scope and budget.

2. Architecture and planning

   We translate strategy into a build plan you can review, approve, and share with stakeholders.

   • Information architecture: sitemap, navigation, and URL strategy
   • Content model and editorial workflows for Gutenberg
   • Component library/block inventory aligned to your designs
   • Performance budget and Core Web Vitals plan
   • Accessibility plan to meet WCAG 2.2 AA
   • Security, privacy, and hosting/environment plan (staging/production)
   • Migration plan (redirects, data sources, ownership)

   Prefer to see examples first? Ask for a sample sitemap, block inventory, and planning docs.

3. Build and QA

   No page builders, no bloat—just a lean, future‑proof codebase your team can own.

   • Hand-coded custom theme and blocks (no page builders), minimal vetted plugins
   • Clean, documented code with Git workflow and peer reviews
   • Automated checks (linting, PHPCS) and CI where appropriate
   • Cross-browser/device testing matrix (modern Chrome, Safari, Firefox; iOS/Android)
   • Performance audits (Lighthouse) against the budget
   • Accessibility checks (keyboard, color contrast, screen reader, axe)

   Want to see progress early? We share staging links and walk-throughs during sprints. Learn more about our hand‑coded WordPress approach.

4. Content migration and launch

   Launch day should be calm—because the heavy lifting is already done.

   • Structured imports for bulk content; manual QA for high-value pages
   • 301 redirect mapping and 404 monitoring
   • Analytics and consent: GA4/GTM, event tracking, cookie banner, privacy settings (we set up analytics the right way)
   • Search Console, XML sitemaps, and robots rules
   • Caching/CDN configuration and security hardening
   • Editor training, short video walkthroughs, and an admin handbook
   • Final acceptance testing, go-live checklist, DNS/SSL cutover, backups, and a rollback plan

   Your team leaves training confident and self‑sufficient—and we’re on standby at go‑live.

5. Ongoing optimization and support

   Your site keeps improving with proactive care and a roadmap tied to results.

   • Care plans covering updates, security patches, uptime and vulnerability monitoring (see our managed care and hosting)
   • Continuous performance tracking (Core Web Vitals/RUM) and issue triage
   • Iterative UX/content improvements and A/B testing as needed
   • Monthly reporting on KPIs with a prioritized roadmap
   • SLA-driven support and flexible retainers for new features

   Start small or scale up—switch plans as your needs grow.

Typical timelines

• Small marketing site (≈10–20 pages, light integrations): 4–6 weeks
• Mid-size site (≈30–80 pages, custom blocks, CRM or light eCommerce): 8–12 weeks
• Complex build (eCommerce, multilingual, heavy integrations/headless): 12–20+ weeks

On a deadline? Ask about accelerated tracks and parallel design/build sprints.

Key dependencies

• Content readiness and approvals
• Finalized designs (or design sprints if we’re producing them)
• Integration documentation/credentials and partner availability
• Timely stakeholder feedback and access to hosting/DNS

Ready to map your project? Email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421. We’ll outline scope, timeline, and next steps—most proposals delivered within 2 business days.

Engineering standards and guarantees

We build like your business depends on it: measurable standards, repeatable process, and support you can count on. Here’s what that looks like—and how it protects your investment.

Core Web Vitals first

We plan and build against budgets for LCP, CLS, and INP, targeting LCP ≤ 2.5s, CLS ≤ 0.1, and INP ≤ 200ms on typical mobile connections. Lab and field testing are built in (Lighthouse, WebPageTest, PageSpeed Insights, Search Console). We use lean, hand-coded themes, minimal JavaScript, critical CSS, optimized media (WebP/AVIF), preconnect/preload, server/page caching, and deferring non-critical scripts. Want to see where your current site stands? Ask us for a quick Core Web Vitals snapshot or review our notes on caching and performance.

Security hardening and reliability

A least-plugin policy keeps your stack lean. Every plugin and dependency is vetted, version-locked, and reviewed. We implement role-based access, 2FA, hardened logins, WAF/CDN options, secure headers where appropriate, and scheduled patching. Automated daily off-site backups with point-in-time restore, SSL and uptime monitoring, and vulnerability alerts protect you around the clock. We’re happy to share our hardening checklist and backup test logs so you know it’s real. For infrastructure, explore our website hosting options.

Accessibility baked into the pipeline

WCAG 2.2 AA is addressed during design and development, not after. We use semantic HTML and ARIA properly, ensure keyboard navigation and focus states, meet contrast thresholds, provide alt text guidance, and run automated axe checks alongside manual reviews, including screen reader spot checks. We fix issues before launch and provide an accessibility report. Need stakeholder sign-off? We’ll walk your team through the report and remediation plan. See how our web‑first design supports accessibility.

SEO and privacy foundations

Technical SEO starts on day one: clean URL structures, canonical tags, XML sitemaps, robots directives, redirect mapping for migrations, and Schema.org JSON‑LD where useful. We configure consent management (GDPR/CCPA) and support Google Consent Mode v2, with options for privacy-friendly, first-party analytics. Planning a redesign or migration? We include pre‑launch crawls and post‑launch checks to protect your rankings. If you’re local, here’s our take on optimizing for local SEO.

Modern tooling and workflow

All work runs through Git with feature branches, pull requests, and code reviews. CI/CD automates testing and deploys to staging so you can review changes safely before they go live. We document releases and keep a clear rollback plan. You’ll see every change in staging first—no surprises in production.

Documentation and warranty

You get an Owner’s Manual covering site architecture, editing workflows, plugin inventory, and environment details, plus short training videos. Every launch includes a post-launch warranty window for defects introduced during our build, with prioritized fixes at no cost. Want to preview our docs? Ask for a sample Owner’s Manual.

If these are the standards you expect, let’s talk. Book a quick consult, email jc@stlcodescape.com, or call 314-657-7421 to get a no-pressure site checkup and next steps.

Make WordPress work with your stack

Your website shouldn’t live in a silo. We connect WordPress to the tools you already use—without bloat—so data moves reliably, securely, and in real time. Bring us your current stack or wishlist and we’ll map the flows, cut plugin clutter, and ship clean, testable integrations you can own. Want a quick integration audit or proof of concept? Let’s talk.

CRMs and marketing automation

Capture, enrich, and route leads to HubSpot or Salesforce with field mapping, UTM attribution, and lifecycle updates. Trigger campaigns and segment syncs in Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or Marketo via webhooks and APIs, without duplicate contacts—so you close the loop from ad click to closed-won. See our Business Process Automation services.

Analytics and CDP

Implement GA4 with clear events and ecommerce tracking. Set up server-side tagging where it helps data quality and privacy, and coordinate with your CDP (e.g., Segment) for a consistent cross-channel view. Decision-grade analytics that respect GDPR/CCPA. We can set up Google Analytics and tracking for reliable measurement.

Payments and memberships

Integrate Stripe for one-time, subscription, and invoiced payments, or extend WooCommerce with vetted extensions (tax, shipping, subscriptions, memberships). Tie access rules to purchases and roles for gated content or customer portals—fewer support tickets, less churn.

SSO and user management

Use OAuth2/SAML for Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace sign-ins. Map IdP groups to WordPress roles and enforce least-privilege access for onboarding/offboarding that just works.

ERP/PIM connections

Sync products, inventory, and pricing from NetSuite, Dynamics, or Akeneo to WooCommerce or custom post types, with queueing, rate-limit handling, and audit logs. No more overselling—plus monitoring and alerting to catch issues early.

Search and content services

Add fast, relevant search with Algolia or Elasticsearch. Embed maps (Google Maps, Mapbox), manage events (Eventbrite or custom calendars), and set up forms with HIPAA-safe workflows that avoid PHI in WordPress and route to BAA-backed processors when required. Faster discovery, stronger compliance.

APIs and architectures

Build custom REST endpoints, consume third-party APIs, or adopt WPGraphQL. When performance or workflow calls for it, we deliver headless or hybrid setups (e.g., Next.js front ends) without sacrificing editorial ease. Right-sized architecture with clear documentation and no lock-in. See our web development approach.

Once your stack is connected, we can add AI features where they help most—chat, content workflows, and smarter search—starting small, measuring impact, and scaling what works.

Ready to connect WordPress to your stack? Email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421. We’ll outline a clear plan, timeline, and cost.

See integration options

AI on WordPress, done responsibly

AI should make your site easier to use and your team faster, without risk or black boxes. We design, build, and maintain WordPress‑native AI features that are accurate, reviewable, and aligned with your compliance needs. Start with a low‑risk pilot and a clear ROI target—most clients see value within the first month. Want a quick demo with your content? Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com. Or explore our AI integrations.

On-site chatbots that know your business

• Retrieval-augmented generation grounded in your approved content (pages, posts, docs, policies, product data) so answers stay on-brand and current.
• Lead qualification that captures intent, scores prospects, and routes to your CRM or Slack with full transcripts.
• Smart fallbacks and guardrails: escalate to a human on low confidence, log every response for audit, version knowledge base updates.

Spin up a proof‑of‑concept on your site in as little as 10 business days. See our Custom AI Chatbot Setup.

See chatbot demo

Content workflows with a human in the loop

• Briefs and outlines from target keywords and goals, suggested headlines, FAQs, internal links, and schema opportunities.
• Compliance and brand-voice checklists in the editor, with required approval before publish.
• Draft-to-publish pipelines: AI assists, your team reviews, provenance and changes recorded.

You stay in control—no auto‑publish, ever. We’ll tailor guardrails to your brand and industry. Explore AI content creation for WordPress.

Semantic search and recommendations

• Vector search understands meaning, not just keywords, ideal for help centers, blogs, and catalogs.
• Recommendation blocks (“Related reading,” “You might also like,” “Frequently bought together”) tuned to your taxonomy and goals.
• Fast, cache-friendly delivery with server-side rendering to protect Core Web Vitals.

We’ll benchmark against your current search so you can see the uplift before committing.

Admin tools that save hours

• Bulk edits for titles, meta, redirects, and structured data, plus taxonomy clean-up.
• Automated QA for broken links, missing alt text, layout issues, and 404 clustering to guide content.
• Content gap and cannibalization reports to show what to create, update, or retire.

Ideal for large libraries—reduce manual toil and ship improvements faster. See more in our AI integrations.

Data privacy, safety, and opt-out controls

• PII redaction before external calls, role-based access, model and vendor controls (OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure OpenAI, or self-hosted/open source if required).
• Clear user opt-in/opt-out, data retention windows, rate limits, and detailed audit logs.
• Provenance labels on AI-assisted content and mandatory review steps so you always know what was machine-assisted and who approved it.

We’ll collaborate with your legal/IT on DPIAs, vendor reviews, and policy language. Here’s how we handle GDPR/HIPAA compliance with AI.

Training and documentation so your team can own it

• Hands-on workshops, screen recordings, and an in-admin help center with SOPs and a prompt library tailored to your workflows.
• Playbooks for ongoing tuning (prompts, knowledge sources, confidence thresholds) and a lightweight governance model your editors can run.

Your editors are productive on day one; we can stay on retainer for ongoing tuning or hand it off entirely.

Curious what this could look like on your WordPress site? Book a 20‑minute consult and we’ll prep a tailored walkthrough: 314-657-7421 or jc@stlcodescape.com.

Results you can measure

Here’s what happens when we replace bloat with a custom, optimized WordPress build. Real client metrics, verified in Core Web Vitals and analytics.

WooCommerce retailer (Midwest)

• Speed: LCP 3.2s → 0.9s, CLS 0.18 → 0.03, INP 280ms → 110ms
• Core Web Vitals: mobile pass rate 56% → 98%
• Outcome: +28% checkout conversions, −35% bounce rate, +22% revenue per session

B2B manufacturer with a content-heavy site (800+ pages)

• Speed: LCP 4.1s → 1.1s, CLS 0.21 → 0.04, INP 340ms → 140ms
• Core Web Vitals: 42% → 95% pass rate
• Outcome: +47% organic sessions, +32% qualified form fills, −50% time-to-publish with reusable blocks

Regional nonprofit fundraising platform

• Speed: LCP 2.8s → 0.8s, CLS 0.12 → 0.02, INP 230ms → 95ms
• Core Web Vitals: 61% → 99% pass rate
• Outcome: +2.1× donation completions, −42% support tickets from site visitors, +18% accessibility scores toward WCAG 2.2 AA

“They didn’t just build fast pages—they built with us. Clear updates every week, thoughtful trade-off guidance, and after launch they kept monitoring, patching, and tuning. Our site has stayed quick and trouble-free.”

Want to see what this could look like for your WordPress site?

• Get a free 10-point performance snapshot (Core Web Vitals, server profile, and top wins) in 2 business days.
• Request a tailored demo using your pages and plugins—no slide decks, just live speed.
• Or send your URL to jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421.

View more work, or request your tailored demo now. Results vary by baseline—so we’ll benchmark first and give you realistic, ROI-focused next steps.

Ongoing care and growth

Launch day is the start. Our care plans keep your WordPress site fast, secure, and improving while your team focuses on growth—without babysitting updates or chasing issues. If you want predictable progress and fewer surprises, we’ll handle the upkeep and surface what moves the needle.

What’s included in every plan

• Updates done for you: Core, plugin, and theme updates on a set cadence (typically weekly), validated in staging with visual checks and safe rollbacks—so releases don’t derail your day.
• Security monitoring: Always-on monitoring, vulnerability alerts, login hardening, least-privilege user management, and plugin audits to prevent bloat and risk.
• Uptime and performance alerts: 24/7 uptime monitoring with thresholds for response time and Core Web Vitals signals. We investigate anomalies before they become problems.
• Reliable backups: Encrypted daily off-site backups of files and database with 30-day retention, plus on-demand restore points before major changes. See our hosting solutions.

Curious how this works for your stack? Call 314-657-7421 for a quick rundown or email jc@stlcodescape.com to see a sample checklist.

Visibility and recommendations

• Monthly reporting that’s useful: uptime/performance snapshots, security status, completed work, and a prioritized set of recommendations (UX wins, SEO opportunities, technical fixes) for the month ahead. We review it with you and turn findings into an actionable backlog.

Want to preview a report? Ask for a sample at jc@stlcodescape.com.

Built-in hands-on support

• Each plan includes a block of support hours for UX and content tweaks, landing pages, schema/SEO adjustments, analytics events, and small enhancements, handled by the same developers who built your site—so context isn’t lost. Use your hours where they’ll have the most impact this month.

Clear SLAs

• Critical issues (site down, checkout failure): 24/7 monitoring with a 2-hour response and immediate mitigation, post-incident summary within 1 business day.
• High priority (security exposure, major bug): First response within 4 business hours, resolution or workaround targeted within 1 business day.
• Standard requests: First response by next business day, scheduling typically within 3–5 business days.
• Escalation path: Support → Lead Developer → Technical Director. Reach us at 314-657-7421 or jc@stlcodescape.com.

Scale when you need to

• Flex your hours seasonally or during campaigns, launches, and busy periods, with short-term sprint add-ons when you need extra velocity.

Working with an in-house team or a creative agency? We can plug into your workflows, white-labeled if needed or as a visible partner. Let’s map the best way to collaborate.

Ready to hand off maintenance and get consistent, measurable improvements each month? Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com to get a tailored care plan recommendation.

Explore care & hosting

For agencies and internal teams

Need a dependable development partner that fits your workflow? We collaborate with brand studios, in-house marketing teams, and product groups as a quiet extension of your team or under your banner—so you ship on time, protect margins, and make your designers look great. See our capabilities for advertising agencies and creative teams.

Engagement models you can trust

• White-label delivery (we can join client calls as your team) or behind-the-scenes staff augmentation
• Mutual NDAs, clear scopes, and role definitions; we’ll work with your MSA or provide ours
• Reserved retainer capacity for launches and critical sprints with response SLAs—no last‑minute scrambling
• Start low‑risk with a pilot sprint or overflow support, then scale as confidence grows

Pixel-perfect builds from your designs

• Faithful front end from Figma/Sketch/Adobe XD, including typography, spacing, motion, and micro-interactions—without theme bloat
• Structured design QA: breakpoint matrix, browser/device coverage, state coverage (hover/focus/active), and asset handling (retina/AVIF/WebP)
• Visual regression and pre-launch UAT checklists; sign-off captured in tickets and mapped to acceptance criteria
• Performance-minded from day one (Core Web Vitals and caching/CDN strategy baked in)

Accessible, reusable systems

• WCAG 2.2 AA built in: semantic HTML, correct ARIA, keyboard/reader flows, color contrast, and focus management—no exceptions
• Reusable component libraries and WordPress blocks/patterns with theme.json design tokens for repeatable use across pages
• Documentation for editors and devs (usage, variants, do/don’ts) so your team can move fast without guesswork

We work inside your toolchain

• GitHub or GitLab with your branching model (GitFlow or trunk-based), PR reviews, WPCS/PHPCS linters, and CI checks
• Jira or Asana for sprint planning, estimates, and acceptance criteria; Confluence/Notion for docs
• Slack or MS Teams for daily sync; Loom for async walkthroughs. We’re St. Louis based (CT) and overlap well with US teams.
• We onboard to your repos, environments, and naming conventions to minimize friction

Aligned code standards and capacity planning

• Hand-coded WordPress aligned to your standards: BEM/utility CSS, SCSS, ESBuild/Vite, PHP namespaces, React-based block development, and minimal, audited plugins
• Shared definitions of done, commit conventions, and code owners so quality stays consistent as teams scale
• Capacity forecasts by sprint/month with burn charts and risk flags before they become blockers

If you’re exploring a partnership, here are our typical budgets and timelines so you can scope with confidence. Want to see if we’re a fit? Request a sample SOW, code examples under NDA, or our rate card and availability. Email jc@stlcodescape.com or call 314-657-7421 to book a 20‑minute fit call.

Budget and timelines: what to expect

Clear numbers beat guesswork. We scope with transparent ranges and milestone-based plans—so you can secure approvals and hit your date. Here’s how we typically scope custom WordPress projects and the timelines we plan against.

Typical project ranges

• Custom marketing site (5–20 pages, custom theme + Gutenberg blocks, Core Web Vitals targets): $18k–$45k; 6–10 weeks
• Content-heavy site (multiple content types, advanced search/filtering, locations, resources): $35k–$75k; 8–14 weeks
• WooCommerce (catalog setup, payments/shipping/tax, subscriptions/discounts, checkout UX): $40k–$95k; 10–16 weeks
• Headless or hybrid WordPress (WP as CMS with Next.js or similar, WPGraphQL, design system): $65k–$180k; 12–20 weeks
• Plugin or integration work (CRM/MA/SSO/payments, custom admin tools): $6k–$25k; 2–6 weeks
• Replatform/migration (from Squarespace/Wix/Drupal, redirects, content normalization): $12k–$60k added to build scope; 2–6 weeks additional

Most projects land near the middle of each range. If your budget is tighter, we’ll phase the roadmap so you can launch fast and iterate with confidence.

Key cost drivers

• Design scope: net-new UX/UI vs. building from your approved Figma files
• Content readiness: copy, imagery, and number of unique templates/page types
• Integrations: CRM/marketing automation, SSO, payments, search, analytics, CDP
• Accessibility: target conformance (WCAG 2.2 A/AA) and remediation depth
• Data migration: source systems, volume, field mapping, redirects, and QA
• eCommerce complexity: SKUs/variations, tax/shipping logic, subscriptions, ERP/PIM
• Multilingual or multi-site architecture
• Motion/interaction polish and custom editorial workflows
• Approvals and team availability (fewer review cycles = faster delivery)

We’ll help separate must‑haves from nice‑to‑haves and “value‑engineer” scope without sacrificing outcomes.

Typical timelines

• Standard sites: 6–10 weeks from kickoff to launch
• Complex/eCommerce: 10–16 weeks
• Headless/hybrid: 12–20 weeks

Assumes timely feedback, parallel content work, and a single decision path. We share a week‑by‑week plan at kickoff so everyone knows what’s next. Need to move faster? Ask about prioritized MVP + post‑launch enhancements or limited rush capacity.

Not every project needs a rebuild

If your current WordPress site has a solid foundation, we can run focused improvement sprints—performance tuning, Core Web Vitals, plugin cleanup, security hardening, accessibility fixes, UX tweaks—often 2–4 weeks, typically $3k–$12k depending on scope. Not sure what you need? Review our take on performance optimization and caching and request a quick site audit—we’ll point you to the highest‑impact fixes first.

Ongoing care plans

Monthly management (updates, monitoring, enhancements) typically starts around $450–$1,500/month based on SLA and velocity. Scale support to your needs—no bloated retainers, just predictable momentum. Explore our managed hosting and care plans.

Next step

• Start with a short discovery call to map goals, constraints, and the right path. You’ll leave with budget guardrails and a draft timeline.
• Or request a quick estimate—send your brief, budget range, and any design files for a ballpark within 1–2 business days.

Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com to get on the calendar. We respond quickly, NDAs are welcome, and agency partners are absolutely welcome too.

Have more questions? Our FAQs cover common timelines, costs, rebuild vs. optimize decisions, and what working together looks like.

WordPress specialists FAQs

Next step: If you’re not sure where to start, request a no-cost performance and risk snapshot of your current site, or book a 15-minute fit call. Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com. We’re St. Louis–based and ready to help.

Get a free performance report

Not ready for a full engagement? Start with a no-cost, no-obligation mini-audit of your WordPress site—human‑reviewed and delivered in 24–48 hours. No pitch, no pressure. You keep the report.

What we check

• Core Web Vitals: LCP, INP, CLS and real-world bottlenecks (not just lab scores)
• Speed basics: hosting/TTFB, render-blocking CSS/JS, image weight and formats, lazy loading, caching/CDN setup
• Plugin/theme load: bloat, conflicts, outdated or risky extensions; PHP/WordPress versioning
• Basic security: HTTPS/SSL, security headers, update status, common vulnerabilities
• SEO essentials: indexing, metadata, sitemaps/robots, canonical/redirects, schema basics

What you get

• A concise, plain‑English report with scores, key findings, and screenshots
• The top 5 fixes prioritized by impact vs. effort (quick wins clearly flagged)
• Longer-term recommendations for sustainable speed, security, and SEO
• An action plan you can hand to any developer (or we can help implement)
• An optional 20-minute walkthrough call to discuss next steps—zero sales pressure

How it works

• Fill out the short form (60 seconds) with your URL, goals (e.g., faster load times, better conversions, ADA/WCAG, eCommerce performance), and contact info
• No admin access required—this is a read‑only assessment
• We’ll email your report within 24–48 hours, plus a link to book your walkthrough if you’d like

Ready to see where your site can improve? Submit your URL now for a free performance report, or book a quick consultation to talk through your goals.

Prefer a human right away? Call 314-657-7421 or email jc@stlcodescape.com. We’re St. Louis based and happy to help.

Talk with a WordPress specialist

Ready to move your site forward? Book a no‑obligation consultation with a senior WordPress specialist. In 20–30 minutes, we’ll clarify your goals, review your tech stack, and map realistic timelines. No hard sell—just practical recommendations. Within one business day, you’ll get a short action plan with prioritized next steps, an estimated timeline, and a budget range so you can decide confidently. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll point you in the right direction.

Schedule your consult now and get your action plan on your desk within one business day.

Schedule a consultation

Prefer to reach out directly?

• Call: 314-657-7421
• Email: jc@stlcodescape.com
• Local to St. Louis? We’re at 2940 Melton Dr, Arnold, MO 63010 (meetings by appointment)

Need help fast? Mention “urgent” in your message and we’ll triage first.

Response time: We typically reply the same business day, always within one business day (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm CT).

Privacy note: We keep your inbox tidy and your data private. We only use what you share to respond and scope your project—period.