What a website rebuild from your existing site includes

A website rebuild takes what is already on your current site, the pages, the words, the photos, the contact details and the page addresses, and puts it into a new, modern site. The content stays yours and mostly the same; the design, the phone layout, the speed and the code underneath are new. That is different from a redesign that starts over with new text and a new structure. Here is what a good rebuild should include, what it usually does not, and what to check.

Rebuild, redesign, refresh: what the words usually mean

People use these words loosely, so ask what a provider means. As a rough guide:

Refresh: the same site with cosmetic changes, such as new colors, fonts and photos. The code underneath, and any problems in it, stay.
Rebuild: a new site made from your existing content. New design and code, the same pages and words, tidied.
Redesign: a new plan for the whole site. New structure, often new text, sometimes new photos and branding. More work for you and for the designer.

A rebuild fits when your site says the right things but looks dated, works badly on phones, is hard to update or sits on software nobody maintains. If the words themselves are wrong or the business has changed a lot, a fuller redesign may suit you better. Refresh versus full redesign helps you tell which.

What a good rebuild includes

Every page, carried across

Each page of your current site should have a home on the new one: home, services, about, contact, gallery, town pages, FAQs. Some may be combined if they repeated each other, but nothing should simply disappear without you agreeing.

Your words, tidied but not replaced

Your text stays in your voice. A rebuild typically fixes typos, splits long paragraphs, adds clear headings, and updates obvious things that are out of date, like a fax number or "new for 2015". It should not swap your descriptions for generic marketing copy.

Your photos, used well

Your own photos of your work and team, resized and cropped for phones and fast loading. Where your old site used stock photos, a rebuild may keep them, or replace them with your own if you send them.

Contact details that work

Phone numbers that a phone can dial with one tap, email links that open a message, a contact form that delivers to your inbox, a map that opens directions, and your hours in plain view.

Your page addresses kept or forwarded

This is what separates a careful rebuild from a quick one. Every address on your old site, like /services/water-heaters, should either work exactly the same on the new site, or forward permanently to its new home. That way, links on Google, in old emails and in customers' bookmarks keep working. Can I keep my website address when I redesign? explains the address side, and the same idea applies to every page.

The behind-the-scenes basics

A layout that rearranges for phones and tablets.
The padlock (HTTPS) on every page.
Fast loading, with images sized sensibly.
Page titles and short descriptions that say what each page is about, which help Google read the site.
Headings in the right order, photo descriptions for screen readers and readable contrast, which help visitors with poor eyesight.
A sitemap file that lists the pages for Google.

A way to change things later

You should be able to change your hours, prices, photos and text without calling anyone, or know exactly how to ask and what it costs.

What a rebuild usually does not include

Being clear about this avoids disappointment:

Writing new content from scratch. New service pages, blog posts or a rewritten about page are usually extra, or something you add later.
A new logo or brand. A rebuild uses your existing logo and colors, improved where needed.
A photo shoot. It works with the photos you have.
An online store with a cart and stock control, unless that is specifically the service.
Custom software, member areas, quote calculators or integrations with your business systems.
Copying third-party widgets exactly. An old booking widget or a chat box may need to be replaced by a link to the same service.

What you need to hand over

Less than for a redesign, which is much of the point:

The address of your current site.
Anything that has changed and is not on the site yet: new hours, a dropped service, a new phone number.
Better photos, if you have them.
When it is time to switch, access to your domain settings, or someone who has it.

What to check in the rebuilt site

Before you approve it, compare it with your old site page by page:

Is every page there, or deliberately combined?
Are the words still yours, and still true?
Do the phone numbers dial and the forms arrive?
Do your old page addresses open the right new pages?
Does it look right on your phone, upright and sideways?
Can you change something small yourself?

What to look for in a website rebuild preview turns this into a fuller checklist.

Questions to ask a rebuild service

Will every page of my current site be carried over?
Will my text stay in my words?
Will my old page addresses keep working?
Can I see the finished site before I pay?
Can I make changes myself afterwards, and how?
What are the yearly costs after launch, all included?
What happens to my email when the domain switches?

What to do this week

Make a list of every page on your current site, from the menu and the footer.
Note anything on the site that is out of date.
Gather any newer photos you would like used.
Find the login for your domain, so the switch is easy when you are ready.

If your site already says the right things, you can see your site rebuilt first and compare it page by page with the old one before you decide.