What does hand-coded mean?
Every page is written by hand in plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — no WordPress, no page builder, no plugin stack. Nothing stands between your content and the code that renders it.
Straight answers
Questions & Answers
Real questions, phrased the way people actually ask them — what hand-coded means, whether scrolljacking hurts SEO, what a build costs, and who owns the code when it ships. Jump to a chapter, or read straight through all twenty-four.
If yours isn't here, ask me directly — you'll get me, not a ticket number.
Four chapters · 24 answers
Ask away.
Four chapters, twenty-four answers
Ask away
Hand-Coded Sites
Why not just use WordPress?
WordPress makes a CMS and a plugin stack the whole system, sitting between you and your visitors — more to break, get hacked, or slow down. A hand-coded site isn't built on that. If a job needs a CMS it goes in as one part, not the platform. The hand-coded case post has the reasoning.
Can I update my own content after launch?
Yes — how you update your site is decided with you rather than fixed in advance. Some clients want to post their own updates; others would rather send them over and have them handled. We settle that early, and it is scoped like everything else about the build.
Will my site be fast?
Hand-coded sites aren't built on a CMS, so nothing slows the page down but the page itself — fast loads, high Core Web Vitals scores, a lighter footprint than a typical plugin-heavy WordPress build.
Is it harder to maintain than WordPress?
It's actually easier — a site that isn't built on a CMS has no core, plugin stack or theme to keep updated, and no security patches to chase. Fewer dependencies means fewer things that can break on their own.
Do you build the whole site yourself?
Yes — design and code both, start to finish. The Better Website is a one-person studio; whoever you talk to about your project is the person who builds it.
Scrolljacking & Motion
What is scrolljacking?
Scrolljacking is when a site intercepts your scroll to drive its own animation — used here to make one continuous experience span real pages, while the page still scrolls the way you expect. The what-is-scrolljacking post explains it fully.
Is scrolljacking bad for SEO?
Not if it's built right — this site keeps real, crawlable URLs for every page, so scrolljacking only changes the transition, not what search engines index. See the scrolljacking & SEO post.
Is a scrolljacking site accessible?
Yes — full keyboard navigation, screen-reader-friendly markup, and a complete fallback to normal scrolling for reduced-motion users. See Is scrolljacking bad for accessibility? for the full answer.
What if I don't like the motion?
Turn on "reduce motion" in your OS or browser, or pick Reduced Motion from the "Choose your experience" menu in the site's navigation — either way the whole site switches to a normal scroll, same content, no animation.
Does every site you build scrolljack?
No — it's one motion option, not a house style. Some clients want it, most don't, and it's never used just to be flashy. The build fits the site's actual goals.
What's the View Transitions API got to do with it?
It's the browser feature that makes the effect work across real page loads, not just within one page. The view transitions post explains the mechanics.
Process, Pricing & Timeline
How much does a hand-coded site cost?
It depends on pages, custom features, and content — every build is scoped individually, not sold off a fixed-tier menu. Reach out with your project for a real number, not a generic package price.
How long does a build take?
Timeline depends on scope — a focused site is faster than one with custom interactions or lots of content to migrate. You'll get a real timeline once we've talked through what you need.
What do you need from me to start?
Your goals for the site, any existing content or branding, and a sense of what you don't like about your current site, if you have one. Everything else gets worked out together.
Do I need a domain or hosting already?
No — that can be sorted out as part of the build if you don't have it yet. If you already have a domain, it can be pointed at the new site with no downtime.
Will I see the site before it's live?
Yes — you'll see real, working pages as they're built, not static mockups. What you preview is the actual site, so there's no gap between design and what ships.
What happens after the site launches?
We keep it running — hosting, maintenance, and any update you need, handled by the same person who built the site. Nothing gets passed to an account manager or a production team.
Themes & Ownership
What is a theme on this site?
A pre-built starting point — real code, not a mockup — that can launch as-is or grow into a fully custom site. Every theme is a live page you can click through.
Can I buy a theme as-is?
Yes — a theme can launch close to what you see, with your content and branding dropped in. What it saves you is the design phase, not the build: the look is already settled and proven, and the work is expanding it into a full site.
Can a theme grow into something bigger later?
Yes — every theme is a real foundation, not a locked template, so it can expand into a full custom site whenever you're ready. It never boxes you in.
Do I own the finished website?
You're never locked in, and your domain and content are always yours. We own and maintain the build so you never have to touch it — and if you leave, you get a copy of your site files any developer can put online, plus a grace period to move hosting.
Can I request changes to a theme's design?
Yes — themes are a starting point, not a fixed package. Colors, layout details, and content are typically adjusted to fit your brand.
How's a theme different from a site-builder template?
A site-builder template still runs on that platform's CMS underneath. A theme here is hand-coded, standalone code — no builder, no plugin stack, and no platform that can change the rules on you.
Question 25 is yours
Ask
me.
Twenty-four answers and I still probably haven't covered yours — that is usually how it goes. If something is still open, ask me; you'll get me, not a ticket number. Everything else is back through the tour: how I build, what I've built, why I work this way, and who is behind it — or start again from the top. Or keep scrolling — this loops right back round to the conversation.
Adam Hoidahl The Better Website
The Better Website is a one-person web design studio in Raleigh, NC, serving the Triangle and clients nationwide. Adam Hoidahl hand-codes every site in plain HTML, CSS and JavaScript — not built on WordPress, a page builder or a CMS.
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