Web design in Christchurch.
I’m Merlin, a web designer and developer based in Ōtautahi. I build fast, simple websites for local businesses: the kind that load instantly on a phone, tell people what you do, and make it easy to call you.
What you get.
Every site, no matter the size, gets the same foundations.
- Made for you, not from a template. No page-builder bloat, so it loads in a blink on mobile data.
- Built for Google. Proper titles, structured data, sitemap and Search Console set up from day one.
- Made for phones. Most of your customers will see it on a phone first, so that’s what it’s designed for.
- Easy to contact. Tap-to-call, maps and a clear ask on every page.
- Yours. Domain in your name, site in your hands, no lock-in.
- Fixed quote. You know the full cost before I write a line of code.
Already got a site that’s gone tired?
Most of my work is fixing sites that were fine in 2014.
If your site is slow, broken on phones, still says “coming soon”, or lives on a platform charging you monthly for mediocrity, I can rebuild it into something fast and sharp. Your domain stays put, your Google ranking keeps working, and your email doesn’t skip a beat.
If the bones are actually good I’ll tell you that too, and we’ll just fix what’s broken. I’d rather do a small honest job than sell you a big one you don’t need.
Being findable is the whole point.
A beautiful site nobody finds is a billboard in a forest.
Every build includes the unglamorous work that decides whether you show up: keyword-sensible titles, structured data so Google understands your business, a sitemap, Search Console verification, and a fast mobile experience that Google’s rankings actually reward.
I can also help set up or tidy your Google Business Profile, which is what puts you on the map, literally, when someone searches “plumber near me” or “café Sydenham”.
Three steps, about a week.
- 1We talk. You tell me about the business over email or a coffee. I mock up your homepage for free so you can see the direction before spending anything.
- 2I build. Fixed quote agreed, I write the site, you send photos and details. You see progress the whole way.
- 3It’s live. Domain connected, Google set up, customers can find you. Then either I look after it or it’s all yours.
Christchurch and Canterbury.
I work with businesses across the city and the wider region.
Sydenham, Riccarton, Addington, Merivale, Papanui, Woolston, Beckenham, Spreydon, Halswell, Fendalton, St Albans, New Brighton, Lyttelton, Sumner, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Rolleston, Lincoln, and everywhere between. Further afield in New Zealand is fine too; everything runs on email anyway.
Fair questions.
How much does web design cost in Christchurch?
A custom one-page site starts at $800 and a 3 to 5 page business site at $1,500. Fixed quote up front, and a free homepage mock-up before you commit to anything.
How long does a new website take?
Most sites are live in about a week once I have your details and photos. A bigger site can take up to two weeks.
What does the free mock-up involve?
I build a real homepage for your business and send you the link. If you like it, we talk about the rest. If not, you’ve lost nothing.
Do I need to write the words?
Not if you don’t want to. Give me the bullet points about your business and I’ll turn them into proper copy for the site.