Moving a website from one host or builder to another is one of those jobs that looks simple from the outside and gets uncomfortable quickly when you are in the middle of it. DNS records, email accounts that stop working, broken links, lost form submissions, an SSL that doesn't propagate, a checkout that goes down on launch day. We handle that end-to-end for Devon businesses, with proper planning so the day-of switch is uneventful.
Why people move
The most common reasons we see in Newton Abbot, Torbay and Exeter:
- Slow, unreliable hosting — the site takes seven seconds to load, goes down regularly, support tickets sit unanswered for days
- Outgrowing a builder platform — Wix, Squarespace, Shopify or GoDaddy hit a feature ceiling and the site can no longer do what the business needs
- An old developer has gone quiet — the original builder retired, moved on, or stopped responding, and nobody else can get into the back end
- Cost creep — what was a £20/month plan has become £80/month with add-ons, and a proper UK-hosted site now costs less
None of those is an emergency on its own. All four together is, and it is usually a combination that pushes a business to migrate.
We are ready to talk things through!
Contact HereWhat a migration actually involves
A proper migration covers more than copying files. The full scope:
- Site files and database — every page, post, image, plugin and setting moved across, integrity-checked
- Email accounts — every mailbox, alias and forwarder rebuilt on the new server, with calendar and contact sync where needed
- DNS — A records, MX records, SPF, DKIM and DMARC entries reviewed and reconfigured so email keeps flowing
- SSL — fresh certificate issued and tested before cutover
- Redirects — old URLs mapped to new where the structure is changing, so SEO equity is preserved
- Forms and integrations — Gravity Forms, Mailchimp, Stripe, Calendly, booking systems all reconnected and tested
- Backups — full pre-migration snapshot held for 30 days in case rollback is needed
The actual cutover is a 30-minute window. Everything else is preparation.
Downtime, honestly
Anyone who promises "zero downtime" on a complex migration has not done many. What we promise instead is that any visible downtime is short — minutes, not hours — and scheduled. Email may have a brief gap during the MX cutover, typically under five minutes. Search rankings stay where they are if redirects are mapped properly. Form submissions during the cutover window are captured and forwarded.
What it costs
Migration into our hosting from another provider is included with new build projects (£250 starter, retainer thereafter). For a migration on its own — keeping your existing site as it is, just moved to faster, better-supported hosting — we quote per project depending on size, email complexity, and how much DNS clean-up is needed. Most small Devon business migrations sit inside half a day of work; complex ones with custom integrations can be longer.
What you get afterwards
Once you are with us, the £300/month retainer covers:
- UK hosting, daily backups, SSL renewal
- All WordPress core, theme and plugin updates
- Up to a couple of hours of content updates per month
- Direct line to Newton Abbot for problems — same day, often same hour
That is the bit most people undervalue at the migration stage and value most six months later.
A short FAQ
Will I lose my Google rankings? Not if redirects are mapped properly. We have moved sites with strong rankings without measurable loss.
Can I keep my email addresses? Yes. Every mailbox carries across.
How long does it take? Two to four weeks from sign-off, depending on complexity. The site stays live the entire time.
If your existing website is causing more problems than it is solving, call or WhatsApp 07887 988780. We are based in Newton Abbot and we will give you a straight answer on what your migration actually needs.