Put a face to the name
Three minutes, from me,
before you read anything else.
The only web designer in Wellington with formal software engineering training who refuses to write custom code.
Here’s why. Custom code is how most of this industry keeps you locked in. It breaks, it’s expensive to fix, and when the developer stops answering the phone, you’re stuck. Platforms built by billion-dollar engineering teams beat solo custom code on usability and reliability every time. Most web designers would rather you didn’t know it.
I’ve been building websites since 2016. I run ALS as a one-man operation by design — you work directly with the person building your site. No account managers. No intermediaries. Nobody passing you to a junior. I take one client at a time, which works out to between 10-15 per year.
If you want a professional website without the BS, the lock-in, or the five-figure invoice, that’s what ALS exists for.
The short version
BasedWellington, New Zealand
Building sites since2016
StudyingBSc Software Engineering, Cloud Computing major
Team sizeOne. That’s the point.
Clients at a timeOne
The ALS Method:
Why this works where
other approaches don’t.
Most Wellington business owners who need a website get sent down one of three broken roads: a bloated agency that charges $8,000 and takes six months, a custom-code freelancer who holds them hostage, or a DIY platform they give up on after three weekends.
None of these work. And none of them are your fault.
Platform Power Over Cowboy Code
WordPress, Wix and Shopify are built by teams of hundreds of engineers, working every day on security, performance and reliability. Your site runs on those platforms — enterprise-grade, fully owned by you, zero lock-in.
Lean Design Philosophy
Agencies charge by complexity — more pages, bigger invoice. I go the other way. Conversion-focused, fast to load, fast to launch. Your site is built to turn visitors into customers, not to look busy.
Radical Honesty
Transparent pricing, upfront. Tier recommendations based on what you actually need, not on what pays me more. If the cheaper option is enough, I’ll tell you — even when you’re holding the bigger budget.
The Old Way vs The ALS Method
Cost
$3K–$15K
(Agencies. Freelancers $1.5K–$5K)
$500–$2,000
(Priced by need)
Timeline
3–6 Months
(Prolonged builds)
3–6 Weeks
(Fraction of the time)
Risk
Upfront Risk
(Commit before seeing)
Preview Before You Pay
(30-day money-back guarantee)
Effort
Managing Briefs
(Chasing updates)
Showing Up For Coffee
(Approve. Done.)
Connection
Junior Staff
(Never meet designer)
Direct Expertise
(Work with the builder)
Technology
Custom Code
(Breaks easily, hard to use)
Proven Platforms
(Maintained by engineers)
Ownership
Vendor Lock-In
(Held hostage)
Total Ownership
(Own your website and domain name outright)
Honesty
Upselling
(Maximising the invoice)
Objective Advice
(Told when NOT to spend)
Same quality. None of the markup. One person. Your project. Full attention.
Two tiers. One honest question.
Do you need to accept payments online?
The Digital Presence Build
$500–$800 NZD
Live in 3 weeks · 3–5 pages
For businesses that take payment in cash, on invoice, or on site.
✓ Professional site built with The ALS Method™ — mobile, fast, 3–5 pages
✓ Done-for-you copywriting from my questionnaire — you don’t write a word
✓ Google Business Profile setup and analytics
✓ Full training, full ownership, 100% control
Best for tradies, consultants, coaches, therapists and service businesses.
$500 if you already have your content. $800 if we’re building from scratch. I’ll tell you exactly where you land at our first meeting.
The Digital Storefront Build
$2,000 NZD
Live in 6 weeks · 8–12 pages
For businesses that need to take payment online.
✓ Everything in the Digital Presence Build, plus 8–12 pages
✓ Full e-commerce — payment gateway, up to 50 products, shipping and tax
✓ Extended training session and a video tutorial library
✓ Social media marketing strategy template
Best for retail, e-commerce and booking-based businesses.
Not sure you need it? Start with the Digital Presence Build. I’ll tell you the same thing to your face.
Both tiers include preview before you pay · 30-day money-back guarantee · full ownership, no lock-in.
The process
You do 20%. I do 80%.
Five steps. One coffee. No payment until you’ve seen your site.
Book your free consultation
Coffee in Wellington or a video call. No pitch, no pressure. I learn about your business, you ask me anything.
I build your preview
You answer my questions. I handle the rest — content, design, copy, layout.
See it before you pay
I show you a working preview. Love it and we proceed. Don’t, and you walk away at no cost.
I build, refine and launch
Final build, refinements, domain, hosting and Google Business Profile. You approve. I launch.
You own it completely
Full training session. Full access. Full control. Your 30-day guarantee starts on payment day.
That’s it. That’s the whole process.
Recent work
Real businesses. Real sites.
(Some of these businesses have since closed or moved elsewhere — each one is labelled so you know what you’re looking at. Each project still showcases what I can do)
Live
The Bond Street Deli
Kosher deli · Wellington CBD
Ian came to me with a design already worked out and one question: could I build it exactly as it looked? I could, and I did. Built to spec, no compromises, delivered in about a week — and Ian was and still is happy with the result to this day.
Archived
Cuba St Bistro
Restaurant · Wellington
A Kiwi–Eastern European brunch and dinner bistro in the heart of Cuba Street. Their old site was a stock Wix template with a phone number on it and nothing else. They wanted simple, professional and elegant, with every essential detail a diner needs before they book. That’s what they got. The owners have since sold the restaurant following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archived
Telefund New Zealand
Fundraising consultancy
Telefund ran telemarketing fundraising campaigns for some of the biggest household-name charities in New Zealand and overseas, off the back of a free template website that didn’t come close to reflecting that. Owner Jude Lyon wanted something that looked the part. I built her an entirely new brand identity — new logos, new content — written to highlight her strengths and points of difference, with job applications, her LinkedIn profile and direct contact all handled on-site. Jude was happy with the result. She has since sold the company and moved to Australia to continue her career in fundraising for non-profits.
Archived
Herbivore
Vegetarian restaurant · Cuba St, Wellington
A vegetarian café in the central city after a straightforward flyer site — all the critical information in one place, plus direct links through to their social channels. The key requirement was menus they could update themselves, whenever they wanted, without calling me. Simple build, about a week from start to finish. Herbivore has since closed following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Concept
Raglan Roast
Coffee roaster · nationwide delivery
A concept design for one of New Zealand’s best-known independent coffee roasters, with more than twelve locations nationwide. Raglan Roast run a Shopify site built in-house by family, but I know the owners and Wellington management personally — and they were happy for me to use their materials to show what a different direction could look like. Their live site is at raglanroast.co.nz.
Archived
Arcadia Preserves
Small-batch preserves
Frank Schatz was launching a small Wellington startup making and selling his own signature preserves, and needed a simple site to showcase it. Product photography, the essential details, contact information and direct links to the company’s social accounts. Once Frank sent through his copy, pricing and images, the build took a day or two.
Archived
Kate Mariette
Dreadlock creation and maintenance
Kate was an independent hairdresser running her own business entirely through social media. She needed somewhere to send prospective clients that answered the questions she was fielding over and over, with direct links back to her social accounts to get in touch. Quick, clean, and live in a couple of days. Kate has since moved into a government role — and remains a close friend.
If you’re not satisfied within 30 days of payment — full refund.
No drama. No questions designed to talk you out of it.
Here’s why this exists. You’ve been burned before.
You’ve been quoted into paralysis. You’ve tried DIY and given up. You’ve got every reason to be cautious — and every right to protect yourself.
So I’ll carry the risk instead.
Preview before you pay. Pay only once you’ve seen it. And if something isn’t right — refund, site removed, no hard feelings.
The guarantee starts the day you pay, not the day we meet.
Terms and conditions apply.
Ready to stop looking amateur online?
Coffee in Wellington or a video call — your choice. Thirty minutes. No pitch, no pressure. I’ll answer your questions, understand your business, and tell you honestly whether I can help.
Prefer email? [email protected]