advice needed on setting up a website

[mycatoscar]

My dh runs a small building and carpentry business and we have been meanign for a while to set up a simple website with photos and recommendations on it and also get his van signwritten with the website on it.

We just want a basic website which allows a contact me form, or even just space to put contact details plus a library of photos of works completed where customers have given him permission to use them.

We dont need facility to sell anything. And I am happy to maintain the website with regards to adding photos comments etc, I already know how to add content from my other job (teacher).

Can anyone recommend a company which will provide a low cost easy to maintain website which would suit us?

We want a simple web address too, nothing with the website designers name in it.

Thanks in advance

Go to 123-reg.co.uk (or similar) and buy a site name eg builderinslough.co.uk select a hosting package (Linux), install Wordpress as a free app on their 1-click installation.

Don't waste time looking for "free" - nothing worth having is free and you will end up with their name in your site name. A shiny pound to anyone able to prove differently.

Thank you for the tips, I'm assuming that after I've bought the name is still have to pay someone to build my website or is it pretty simple to someone who is computer literate?

I have used 123 reg and they are not very good with customer service.

I'm now using 1and1 - much better when there's a problem and far more choice in colours, layout etc. and I pay around £15 a month I think, it comes out every 3 months.

i'll pm you a link as I had a recommend a friend email the other day for some money to be earned! Ill split it with you if you to with them, fairs fair!

mycatoscar - if it were me, I'd set up a WordPress blog at wordpress.com, then map it to your domain nam. This sounds more complicated than it is - here are the instructions - and 123reg.co.uk is fine for domain name registration as is 1and1, just don't use godaddy (they're an awful company).

Hosting at WordPress.com then mapping to your own site is a bit safer as they'll keep everything up to date and secure, so you don't have to worry about it. If you do ever decide you need the flexibility of hosting it yourself, it's easy to export from your old blog into your new one.

Also, it's cheaper - the hosting is free, all you need is the domain name registration (if you don't want to use .com - which I wouldn't, I'd use .co.uk) and a £15(ish) upgrade to use that domain on WordPress.

I have a feeling I've made that much more complicated than it is. It's free to have a go with WordPress, so try that, and if you like it, do the rest.

Ack - meant to say they're very easy to theme (choose a layout, colours, etc) and there are loads of themes to choose from: theme.wordpress.com/.

Fadbook - Ah, you need to ask for George - he's brilliant! :)

Not sure what you mean about lack of colours.

I have a site through buildyourownsite.co.uk, it costs £2.99 a month and the web address cost me £10 I think and it's a really simple address, my friend who usually struggles with computers maintains her own site on it.

You can make a totally free website with weebly and just buy the domain name you want. No ongoing charges for hosting. I used Weebly for my own website and also my brother in laws handyman service which is probably more similar to what you need..... if you want to take a look the links are below.

Mine is a paid for (PRO) website- about $60 I think and the other is free. The main difference s being able to upload video to the pro version as far as I can see. It's all vry easy to work with
Nearly new sales
Happiest Handyman

Okay so having chatted to dh we both like the ease and layout of weebly. But he wants a .co.uk address rather than .com so we would need to buy that elsewhere and redirect it, how tricky is this?