The short answer
Start with the problem you need to solve. If the site is accessible and maintainable but has unclear copy, broken links or a difficult contact step, a focused repair may be enough. Consider a redesign when the structure or technology makes essential improvements difficult to deliver and maintain.
In this guide
Name the problem before choosing the solution
Write down what customers or staff cannot do, which pages are involved and what evidence you have. The website feels dated is a starting observation; customers cannot finish an appointment request is a more useful problem to investigate.
Ask whether you need more relevant visitors, a clearer offer, a working customer action or a better response process. These are different problems, and a new visual design will not automatically solve all of them.
When a repair is worth trying
A focused repair is useful when you can identify a specific barrier and the current platform lets you change it safely. Keep the parts that already help customers.
- Replace a broken booking or contact link.
- Clarify an important service page.
- Improve a form that is hard to use on a phone.
- Route enquiries to the right person.
- Add measurement for successful customer actions.
When a larger rebuild may make sense
A rebuild may be justified when essential pages are difficult to maintain, the site cannot support the agreed customer journey, or repeated workarounds cost more than a properly scoped replacement.
Compare the options in writing. Include the content, integrations, testing, migration and ongoing maintenance each option requires, rather than comparing only the design fee.
Protect what already works
Before changing platforms or URLs, inventory the current pages, important search traffic, forms, analytics and integrations. Record which URLs will stay and which need redirects.
Test the replacement before launch and verify the important customer paths after release. Keep domain and account ownership clear so your business can continue operating after the project ends.
Sources & further reading
Use the original sources to check the details and current guidance.
(opens Google’s source preferences)Put it into practice
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