Web Development
Freelance WordPress Web Developer Perth
I'm Brad Farleigh, a Perth WordPress developer building sites since 2008. Bug fixes, custom development, host migrations, email deliverability, tracking and integrations. Every job starts with a diagnostic and a fixed-price quote.
Email hello@bradfarleigh.com or use the live chat. I don't take phone calls, so everything is in writing from the start.
How does a job work?
Diagnostic. I log into your site, find the actual fault, and tell you in writing what it will take to fix. If it's quick, I often fix it during the diagnostic at no extra charge.
Fixed-price quote. If it's more involved, you get a fixed price before any work starts. No hourly meter, no scope creep.
Fast turnaround. The diagnostic is usually done within 3 business days of getting access, and your start date is confirmed in the quote.
What I do
Bug fixes
PHP errors, plugin conflicts, database errors, forms that stopped working, a feature or layout that broke on a site that is otherwise up. One-off fixes with a clear cause.
Custom development
Theme modifications, custom plugins, ACF field setups, WooCommerce customisation and custom templates.
Migrations to a new host
Moving a site off cheap shared hosting onto Kinsta, WP Engine or similar. I handle the move, DNS, SSL, redirects and the checks afterwards. If you'd rather do it yourself, here's how to move WordPress to Kinsta or WP Engine and manage it yourself.
Email deliverability
Contact forms that send but never arrive, enquiries landing in spam, SMTP relay setup, and SPF, DKIM and DMARC records that don't line up. More detail on the WordPress email deliverability fix page.
Tracking and integrations
GA4, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads conversions, Meta Pixel with Conversions API, and connections from WordPress forms and WooCommerce into CRMs, email platforms and other APIs.
What does it cost?
Every job starts with the diagnostic. Everything after that is a fixed quote.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic (every job starts here) | Paid |
| Quick fix found during the diagnostic | Often included |
| Bug fixes on a working site: PHP errors, plugin conflicts, broken features | Fixed quote |
| Email deliverability and broken forms | Fixed quote |
| Custom development and WooCommerce changes | Fixed quote |
| Host migration, tracking or integrations | Fixed quote |
Why do WordPress sites get hacked?
Almost never through WordPress core. The usual way in is a plugin or theme with a known vulnerability that nobody updated. Attackers scan for those at scale, so a small business site is not too small to be found.
The other common causes:
- Abandoned plugins. The plugin still works, but the author stopped patching it years ago.
- Nulled themes and plugins. Pirated premium plugins often ship with a backdoor already in them.
- Weak or shared logins. No two-factor authentication, and admin accounts left behind by old developers and agencies.
- Old PHP and cheap shared hosting. An outdated server, or a neighbouring site on the same account, becomes the way in.
Cleaning up a hacked site properly is more than deleting the malware you can see. You have to find the entry point, check for backdoor files in uploads, rogue admin users, injected database content and scheduled tasks, then rotate every password and security key. Skip any of that and the site gets reinfected within weeks.
Why is my WordPress site slow?
Slow WordPress sites nearly always come down to a few causes:
- Too many plugins doing too much. Each one can add scripts, styles and database queries to every page.
- Page builders. Elementor and Divi output a lot of nested markup and CSS, which is heavy before you add any content.
- Unoptimised images. Full-size photos straight off a phone, served to every visitor.
- No proper caching. No page cache, no object cache, and a server rebuilding every page on every visit.
- Cheap hosting. A slow server response time that no plugin can fix.
- Database bloat. Autoloaded options and leftover data from plugins that were deleted years ago.
- Third-party scripts. Chat widgets, pixels and tag managers loading before the content does.
I've written up the fixes that actually work for a slow WordPress site.
Why do WordPress sites break after an update?
Usually a plugin conflict, a plugin that isn't ready for a new PHP version, or an update pushed straight to the live site without testing it first. The fix is to find the exact conflict, patch or roll it back, and retest before anything goes live again.
The site down after an update fix guide walks through the first steps if you want to try it yourself.
Why work with me directly?
You deal with me, and I do the work. There's no account manager in between and no junior developer learning on your site. I've been building and fixing WordPress sites since 2008, so most problems are ones I've seen before.
Helpful guides before you book
- WordPress Developers Perth: How to Choose One Without Getting Burned
- WordPress Developers Perth: Pricing, Timelines, and Freelance vs Agency
- WordPress Site Down After an Update? Here's How to Fix It
- WordPress Contact Form Not Sending? Here's the Fix
- WordPress Running Slow? The Actual Fixes That Work
FAQ
How much does a freelance WordPress developer in Perth cost?
Freelance WordPress work in Perth is usually quoted per job or at $100 to $200 an hour. My jobs start with a paid diagnostic, then a fixed-price quote. You know the price before any work starts.
What do I get from the diagnostic?
I log into the site, find the actual fault and tell you in writing what it will take to fix and what it will cost. If the fix is quick, I often do it during the diagnostic at no extra charge. It is usually done within 3 business days.
What WordPress work do you take on?
Bug fixes, custom development, migrations to a new host, email deliverability, tracking and integrations.
How quickly can you start?
The diagnostic is usually done within 3 business days of getting access, often sooner, and your start date is confirmed in the quote. I'm not an on-call emergency service.
What do you need from me before I start?
WordPress admin access, hosting access, a short description of the problem and anything that changed just before it started. The more specific you are, the faster the diagnostic.
Do you only work with Perth businesses?
No. I'm based in Perth and work in Perth hours, but everything is done remotely, so I work with businesses anywhere in Australia.
Got a WordPress job?
Email hello@bradfarleigh.com or use the live chat with a short description of the problem.