Web design in Reading, built to outrun your rivals
Web design in Reading from our Theale studio, since 2005. Fixed prices, websites from £5,000 (+VAT), and AI built in where it pays.
Recent websites from our Theale studio
Reading businesses we've built for
Some of the Reading and Berkshire organisations whose websites we have designed and built.
- Berkeley PR A B2B technology PR agency. We rebuilt its website around lead capture, content and international markets. Read the Berkeley PR case study →
- PR Motors An MOT and garage business on Tidmarsh Lane, near Reading. We designed and built its website. Visit prmotors.biz ↗
Is Code23 the right web design studio for your Reading business?
We suit Reading and Berkshire businesses whose website has a job to do: win enquiries, sell products, explain a complex offer or take work off the team. Our projects start at £5,000 (+VAT), so we are not the cheapest option in Reading. What you get for that is a senior team that designs, builds, hosts and supports the site from one studio in Theale, a fixed price agreed before any build starts, and code you own outright when the final invoice is paid.
Code23 is a strong fit when
- Professional services firms, such as law, PR and consultancies, who need a site that wins enquiries rather than just describes them
- Businesses with a deep catalogue or a lot of content that a template cannot organise
- Teams replacing an old site who cannot afford to lose the search rankings they already have
- Owners who want the same people to build the site and look after it afterwards
- Businesses that want AI doing useful work on their website, not added as a gimmick
We may not be the right fit when
- A first five-page site on a budget of a few hundred pounds. A template studio or a site builder is better value for that, and we will say so
- Projects that need to start before anyone has agreed what is being built
- Buyers looking for the lowest hourly rate rather than a fixed price
Evidence to check before you choose
- 01 Ask who will own the code and the hosting account after launch
- 02 Ask what happens when something breaks after go-live, and for how long
- 03 Ask to see comparable live work, not only designs
- 04 Ask how the agency uses AI, and who still checks the work before it goes live
Three website problems we fix most often
Most Reading businesses who call us have already had a website built once. The problems are usually the same three.
A good-looking site that nobody finds
The redesign looked better, but rankings for your Reading searches dropped and enquiries stayed flat.
An agency you never meet
Every decision goes through an account manager and a call booked a week out.
A builder who disappears after launch
The site goes live, then hosting, updates and broken forms become your problem.
What we build for Reading businesses
New websites for Reading businesses
A site built around the enquiries you want, with a CMS your team can actually use. We pick the platform for the job: WordPress, Astro, Payload or a custom build.
Rebuilds that keep your rankings
Your old site has years of search history. We map every URL, plan redirects and carry content across, so a new design protects the traffic you already have.
Local SEO built into the site
Page structure, schema, speed and Google Business Profile consistency built in during development, so Reading and Berkshire searches can find you from launch day.
Ecommerce & product catalogues
Shops and catalogues for businesses with more products, options or rules than an off-the-shelf theme can handle.
AI built into your website
Useful AI that does real work: answering visitor questions from your own content, sorting enquiries before your team sees them, or pricing complex orders at checkout.
Hosting & support from the same team
Managed hosting, security updates, daily backups and developer time each month from the studio that built your site. No handover to strangers.
What usually ships in a Reading website build
CMS editing, local SEO, performance, forms, accessibility and analytics, agreed in the scope rather than bolted on later.
Local SEO
Queries, intent and templates aimed at Reading and Berkshire.
CMS editing
Draft, review and publish without raising a ticket for every line.
Performance
Core Web Vitals watched before visitors feel the lag.
Forms & enquiries
Captures from local visitors without the spreadsheet graveyard.
Ecommerce
Catalogue depth and checkout paths sized to the shop you run.
Analytics
Events and conversions wired so local decisions have a number.
"A real pleasure working with Code23 who, from the beginning listened to our needs, were able to navigate the challenges that arose, and had the expertise to deliver a secure and future-proof site."
How we work
How a Reading website project runs
Scope and price are agreed before the build starts, and the people who planned your site stay on it through launch.
Step 1
Understand the brief
Who your visitors are, what you need them to do, and which Reading searches matter to you. Workshops at our studio, your office or on a call.
Step 2
Agree scope & price
Page templates, CMS, integrations and platform agreed in writing, with one fixed price. For complex briefs this is the Discovery Sprint.
Step 3
Design & build
Templates, content and integrations built in parallel. Senior developers review every change before it is merged.
Step 4
Test before launch
Accessibility, security and page speed tested against agreed targets before anyone outside the team sees the site.
Step 5
Go live
Redirects, analytics, search console and CMS training handled on launch. Your 90-day warranty starts here.
Step 6
Keep improving
Hosting, security, SEO and new features through a monthly plan, from the team that built it.
What web design costs with Code23
Every project starts with a scoped price you can plan around. If your brief is still loose, a Discovery Sprint turns it into a working prototype and a fixed-price proposal in one to two weeks, and its cost comes off your build in full.
| Project | Price | Typical timeline | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Sprint | £750 to £1,500 (+VAT) | 1 to 2 weeks | Interactive prototype, architecture and a fixed-price build proposal, credited to your build |
| Brand & lead-generation website | £5,000 to £10,000 (+VAT) | 2 to 4 weeks | 5 to 10 bespoke templates, CMS, CRM integration |
| Catalogue & content platform | £10,000 to £25,000 (+VAT) | 4 to 6 weeks | 20+ templates, faceted search, structured content, legacy data migration |
| Custom web app or portal | £18,000 to £40,000 (+VAT) | 6 to 10 weeks | Logins, roles, payments, customer dashboards |
| AI built into your platform | £30,000 to £100,000+ (+VAT) | 6 to 20 weeks | Search and answers over your own content, workflow agents, testing |
| Hosting, security & support | From £495 a month (+VAT) | Monthly | Managed hosting, daily backups, form monitoring, developer time |
Full detail and monthly plans on our pricing page.
Why choose Code23 for web design in Reading
A Reading studio since 2005
The Code23 brand has worked from the Reading area for more than 20 years. Our studio is at Spaces, Arlington Business Park in Theale, and you are welcome to visit.
The people you meet build the site
No account-management layer. The senior team who scope your project are the people who design and build it.
A fixed price before the build starts
Scope is agreed first. Anything new is priced and agreed before we start it, so the invoice matches the quote.
You own everything
Code, design files and database are yours once the final invoice is paid. No lock-in.
A website that moves as fast as you do
Launch a campaign, a new service or a new market and your site is ready in days, not weeks. We keep improving it from how real visitors use it, so it wins more every month instead of ageing.
verified reviews
On the record, on Google
Real reviews from our Google Business profile.
We've recently completed Phase 1 of a bespoke business valuation tool with James at Code23, and I've been extremely impressed. He has taken the time to understand both the commercial and technical requirements, communicated clearly throughout, and delivered a well-thought-out system with a high level of flexibility. The admin dashboard, in particular, gives us full control over the scoring and valuation logic, which was a key requirement. I'm looking forward to working with James on Phase 2 and would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone looking for bespoke software development – Jason Atkins, Director, Lansley Commercial
We couldn’t be happier with the service from Code23. They were a pleasure to work with—friendly, professional, and really took the time to understand our needs. They met our brief perfectly, delivering a website that looks great and performs exactly as we envisioned, all at excellent value for money. What sets Code23 apart is their aftercare. Knowing they are on hand to monitor and maintain our website means we never have to worry about its performance. Their ongoing support gives us complete peace of mind, and we’d highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and skilled web development team
It has truly been a fantastic experience working with the Code23 team. Every part of the process from the scoping and onboarding down to the design and implementation of our website was handled excellently. The quality of service delivered by the team is globally top standard and I couldn't be more satisfied with the final outcome.
I have worked with Code23 and their team for over 5 years across 3 different projects ranging from mobile app development to custom WordPress websites. Together the team bring a level of expertise and professionalism I have not seen anywhere else... The results achieved have really helped to grow our business. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a custom project to be completed on time and in budget.
We worked with Code23 for a complete rebuild of our music related website. Excellent customer service and quality throughout and the build they have now completed is fantastic - exceeded all expectations across the board. Fantastic company with a dynamic and motivated team who are great to work with. Would highly recommend!
Joe and the team at code23 have done a fantastic job helping us design and build our new website. I feel they really captured the quality of the Draks brand. Would highly recommend.
blogs
Reading and web thinking
Local SEO, CMS models and website rebuilds that stay maintainable for Thames Valley teams.
View all postsFind our web design studio near Reading
Code23 has designed and built websites from the Reading area since 2005, and we work from Spaces at Arlington Business Park, Theale RG7 4SA. More than 350 projects and 60+ five-star Google reviews later, the same senior team scopes, builds and looks after every site. You're welcome to meet us at the studio, at your office or on a call. Arlington Business Park is near junction 12 of the M4, and Theale station is a short walk away, with trains to Reading. There's visitor parking at Spaces. We're open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30. Call 0118 995 2852 or find us on Google Maps.
One studio. Six regional hubs.
Code23 serves Reading, Berkshire, Oxford, Newbury, Basingstoke and London from the same Theale studio est. 2005. Cross-link the hub that matches your search - the team and pricing model stay the same.
- Reading You are here
Web design Reading
Home studio in Theale. Local SEO, rebuilds and continuous engineering for Reading firms.
- Berkshire
Web design Berkshire
County-wide websites and platforms for Berkshire teams who want a studio they can visit.
- Oxford
Web development Oxford
Product-grade web development for Oxford businesses across the Thames Valley corridor.
- Newbury
Web design Newbury
Newbury and west Berkshire websites with senior craft and a fixed price agreed before we start.
- Basingstoke
Web design Basingstoke
Basingstoke site launches and rebuilds without a distant London account team.
- London
Web design London
London-grade delivery from Theale - senior people on the work and a fixed price agreed before we start.
Web design Reading questions, answered
How much does web design cost in Reading?
It depends on the job more than the town. A five-page template site from a freelancer can cost a few hundred pounds; a custom catalogue or customer portal can cost tens of thousands. What moves the price is the number of page templates, how much content needs migrating, and what the site has to connect to. Our own prices are in the table above, and our Reading web design cost guide compares the wider market.
How long does it take to build a website?
A brand and lead-generation website usually takes 2 to 4 weeks once scope is agreed. Catalogue and content-heavy sites take 4 to 6 weeks, and custom web apps 6 to 10 weeks. The slowest part is normally content, so we agree who supplies what in the first week.
Can I meet you in person?
Yes. Our studio is at Arlington Business Park in Theale. You're welcome to meet us there, at your office anywhere in Reading and Berkshire, or on a call. Day to day, most clients work with us over calls and a shared project board.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I rebuild my website?
A planned move protects them. Before launch we map every existing URL to its new home, set up redirects, keep the content that ranks and watch Search Console after go-live. Rankings can shift for a few weeks after any rebuild, but most lasting losses come from skipping that step.
Do you use WordPress?
Yes, when it is the right fit, and we have built custom WordPress sites for clients including KLG Law, Berkeley PR and Sonardyne. For marketing sites that need speed and simple editing we often use Astro or Payload instead. We recommend a platform during scoping and explain why.
How do you use AI, and is my data safe?
We use AI tools during development, with senior specialists responsible for the work and its release. On client sites we add AI only where it does a measurable job, such as answering questions from your own content. We agree in writing what data any AI feature can use before we build it.
What happens after the website launches?
Every build has a 90-day warranty from launch covering defects against the agreed specification. After that, most clients move onto a monthly plan for hosting, security, backups and developer time, with the same team who built the site. You can also take the code and host it yourself; it is yours.
Need a Reading team that still ships fast?
Tell us what you need to launch. We'll map a plan that does not need a London retainer - or see the work that backs it.