Secure access and ownership
Inventory the domains, DNS, hosting, WordPress, analytics, Search Console, form delivery, media and existing supplier responsibilities. Take complete backups and agree who owns each account before changing anything.
Website proposal / Stakeholder discussion
Proposal prepared by Tom Adam
Website Rebuild & Takeover Proposal
Double Stone Steel
Proposal in brief
Repair the enquiry journey first, then replace the fragmented websites with one company-owned system.
I propose to take responsibility for the Double Stone Steel website rebuild, migration and launch. The work would be delivered as a no-fee contribution, with Double Stone Steel covering only direct costs that it approves in advance. The immediate priority is to make sample requests dependable; the wider objective is a modern international website that the company owns and can improve without being locked into a long contract.
ObjectiveA clear, credible website that turns product interest into traceable enquiries for the correct region and gives Double Stone Steel control of its domains, content, code, data and analytics.
Current positionThe current journey is split across multiple domains, the sample-request route is not dependable, legacy John Desmond material remains visible, and the proposed agency contract would require a level of incremental margin the business does not expect the website to produce.
01
Why this needs attention
- Double Stone Steel needs a serious international product website for architects, designers, fabricators and specialist buyers—not a generic brochure site.
- Sample requests are the most important conversion action, but the public sample pages currently display finishes without a usable submission journey.
- The public identity is divided between dssel.com, doublestonesteel.com, doublestonesteelusa.com and legacy John Desmond references, weakening clarity and trust.
- The existing proposal totals £127,060 before VAT over 24 months. At £152,472 including VAT, the business estimates it would need roughly £800,000 of attributable enquiries to recover the required margin.
- The current websites contain useful product information and search history. A rebuild must preserve valuable pages and URLs rather than discarding them.
- The UK/Europe and US operations may need different routing, contact details and compliance content, but they should not require two unrelated technical systems.
02
Proposed delivery plan
A phased, low-risk website takeover
The safest approach is to separate the urgent commercial repair from the full rebuild. Double Stone Steel keeps its current services running while access, ownership and backups are confirmed. The sample-request journey is then repaired immediately, followed by a controlled rebuild and search-safe migration. Subject to timely access and approvals, the target for the initial full launch would be approximately 4–6 weeks. Coding speed is useful, but access, approvals, product accuracy and launch safeguards determine whether the result is dependable.
Restore the enquiry path
Repair or replace the sample-request flow within the first 2–5 working days after access. Test submission, delivery, regional routing, confirmation, spam protection and measurement end to end.
Agree the site and domain model
Choose one primary global site with regional routes, or two regional surfaces on one shared foundation. Confirm which domains are primary, redirected or retained before design and migration begin.
Design and build the shared system
Create the approved structure, visual system, product catalogue, finishes experience, technical resources, case studies and enquiry tools using reusable components and company-owned accounts.
Migrate without losing search value
Map existing URLs and content, preserve worthwhile pages, add redirects, carry metadata and structured content forward, and validate analytics, accessibility, performance and forms before launch.
Launch, monitor and hand over
Release in controlled stages, monitor errors and enquiries, document routine updates and leave Double Stone Steel with the code, credentials, backups and operating guide.
What good looks like
- A real sample request reaches the correct person, is acknowledged and is recorded for reporting.
- Important old URLs either remain live or redirect to the correct replacement.
- Double Stone Steel owns the accounts, code, content, data and analytics.
- The regional domain and enquiry-routing rules are clear to staff and customers.
- The new site can be maintained without a 24-month agency dependency.
03
What Double Stone Steel would provide
Name one project sponsor and one final approver
One person should coordinate feedback and one person should make final calls when opinions differ. This keeps a fast build from becoming a slow approval process.
Provide access and supplier information
Share the domain, DNS, hosting, WordPress, analytics, Search Console and form-delivery access, plus the current supplier agreement and renewal dates.
Confirm product and regional rules
Approve the current finishes, product families, technical documents, lead destinations, delivery regions, legal details and the differences between UK/Europe and US enquiries.
Review at three decision points
Approve the structure, approve the visual direction and content, then approve the tested launch candidate. Feedback should be consolidated at each point.
04
What the new system would include
One shared technical foundation
Use reusable product, finish, case-study and resource components so regional differences do not create duplicate maintenance or two incompatible websites.
A better product and finishes experience
Make colours, finishes, substrates, applications and technical information easy to compare, with a clear path from inspiration to sample or project enquiry.
A proper sample-request system
Use structured selections, validation, spam protection, regional routing, internal notifications, customer confirmation and analytics rather than an unmeasured contact form.
Search-safe content migration
Retain the pages and topics that already earn visibility, remove obsolete branding carefully and build a redirect map before any domain or URL changes.
Simple ownership and maintenance
Keep the infrastructure lean, document it clearly and give the company an editing route for routine changes without exposing critical technical settings.
05
Launch safeguards
- Do not cancel the existing supplier, hosting or support arrangement until the new system is tested, the handover is complete and a rollback route exists.
- Do not move company email as part of the website launch. Website, DNS and email changes should be separated so one project cannot interrupt the other.
- Do not build two fully independent websites unless a legal, operational or commercial requirement genuinely demands it.
- Do not discard current URLs and useful content for the sake of a clean start; migration quality matters as much as the new design.
- Do not promise a fixed volume of traffic, enquiries or sales. The website should improve conversion and measurement, while commercial outcomes remain dependent on demand, follow-up and sales performance.
06
My proposed contribution
No professional fee
Website rebuild, migration and launch
I would lead and complete the website work as a no-fee contribution to Double Stone Steel. My professional fee would be £0. The company would pay only approved direct costs—such as hosting, domains, email delivery, specialist software or licensed assets—and those would be kept in company-owned accounts wherever possible.
- Access, ownership and technical inventory
- Immediate sample-request repair
- Information architecture and visual direction
- Responsive website design and development
- Product, finish, resource and case-study templates
- Structured sample and project enquiry journeys
- Content migration, URL mapping and redirects
- Testing, launch monitoring, documentation and handover
No long contract and no development invoice: only direct costs approved by Double Stone Steel before they are incurred.
07
Decision and next step
Approve a 60–90 minute working session with Richard, Ian and the people who own the current website, domains and enquiries. The meeting should confirm the decision-maker, the domain model, access responsibilities and permission to repair the sample-request journey first. After that, I can return a final delivery plan and begin the first phase.
08
Basis for this proposal
- TIDB — Double Stone Steel website, SEO and hosting proposal dated 29 July 2026 (private proposal reviewed)
- Double Stone Steel — UK and Europe website
- DSS / John Desmond — current dssel.com website
- Double Stone Steel — current sample request page
- Companies House — Double Stone Steel Limited