Every founder eventually looks at their website and thinks "this needs work." The next question is the expensive one: do we rebuild it, or do we refresh it?
Most studios will tell you "redesign." Of course they will — it's a bigger invoice. But the honest answer depends on what's actually broken.
Refresh Territory
A refresh makes sense when:
If three of those four are true, you don't need a redesign. You need a sharp afternoon with someone who can rewrite your headline, replace the photography, and tighten the calls-to-action.
Redesign Territory
A redesign makes sense when:
If any two of those are true, you're looking at a rebuild. Refreshing it would be putting a coat of paint on a house with foundation problems.
The Test
Pull up your homepage. Read it as if you've never seen it before. Then answer:
1. Do you understand what this business does within five seconds?
2. Do you know who it's for?
3. Is there one obvious next step?
If the answer is yes to all three, refresh. If the answer is no to any of them, redesign.
Why It Matters
A redesign you didn't need is wasted money. A refresh of something that needed a redesign is wasted effort. We've seen both — and the second is worse, because you end up doing the work twice.
If you're not sure which camp you're in, that's exactly the conversation we have on the first call. No commitment, no pressure. We'd rather tell you that you don't need us than sell you something you don't need.