AI tools can now design a decent-looking website in an afternoon. We are seeing more small business owners arrive with one: "I made this, can you make it real?" That is a reasonable request, and an interesting job, because a prototype that looks right is not the same as a website that works for a business.
This case study covers one such project for an appliance repair business in Kingston, Jamaica: what we changed, what it cost, and what came next.
The starting point
The owner had designed a one-to-two page site in an AI prototyping tool. It looked good and said the right things about the business: appliance repair for washers, fridges and other home appliances, with a way to get in touch.
But as a business website it had gaps:
- it lived on the prototyping tool's platform rather than as code the owner controlled;
- it was not connected to the business's own domain;
- the contact form needed a reliable way to deliver enquiries;
- search basics and performance had not been considered;
- there was no plan for who would keep it running.
What we did
The scope was written into a short fixed-price agreement:
- Recreate the design as production code, matching the prototype closely.
- Deploy and launch the site.
- Connect the client's domain and configure it for live use.
Payment was split 50/50: a deposit on signing and the balance on completion, before the source code was handed over. After launch, defects in the delivered work were fixed at no charge for 14 days.
Because the design already existed and the site was small, the fee was lower than our standard simple business website package.
Why rebuild instead of exporting?
Prototype exports often carry code that is hard to maintain and depend on the tool's own services. A clean rebuild gives the owner a fast site that any competent developer can work on, with no dependency on the prototyping platform.
Hosting and maintenance
After launch, the owner chose a yearly hosting and maintenance arrangement rather than a monthly retainer. It covers:
- hosting on our infrastructure;
- routine maintenance, bug fixes and security updates;
- software package and dependency updates;
- quicker changes when the owner needs them.
The contact form sends enquiries through an email address we set up, so the owner did not have to pay for a separate email service yet. For transparency, the owner was added to the project's code repository, with full access to the source at all times.
What came next: job tracking
Once the website was live, the conversation moved to the bigger problem: tracking repair jobs. Customers were calling to ask about their repair, and jobs were tracked by hand.
The next phase is a job tracking and customer management system:
- Job status steps, confirmed with the owner, from Received through Visit Scheduled, Diagnosed, Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Parts and Repair In Progress to completion.
- An email to the customer at each step, with a link to their job's status.
- A "Track My Repair" page on the website.
- A connection to the shop's existing online request form, so new jobs arrive automatically.
- Job-to-invoice, so a finished job becomes an invoice without retyping.
- Reminders for jobs waiting too long.
The plan runs about four to five weeks: a week of discovery, two weeks of building, a week of piloting on real jobs alongside the current process, then acceptance testing, training and go-live.
What small businesses can take from this
- AI prototypes are a great brief. Showing us a design you like saves time and money.
- A prototype is not a website. Hosting, domain, forms, search basics and maintenance still need doing.
- Own your code and your domain. Ask for both in writing.
- Choose maintenance that fits. A simple site that rarely changes does not need an expensive retainer.
- The website is often step one. Once customers can find you, the next win is usually a system that saves staff time, like job tracking.
The checklist we use to turn a prototype into a real site
Every prototype is different, but the work to make one production-ready follows the same list. If you have an AI-made or template design, this is what needs doing, by us or anyone else.
Code and content
- Rebuild the pages as clean, lightweight code that matches the design on phones, tablets and desktops.
- Replace placeholder text and stock images with the business's real content.
- Compress images and remove unused scripts so the site loads fast on mobile data.
- Add proper page titles and descriptions for search.
Forms and contact
- Make the contact form deliver to an inbox that someone reads, with spam protection.
- Add click-to-call and a WhatsApp button, because that is how many Jamaican customers prefer to reach a business.
- Test every form and button on a real phone.
Domain and hosting
- Connect the business's own domain, registered in the owner's name.
- Turn on https.
- Decide who hosts and maintains the site, and write it down.
Search basics
- Generate a sitemap and connect Google Search Console.
- Make sure the business name, address and phone number match the Google Business Profile exactly.
Handover
- Give the owner access to the code repository.
- Write down every account the site uses and who owns it.
Why we were comfortable charging so little
Small fixed-price jobs only work when the scope is tight and clear. Here, the design was finished, the site was one to two pages, and the agreement said exactly what was included and what counted as a change request. That clarity let us price it low and still do it properly, and it let the owner budget with confidence. The same principle runs through our published packages: a fixed price for a clear scope, and a separate, written quote for anything beyond it.
Questions to ask before hiring someone to finish a prototype
If you have a design from an AI tool and want it made real, these questions help you compare quotes:
- Will you rebuild it as clean code, or reuse the export? Either can work, but you should know which.
- Who will own the code and the domain? The answer should be "you", in writing.
- Where will it be hosted, and what does that cost each year?
- How will the contact form deliver messages, and what stops spam?
- What happens if something breaks in the first few weeks?
- What does a change cost after launch?
- Can I see a site you built from someone else's design?
A developer who answers clearly and puts the answers in a short agreement is usually a safe choice, whatever the price.
Small sites still need good foundations
It is tempting to treat a one-page site as too small to matter. But for a repair business, the site is often the first impression, and the contact form is a direct line to new jobs. Good foundations, such as a domain the owner controls, a working form, fast loading and someone responsible for keeping it running, matter as much on a small site as on a large one.
Need something similar?
- Have a design from an AI tool or a template? We can make it real: see the simple business website package or send us the link.
- Want hosting and updates handled? See the website care plan and our guide to website maintenance costs.
- Need job tracking, quotes or invoicing? That is a custom web app.
- In Jamaica? Read how much a website costs in Jamaica.
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes, but prototypes are usually not production-ready: they may be hosted on the tool's platform, lack proper forms, search setup, security and performance work, and be hard to move. Rebuilding the design as clean code gives you a site you own and can maintain.
It was a small fixed-fee project for a one-to-two page site, below our standard simple website package price because the design already existed. Our standard simple business website is US$300.
Yes. The source code was handed over after the final payment, and the owner has full access to the code repository.
The next phase: job status steps from Received to completion, a Track My Repair page, an email to the customer at each step, a connection to the shop's existing online form and job-to-invoice.
