Your website.
Your next steps.

START HERE

Your ZIP contains a website folder with index.html and its styles, scripts and assets, ready to upload. Template-built sites also include a separate source folder with the editable configuration, original files and build instructions. Read PUBLISHING.txt and source/README.md when supplied for instructions specific to your website. Keep an untouched backup before making changes. No BuiltReady subscription is required.

1. CHECK YOUR WEBSITE

Read every page and check the business name, telephone number, email, services, hours and address. Test links on a phone and a computer. Ensure you have permission to use all supplied business material. The SOURCE-NOTES.txt file records the sources used to prepare the website. Remove outdated or unsupported claims before publishing.

2. CHOOSE YOUR OWN HOSTING

You need a provider that supports static HTML websites. The package requires no PHP, database or server-side application. Check the provider’s current pricing, limits, terms and support before choosing. Free tiers can change; hosting charges are separate from the £39.99 paid to BuiltReady. Create and control your own account. BuiltReady does not create accounts, accept hosting credentials, upload the files for you or manage the site. You can give the files and this guide to a developer or someone you trust if you prefer.

3. UPLOAD THE WEBSITE

Extract the ZIP first. Upload the CONTENTS of the website folder to your provider’s public website root (often public_html, www or a deployment upload area). index.html should sit directly inside that root, beside its styles and assets. If your host accepts ZIP deployment, create a separate ZIP containing only those website files. Keep source/, build-documentation/ and all documentation outside the public website folder. Publish only the CONTENTS of website/, never the whole customer ZIP. Open the temporary address your host provides and check every page, image and link. A blank page or 404 usually means index.html is in the wrong directory or the filename’s capitalisation changed. Keep folder structure and filenames intact. Email and telephone links open the visitor’s own applications. An email-draft form prepares a message for the visitor to send; it does not send automatically. A form endpoint works only when a separate receiving service has been configured. Read your site-specific instructions and test the contact route.

4. CONNECT A DOMAIN

Register a domain in your own name, or use one you already own. Keep control of renewals and account recovery. In your host’s control panel choose its custom-domain option and follow the DNS records it gives you. In your domain registrar’s DNS settings, enter those exact A, AAAA or CNAME values, or change nameservers only if the host instructs you to. Never guess an IP address. Preserve existing MX and email-related TXT records: deleting them can break your business email. DNS changes may take time to propagate. Ask the hosting or domain provider for help with their own service if needed. Enable the host’s HTTPS certificate and test both the bare domain and www. Set one address as the preferred address using your host’s redirect setting.

5. MAKE SIMPLE CHANGES

If source/ is included, read source/README.md first. For the BuiltReady template library, install the specified Node.js version, edit source/site.config.json, then run node build.mjs from source/. The builder creates source/dist/. Replace the CONTENTS of website/ with that rebuilt output and test before uploading. Make durable changes in the source configuration, source.html or local assets; changes made only to generated HTML are overwritten by the next build. Keep the source and build tools off the public host. For websites without a build folder, use a plain-text editor. HTML controls text and page structure; CSS files control the design. Find the visible wording in index.html and change only the text between tags. For a phone number, update both the visible number and the tel: link. For an email, update both the text and mailto: link. Save as UTF-8. For template-built sites, change the palette through source/site.config.json. For simple sites using styles.css, edit its --accent value when present. Keep enough contrast for readable text. To replace an image, keep its filename and dimensions where possible or update the src attribute and descriptive alt text. Compress large photos. Never use imagery without permission. Preview changes locally, keep a backup, then upload the changed files into the same locations. Refresh your browser and clear your host’s cache if the old version still appears. Restore your backup if something breaks.

6. BEFORE YOU SHARE IT

Check spelling, hours, phone, email, keyboard navigation, mobile layout and page title. If the site was supplied before a domain was chosen, follow PUBLISHING.txt to set the real HTTPS origin and enable production indexing, then rebuild. Demo/noindex settings must be reviewed before a public launch; do not remove them while sample content remains. Add any business-specific privacy information required for your own data collection or third-party services. Do not add tracking or forms without understanding their privacy and security requirements. Confirm the site loads over HTTPS and that every photograph and claim is accurate.

WHAT BUILTREADY PROVIDES

The purchased website files, editable source and this documentation for a one-off £39.99. Hosting, domain registration, setup, third-party accounts, email services, ongoing changes and management are not included. You remain responsible for maintaining your website and renewing services you choose.

A simple file layout