Bourkes
When Bourkes Real Estate asked about upgrading to a monthly retainer, we told them not to. It would have duplicated SEO services another agency was already delivering. This long-established South Perth agency stays on our Hosting and Care Package plus ad-hoc development hours because we only ever recommend what a client actually needs.
Industry
Real Estate
Expertise
Managed Hosting, Website Care & Maintenance, Performance Optimisation, Ad-hoc Development, Backups & Server Management
The Problem
Bourkes needed reliable hosting, maintenance, and development support without duplicating the SEO coverage they already had. The site was running at GTMetrix Grade F with a 4.7-second load time.
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Grade F Performance
GTMetrix Grade F: performance 32%, LCP 4.7 seconds, Total Blocking Time 702ms. Well outside Google performance benchmarks.
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Hosting Without Duplication
Bourkes already had SEO coverage from another provider. They needed hosting and development support, not a full retainer with SEO included.
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Development Support Without a Retainer
Ad hoc development work was needed but not at retainer volume. A transparent 10-hour pack model was the right fit.
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Performance Degradation
Caching configuration and plugin conflicts creating unnecessary server load and degraded page delivery.
The Solution
Hosting and Care Package plus 10-Hour Development Packs: a named coordinator, transparent scope and pricing, and honest advice that included recommending against a more expensive option.
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Server Upgrade
GTMetrix audit findings explained in plain English. Server upgraded. Monthly hosting cost increase confirmed in writing before any invoice change.
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Market Update Template
Designed, approved, built, and documented with edit instructions so Paris can maintain it in-house. The end state was client independence, not ongoing billing.
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Backup and Migration
Full site backup created before third-party access. Proactively migrated to a new dedicated server at no additional cost beyond the agreed upgrade.
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Retainer Conversation
Calum's written advice: "You'd effectively be paying for something you're already covered for elsewhere. No point in that." Purchasing 10-hour Packs when required was the right approach.
The Implementation
Only What They Need
Bourkes pays for hosting and buys development hours as work arises. No bundled retainer, no paying twice for SEO another agency already delivers.
A Faster, Stable Site
A GTMetrix Grade F site was diagnosed, the server upgraded, and performance restored, with every cost confirmed in writing before it applied.
Independence, Not Reliance
Page templates were built and documented so Paris can update them herself, backed by a named coordinator who responds in hours, not days.
The Outcome
We advised Bourkes against a $3,000/month retainer because it would have duplicated SEO they already paid for elsewhere. That honesty, alongside a Grade F site made fast and stable, is why they have stayed.
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Performance Fixed
Grade F to a performant, stable site. Server upgraded, plugins reconciled, redirects resolved.
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Client Independence
Paris updates Market Update pages in-house without development billing. The template was documented specifically for this outcome.
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Transparent Pricing
Every quote in writing. Every scope estimate up front. Every server change confirmed before the invoice changed.
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Honest Retainer Advice
OO declined recurring retainer revenue to give Paris the honest answer she asked for. She has stayed with OO ever since.
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Named Support
Named coordinator Edmand handling tickets directly. Paris: "I have already had some assistance from Edmand and he's been great so far."
Bourkes
Paris Sawle
Brand and Marketing Manager, Bourkes Real Estate
We wanted experts we could call. Calum and the team have been exactly that.
They migrated us to Cloudflare and a dedicated server, improving speed and security. Their communication is clear, jargon-free, and they always follow through.
