A website from scratch? Scratch that.

So, you’re the pioneering type: you change from summer to winter tires yourself, you make your own wine in the basement, you bake your own bread (without a bread machine!), and you have even considered selling your very own produce at the local farmer’s market. Okay. Suddenly, in the spirit of the punk-inspired DIY movement, you’ve thought it would be great to create your own website from top to bottom. I’m surprised you even have the time (do you churn your own butter, too?)

Let me display for you, in mock humility and from voluntary servitude, the disadvantage of building a website from scratch.

So, what does “from scratch” mean to you? Does it mean preparing instant oatmeal on the stovetop instead of in the microwave? Or does it mean milking a cow every morning for your breakfast cereal? It’s already gotten complicated, I know. Creating your own website isn’t quite like that, but it certainly can get… complicated. I’ll give you a few options for each step of the process. At the end, you’ll at least have an idea of the disadvantage of building a website from scratch.