Maintenance and hosting
Website Maintenance and Hosting
You did not go into business to manage software updates, security patches, and server settings. But a website that never gets maintained slows down, breaks, and becomes a target for hackers, usually at the worst possible time. Third Loft handles the upkeep and hosting for Grand Valley business websites, so your site stays fast, secure, and online while you focus on running your business.
We answer our own phone, which means when something needs attention, you reach a real person who knows your site, not a support queue that has never seen your site before. For owners who would rather never think about the technical side, that peace of mind is the whole point.
Why it matters
Why Websites Need Ongoing Care
A website is not a set-it-and-forget-it purchase. The software it runs on gets updated, security threats evolve, and small things break over time. A site that is left alone for a year often ends up slow, out of date, or vulnerable, and by the time an owner notices, the damage is already affecting customers.
Regular maintenance keeps those problems from ever surfacing. Updates get applied before they cause conflicts, backups are ready if something goes wrong, and security is kept current so your site is not an easy target. It is the difference between a site that quietly keeps working and one that fails when you can least afford it.
Care plans
What Our Care Plans Cover
Our maintenance plans are built to take the technical worry off your plate. Rather than leaving you to track updates and hope nothing breaks, we handle the ongoing work that keeps a site healthy. Here is what that includes.
- Software updates
We keep your site’s platform and components current, so it stays secure and compatible. - Security monitoring
We keep protections current and watching for problems, so your site is not an easy target. If something does happen, there’s a good chance it will be fixed before you even know there was an issue! - Regular backups
We keep multiple copies of your site, so it can be restored quickly if something goes wrong. - Small changes
Handling the everyday updates, like new hours, photos, or text. We usually have those loaded in within 48 Hours. - Performance checks
Keeping an eye on speed and uptime, so the site stays fast and available. Sometimes not touching - A real person to speak to
Direct support from the people who know your site, reachable at (970) 822-0735 or via email. For critical issues we usually have them fixed within just a few hours because you’re speaking directly with the people who can fix it. Not a multi-level line of support staff.
Hosting
Reliable Dedicated Server
Third Loft websites are hosted on a private Cloudways DigitalOcean Server. For the non-techies, that means rather than cheaper hosting plans where your site sites on a server with hundreds of thousands of others, the only sites on this server are ours at Third Loft. That gives us
With us handling hosting, you also avoid the headache of managing a separate hosting company, deciphering technical settings, or getting stuck between your host and your designer when something goes wrong. It is all in one place, with one team responsible for keeping your site online.
Peace of mind
The Best Hosting and Maintenance is one you never have to think about
The real value of a care plan is not the individual tasks. It is knowing that your website is handled, that it will be there and working when a customer looks you up, and that if anything goes wrong there is someone to call who already knows your site. For a busy owner, that is worth more than saving a few dollars on a plan that leaves everything to you.
If your site was built by someone else, we can often still take over its care and hosting. And if you are starting fresh, maintenance and hosting fit right onto a new build. See our website design hub for how it all works together. If your current site is dated, a website redesign can come first, then move onto a care plan.
Getting started
How It Works
Getting set up on a care plan is simple, whether your site is new or already exists. Here is how we begin.
- Review: We look at your current site and hosting to understand what it needs.
- Plan: We recommend a care plan that fits your site and your budget, with no unnecessary extras.
- Transition: We take over maintenance and, if you want, move hosting to us with no downtime.
- Ongoing care: We keep your site updated, secure, backed up, and online, and we are available when you need us.
Proof
Proof of Our Work
Being reachable is what makes our support different. Accountability is the whole point.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a maintenance plan?
If you want your site to stay fast, secure, and working, ongoing maintenance matters. Websites run on software that needs updating, and security threats change over time, so a site left alone tends to slow down or become vulnerable. You can manage this yourself if you have the time and comfort with the technical side, but most owners would rather hand it off. A care plan means it is handled without you having to think about it.
Can you maintain a website you did not build?
In most cases, yes. We can often take over maintenance and hosting for a site built by someone else, after reviewing it to understand how it was put together and what it needs. Occasionally a site is built in a way that makes ongoing care difficult, and we will tell you honestly if that is the case. Either way, we start with a review so you get a clear picture before committing.
What happens if my website goes down or gets hacked?
With a care plan, we keep regular backups and current security protections, so if something goes wrong we can act quickly to restore your site and address the cause. Because we host and maintain the site, there is no finger pointing between a separate host and designer, just one team responsible for getting you back online. That is a large part of what you are paying for, the assurance that a problem gets handled fast.
Can I still make changes to my own site?
Yes. You own your site, and depending on how it is built you can make your own updates whenever you like. Many owners prefer to send small changes to us instead, since it is included in the care plans and saves them the time and risk of doing it themselves. Either way works, and we set it up around how hands-on you want to be.
How much do maintenance and hosting cost?
Cost depends on the size of your site and the level of care it needs, since a small brochure site is different from a large site or an online store. We keep plans straightforward and recommend the level that fits your site and budget, with no unnecessary extras. $115 a month is a reasonable place to start the conversation. You will know exactly what is included before you commit.
Get started
Talk About Care and Hosting for Your Site
You can also call us at (970) 822-0735.