A full rebuild and a quote configurator that sells for the business
Traffic increase, first month
Configurator steps
React build duratiQuote delivery methodson
Traffic increase, first month
Configurator steps
Quote delivery methods
01 - The Problem
A site that undersold a premium service
Pendle Stoves & Fireplaces is a specialist fireplace and stove retailer and installer based in Lancashire, offering everything from wood-burning stoves to full architectural fireplace installations. When they came to Rhino Websites, their online presence didn’t reflect the quality of what they actually offered.
The site was basic, a short homepage, a collection of product images, and not much else. There were no service pages, no clear calls to action, no structured way for a potential customer to find out what they needed or get a sense of cost. For a business selling high-value, considered purchases that often run into the thousands of pounds, the website was doing almost nothing to support the sale.
Beyond the content gaps, the site had no SEO structure, limiting organic visibility for customers in the Pendle area actively searching for fireplace installation services. The business was relying on word of mouth and footfall to its showroom, the website wasn’t pulling its weight.
02 - Discovery
What a fireplace customer actually needs to know
The key insight from working with the client was that fireplace purchases are high-consideration decisions. Customers typically have questions they want answered before they’re ready to commit to a consultation: What type of stove or fire suits my property? What will the installation cost, roughly? What’s included? How long does it take?
The old site answered none of these questions. A new customer landing on it had no way to self-qualify, no way to understand pricing, and no clear next step beyond a generic contact form. The website was creating more uncertainty, not less.
The solution needed to do two things: give the business a credible, well-structured online presence that reflected the quality of the product, and give customers a way to explore their options and understand costs without needing to call first.
04 - Phase Two: React Rebuild
Owning the product, not renting it
Four to five months after the WordPress launch, the React version went live. The decision to rebuild in React and TypeScript wasn’t about the front-end experience alone, it was about owning the entire stack. WordPress, even with a custom theme, was still a platform with constraints. React meant the product could scale in any direction without hitting those walls.
The most significant addition in the React build wasn’t visible to customers at all, it was the data infrastructure built alongside it. A custom database connected to Retool meant that partial sign-up data could be captured and acted on. If a customer entered their phone number or email address and then dropped off before completing the flow, that information was stored as a warm lead and surfaced to the team for follow-up.
The React build also gave us complete control over the sign-up flow’s performance and behaviour. Page transitions were instant. The postcode check was faster. The multi-step form could be iterated quickly without touching a theme file or working around platform constraints.
03 - Design
A custom WordPress site built to rank and convert
The rebuild started from scratch, a new custom WordPress theme, built to be fast, structured, and conversion-focused. Every page had a clear purpose and a clear next step.
The original site
- Short homepage, minimal content
- No service pages
- No SEO structure or on-page optimisation
- No CTAs beyond a contact form
- No pricing information or guidance
- Undersold the quality of the business
The Rebuild
- Custom theme built from scratch
- Full service and product page structure
- On-page SEO across all pages
- Free Home Survey and Visit Showroom CTAs
- Google Maps integration
- Build Your Fireplace configurator
Service pages were created for each product category, wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves, gas fires, electric stoves, architectural fireplaces, media walls, giving the site genuine depth and giving search engines the structure needed to rank for relevant local queries. On-page SEO was applied throughout: page titles, meta descriptions, heading hierarchy, and location-specific content targeting the Pendle and wider Lancashire area.
Two primary CTAs, Free Home Survey and Visit Showroom, were placed consistently across the site with supporting maps, giving customers clear, low-commitment next steps that matched where they were in the buying process.
04 - Build Your Fireplace
A configurator that answers the question every customer has first
The centrepiece of the rebuild was a bespoke quote configurator, Build Your Fireplace, that lets customers step through every element of a fireplace installation and see a live, itemised price building in real time as they go. It was designed to do the job a sales consultation would normally do: help a customer understand what they want and what it will cost, on their own terms, before they’ve spoken to anyone.
A persistent quote panel sits alongside every step of the configurator, updating instantly as selections are made. Customers can see exactly what’s contributing to their total, stove, surround, hearth, mantel, lighting, flue, installation, and any structural work — with no hidden costs and no ambiguity.
1. Type of fire or stove
Wood-burning stove, multifuel stove, gas stove, electric stove, or freestanding fire. Each option shown with a photo and key attributes so customers can compare at a glance.
2. Choose your stove
Based on the fire type selected, customers browse specific stove models. Each model is priced individually and updates the live quote panel on selection.
3. Choose your design
Bricked or tiled fireplace surround. Customers see real installation photos and prices for each option, making a decision that often feels overwhelming feel straightforward.
4. Choose your hearth
Hearth material and style selection, each with individual pricing added to the running total.
5. Choose a mantel
Beam or mantel shelf options with pricing. Optional step, customers can skip if they don't want one.
6. Lighting, flue kit & installation
Three optional add-ons presented clearly: a lighting pack, flue kit, and professional installation. Each is priced individually and added to the quote only if selected.
7. Fireplace removal
Customers are asked whether they need the existing fireplace removed. Structural knock-out work is priced and added if required.
8. Your quote, with two ways to send it
A full itemised breakdown with the total. Customers can send their quote directly to Pendle Stoves via WhatsApp, opening a conversation with the team instantly, or submit it as a request for a callback. The quote is also sent to the customer for their own reference.
05 - Outcomes
More traffic, more enquiries, and a tool customers actually use
The rebuilt site went live in 2024 and has been iterated on since. The immediate traffic impact from the SEO work was measurable within the first month. The Build Your Fireplace configurator quickly established itself as a high-engagement feature, giving customers a reason to explore the site deeply rather than bounce after a single page.
34% traffic increase in month one
On-page SEO applied across a newly structured site, product categories, service pages, location-relevant content, drove a significant organic traffic increase within the first month of launch.
High engagement with the configurator
The Build Your Fireplace tool generates consistent traction. Customers spend meaningful time working through it, the self-serve nature of the tool means warm, informed enquiries rather than cold contact form submissions.
WhatsApp as a conversion channel
The dual submission model, WhatsApp plus Send Request, opened a direct, low-friction line between customers and the team at the point of highest intent. Customers who've built a quote are ready to talk.
A platform to iterate on
The custom theme and structured page architecture means the site can grow cleanly, new product categories, new service pages, seasonal content, without retrofitting around a framework that wasn't designed for it.
06 - Reflections
What I took away from this project
- For high-consideration purchases, the website's job is to reduce uncertainty, not just display products. A customer who understands their options and has a rough price in mind is a fundamentally different enquiry to one who knows nothing.
- A configurator that shows a live price is more persuasive than one that collects inputs and promises to "get back to you." Instant feedback keeps customers engaged and builds trust in the business.
- WhatsApp as a CTA works because it meets customers where they already are. A customer who sends a quote via WhatsApp has already started a conversation, the business just needs to continue it.
- SEO structure and content depth compound over time. The 34% first-month traffic increase was from a standing start, the gap between the old site and a properly structured one was that large.
- Freelance clients often need the strategic case made as much as the execution. Pendle Stoves didn't ask for a quote configurator, they asked for a better website. The configurator came from understanding what their customers actually needed.