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Next.js & Payload CMS

Next.js & Payload websites, built & run for you.

We design and build business websites on Next.js and Payload, host them on Vercel with a Neon database and look after them every month.

Book a call12 questions to ask an agency

Website packages from $9,500, hosting included. Part of our Website design & development service.

Fit

For teams that care what their site runs on.

Most of our clients never ask what a site is built on, and that's fine. This page is for the ones who do. Moving off an old WordPress site? Start with how a rebuild works. Inherited a Next.js site from another agency? Here's what we check first.

A good fit if

  • Your marketing team should be able to change any page without a developer.
  • You've outgrown WordPress plugins or a page builder.
  • You need several languages, a large library of case studies or a client area.
  • You already run Next.js or Payload and need a team to build on it.

Not a fit if

  • Your site is fast, secure and easy to update. Keep it.
  • You need a new site live this week.
  • You'd rather have a template you change yourself.

Stack

What each part does for you.

Four tools, each picked for one job. We run every layer, so your team only ever sees the editor. Not sure which content system suits you? We compare Payload, WordPress, Sanity and Contentful.

  • Next.js

    Pages that load fast and read well to Google

    Next.js builds each page on the server, so visitors and search engines get the whole page straight away. We test the speed of every page before launch.

  • Payload

    An editor built around your content

    We shape the editor around what you publish: services, case studies, people and news. Live preview shows the page as you type, and every save keeps a version you can go back to.

    How it works: Live preview, Versions

  • Payload

    One codebase, no CMS subscription

    Payload is open source and runs inside the same Next.js app as the website. There's no second system to host and no fee per editor.

    How it works: Installation, License

  • Neon

    A real database you can branch and restore

    Your content lives in a Postgres database on Neon. We can copy it in seconds to test a change, and restore it to an earlier point in time if something goes wrong.

    How it works: Branching, Restore

  • Vercel

    Every change on a preview link first

    Each change goes up on its own preview link, behind a login, for you to check. If something's wrong after launch, the previous version is back in one click.

    How it works: Previews, Protection, Rollback

  • Vercel

    Served close to every visitor

    Pages are served from Vercel's network of 126 locations in 51 countries, with protection against floods of attack traffic on every site.

    How it works: Vercel docs

Every tool we use

AI agents

Built with AI agents, checked before anything goes live.

AI coding agents write most of our code. That's how most changes take hours. Every change passes four checks first.

How we build with AI agents

  1. Its own branch

    Every change is made away from the live site and goes up on a private preview link.

  2. A second AI reviews it

    The model that wrote the code never reviews it. A model from a different AI company checks every change against our written standard.

  3. Automated checks

    Type checks, code rules, tests and a full production build run on every change. If one fails, the change doesn't ship.

  4. Checked live

    After each release we check the live pages. If anything's wrong, the previous version is one click away.

Proof

Iknow edits their site in four languages.

Iknow LLC is a management and technology consultancy in North Carolina. We moved iknow.us off Drupal onto Next.js, Payload, Neon and Vercel in September 2026. Arabic reads right to left, and the Iknow team edits every page themselves.

Read the case studyVisit iknow.us
Case studies moved from Drupal
108
Languages, including right-to-left Arabic
4
The iknow.us home page in Arabic, laid out right to left

Process

From first call to launch & beyond.

Your old site keeps running until the new one is approved and ready.

  1. Plan the content

    We list what you publish and how it fits together, then design the editor around it.

  2. Design

    Pages designed for your buyers, on a phone first, in your brand.

  3. Build on a preview link

    You review the site and try the editor on a private link while your old site keeps running.

  4. Launch & look after

    We move your content, redirect every old address, launch, then host and look after the site every month.

Pricing

Website packages from $9,500.

Every package is built on this stack and includes monthly hosting and support, from $150 a month. Larger builds, portals and dashboards are scoped with you on a call.

What each package includes

  • Foundation Level

    Professional digital presence, built right.

    From$9,500one time

    Then $150 a month Foundation Support. Delivered in 2-3 weeks.

    • Bespoke responsive website.
    • CMS integration.
    • SEO-ready structure.
    • Contact and lead forms.
    What's included

    Best for. Smaller construction, engineering and technical firms that need a serious professional presence.

    • Project / case study system.
    • Mobile-first layouts.
    • Analytics setup.
    • Security hardening.
    • Fast hosting deployment.
    • Hosted and run end to end by us.
    • Unlimited adjustments before launch.

    Foundation Support includes

    • Hosting oversight.
    • Uptime monitoring.
    • Backups.
    • Security updates.
    • Software updates and upkeep.
    • Email support.
    • Up to 30 minutes of minor edits each month.
    Start with Foundation Level

  • Growth Platform

    Recommended

    For firms whose website has to do more than introduce them.

    From$19,500one time

    Then $300 a month Growth Support. Delivered in 3-4 weeks.

    • Everything in Foundation.
    • Advanced page architecture.
    • Multi-location and multi-service structure.
    • Project and portfolio CMS sections.
    What's included

    Best for. Growing firms that need rich CMS content, stronger lead systems and operational integrations.

    • Case study templates with rich media.
    • News, insights and editorial system.
    • Team, careers and recruitment pages.
    • CRM integrations and lead routing.
    • Advanced forms and workflows.
    • Lead tracking and reporting.
    • Dashboard integrations.
    • Automation setup.
    • Enhanced UX strategy.

    Growth Support includes

    • Unlimited changes to your site's content and pages, all done by us. New features are quoted separately.
    • Priority support.
    • 24/7 site monitoring.
    • Monthly improvement reviews.
    • Third-party integration monitoring.
    • Performance tuning.
    • Ongoing consultation.
    Start with Growth Platform

  • Authority System

    Custom project builds around your exact requirements.

    From$30,000one time

    Then $600 a month Authority Support. Delivered in 5-12 weeks, depending on scope.

    • Custom project build, scoped end to end.
    • Bespoke client portal or dashboard.
    • Ecommerce platform with custom checkout flow.
    • Internal admin tools and document workflows.
    What's included

    Best for. Firms that need portals, dashboards, ecommerce or operational systems beyond a standard website.

    • Role-based permissions and authentication.
    • Workflow automation and integrations.
    • Reporting and analytics layers.
    • Scalable architecture planning.
    • Strategic infrastructure consulting.
    • Unlimited adjustments before launch.

    Authority engagements are scoped together. We map your operations, your team and the systems you already run, then design the platform that fits.

    Common outcomes: larger websites with bespoke functionality, ecommerce platforms with custom checkout and inventory flows, client portals where your customers track projects and pay invoices, operational dashboards for project visibility, internal admin tools that replace spreadsheets, recruitment systems, document workflows, reporting layers, AI-assisted analytics, custom CRMs.

    Priced from $30,000. Final number agreed after a scope call, based on the systems work and integrations involved.

    Authority Support includes

    • Unlimited changes to your site's content and pages, all done by us. New features are quoted separately.
    • Priority engineering support.
    • Infrastructure oversight.
    • Proactive monitoring.
    • Monthly strategic review.
    • Ongoing system improvements.
    • Integration upkeep.
    • Staging and testing environment.
    Book a scope call

Questions

What technical buyers ask us.

Book a callQuestions to ask any agency
Who owns the code?

You do. On full payment you own the finished website and all the custom code, content and design we made for you. Open-source parts such as Next.js and Payload stay under their own licenses.

What if we leave?

We hand over the full source code in a Git repository you own, with written instructions for hosting it elsewhere. There's no exit fee.

Can you work on a Next.js or Payload site someone else built?

Yes. We read the code first and tell you what we'd keep and what we'd change before we quote.

Why Payload and not WordPress, Sanity or Contentful?

Payload runs inside the website's own code and keeps your content in your own database, with no fee per editor. For most business sites that means one system to run instead of two. Our guide compares all four.

Do you use AI to write the code?

Yes. AI coding agents write most of our code, which is how most changes take hours. A model from a different AI company reviews every change, automated checks run on each one, and nothing ships until they pass.

Can our team edit the site without a developer?

Yes. Anyone you give a login can change text, images and pages, and see the result in live preview before publishing. Iknow's team edits theirs in four languages.

Which versions do you build on?

The current stable releases. Iknow's site runs on Next.js 16 and Payload 3.

Do you move content from our old site?

Yes, and we point every old address at its new page so links and search traffic follow you. For Iknow that was 108 case studies from their old Drupal site.

What does it cost to run?

Hosting and support start at $150 a month, bundled with every package. It covers hosting, monitoring, backups and security updates.

Contact

What are you trying to make happen?

Most projects start with a short conversation. We listen to the brief, ask the right questions and tell you straight what we can handle and how. The first call is free.

Prefer to pick a time? Book a 30-minute call.

Or email us directly at info@whitelam.media.