{"id":407,"slug":"rule-stop-quoting-page-builders-as-default-for-new-builds","title":"RULE: Stop quoting Elementor / Divi / WPBakery as the default for new Candid client builds. Block themes lead the pricing menu.","kind":"rule","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","claude-code","candid-team"],"topics":["wordpress","agency-methodology","page-builders"],"reference_body":"**Rule:** For all **new** Candid Creative client builds, stop leading scoping conversations with page builders (Elementor, Divi, WPBakery). The default starting point is **WordPress + Gutenberg + a block theme (Kadence or Blocksy)**. Page builders may still be appropriate for specific clients (Use Case F from [[page-builder-migration-by-use-case]] — existing portfolio inheritance), but they are not the new-build default.\n\n**Why:**\n- Performance: [[platform-cwv-pass-rates-june-2025]] (WP 43.44% vs Duda 83.63%), [[anubiz-elementor-500kb-2000-dom-elements]], [[wppoland-elementor-to-gutenberg-40pct-speed]]\n- Lock-in: [[generatepress-cannot-convert-elementor-code]] (migration is rebuild, $1.5k-$8k)\n- Pricing power: [[elementor-pro-pricing-strip-essential-nov-2023]], [[bricks-199-lifetime-retired-jan-2024]]\n- Security: [[bricks-cve-2024-25600-exploited-24h]] (24-hour exploit window)\n- Accessibility: [[elementor-github-issue-11779-accessibility]] (accessibility-as-paywalled-upsell)\n- Schema gaps: [[elementor-no-schema-markup-default]], [[elementor-faq-schema-element-caching-bug]]\n- AI extractability: [[ai-crawlers-do-not-execute-js]] (JS-heavy rendering invisible to AI crawlers)\n\n**How to apply:**\n- Internal scoping docs + pricing menu updated to lead with Gutenberg + block theme\n- The page-builder option is presented in the proposal as a downgrade (\"budget tier\") or carried forward only for existing-portfolio audits\n- Use [[page-builder-migration-by-use-case]] to match client to stack per use case\n- Stage rollout per [[candid-page-builder-roadmap-stages-1-4]]\n- Existing Elementor/Divi clients are NOT subject to this rule — they get migration audits at next redesign, not reflexive rebuilds","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"page-builder-cost-catalogue","title":"Reference: what page builders cost a small-business site — 10 categories ranked by long-term impact","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"page-builder-migration-by-use-case","title":"Reference: alternative-stack recommendations by use case and budget (Candid 6-tier framework)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"candid-page-builder-roadmap-stages-1-4","title":"Candid Creative page-builder transition roadmap: 4 stages over 12 months","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"platform-cwv-pass-rates-june-2025","title":"June 2025 platform CWV pass rates (SEJ): Duda 83.63%, Shopify 75.22%, Wix 70.76%, Squarespace 67.66%, Drupal 59.07%, WordPress 43.44%","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"generatepress-cannot-convert-elementor-code","title":"GeneratePress official: \"You cannot convert Elementor's code to the code required by the Block Editor\"","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"bricks-cve-2024-25600-exploited-24h","title":"Bricks CVE-2024-25600: unauthenticated RCE (CVSS 10) — exploited in the wild ~24 hours after patch release","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-case-against-page-builders","title":"Research brief: The Case Against Page Builders (piece 10 of 15)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-05-22T20:21:39.906Z","updated_at":"2026-05-22T20:21:39.906Z"}