New to WordPress development... always just altered existing themes. I'm a little lost.

So I just got a job this week at a place that mostly focuses their business on SEO work, but people request for websites all the time. So they hired me (wahoo!).

Anyway, in the interview they mentioned that all their sites have been WordPress-based. I asked them if they were made from scratch - they said, "no, all themes - it's more efficient to use themes". I won't argue, it definitely is much faster.

But now, my boss told me that there's a few websites coming down the line that need to be custom (coded from scratch). I'm totally lost when it comes to this. I've really only ever done two things..

• Mock-up in Photoshop, code in HTML / CSS using a framework like Foundation (non-WordPress site)


• Find a WP theme, mock-up design in Photoshop, minor adjustments to theme to match design

As far as I know, there's two ways I can tackle WP theme development.

• Use a starter theme


• Code PS design into HTML/CSS using a framework - once it's done, make it into a WP theme

I've downloaded some starter themes (Bones, Reverie), and I guess in terms of having all the WP files there and it being responsive, it's great. However, when I load these starter themes up, I have no idea how to adjust them. Things like, changing the colour of a nav bar or whatever are easy. I'm talking about things like, there's a sidebar in this starter theme. I don't want that - I want my website to be full width, and no sidebar. Or only sidebar on some pages.

I'm also assuming that I need to know PHP to adjust these files.. I don't know PHP.

With a pre-built theme, it was pretty much drag and drop. Now that it's a starter theme, I feel so lost.

My work expects me to pump these custom WP themes out, but I have no experience with it (they know this and they know there's a learning curve).

I guess my question is... in terms of how much control I have for the development and end product, what route is better - using a starter theme or coding HTML / CSS from scratch and converting to WP?

I just feel so very lost. I install a blank theme, and then I find myself asking myself... "what the hell do I do with this?"