My main business is setting up, hosting & supporting e-commerce websites using custom software (not WordPress / WooCommerce / Magento / Shopify or any that you'll have heard of).
I occasionally take on web design projects, but never really anything that'll take up too much of my time. Mostly for friends or long standing clients (I've been doing this kind of stuff for more than 15 years). I can't link to samples, but I knocked up
http://bennysmyth.preview-web.uk/ in a few hours as an example of how easy it is to take a £12 template and make something comparable to
what Benny was working on without the bloat that inevitably comes with a CMS (see
this post).
I don't create WordPress sites, as I don't like using it. I host many WordPress sites, but 99% of them have either been migrated from elsewhere when a client comes to me, or the client has really wanted to use Wordpress and do it themselves. I do add some speed tweaks if requested, and additional security features, but don't really get involved in the design or content for WP sites.
That's why I don't like to do too much on the design side - you're right, of course, for £1,200 they should do more than purchase a template and stick it on a free CMS, but there are many, many "agencies" making good money doing just that. I wouldn't be comfortable doing that, and if I was actually going to put in the hours for my £1,200 I choose not to do it on web design as I don't particularly enjoy doing it.
I knew you wanted WordPress as you sing it's praises all the time (that's fine - it works for you), and I also knew you'd be difficult (
), which is why I didn't answer your post looking for a designer
...but if you're ever looking for decent hosting...