Craft CMS developer for Birmingham businesses
Craft CMS rescue, takeover and ongoing support for Birmingham businesses. Senior developer available for inherited sites and complex builds.
Taking over a Craft CMS site from a previous developer
Craft CMS sites change hands for many reasons. The agency that built it no longer exists. The developer left. The original supplier is unresponsive. What you have is a Craft site that runs the business and a codebase nobody fully understands.
I take over Craft sites regularly. The first step is always an audit. Before changing anything, I document what exists, how it is deployed and where the highest-risk areas are. That audit protects the takeover.
What a Craft CMS takeover looks like
Codebase audit
Read the existing code, understand the content model and document what exists before making any changes.
Deployment documentation
Map the deployment process, hosting setup and environment configuration. Takeovers stall when nobody knows how to deploy safely.
Craft version upgrade
If the site is on an unsupported Craft version, plan and execute the upgrade path with full staging testing.
Plugin review
Identify outdated, abandoned or conflicting plugins. Replace or update before they cause a production incident.
Performance fixes
Most inherited sites have accumulated query problems and caching gaps. These are worth fixing early before they become emergencies.
Ongoing maintenance
Once the site is stable and documented, ongoing maintenance covers updates, security patches and changes as the business needs evolve.
Most Craft sites do not need rebuilding
The instinct after a difficult handover is to start again. That is rarely the right call. Rebuilds are expensive, take longer than planned and often produce a new set of problems.
Most inherited Craft sites can be stabilised and improved incrementally. The audit usually reveals a manageable list of specific problems. Fix those and the site runs well.
I work with Birmingham businesses who need their site stabilised without the disruption of a rebuild. Incremental improvement, documented as we go.
Common questions about Craft CMS takeovers
What is involved in a Craft CMS takeover?
The first phase is an audit. I review the codebase, content model, deployment configuration and hosting setup. I document what I find and produce a clear picture of the site before any development work begins. From there, we agree a prioritised fix list and work through it incrementally.
How long before you understand the codebase?
For a typical Craft site, the audit takes one to two days. Larger or more complex applications take longer. The audit produces a document that explains the site clearly, so future development work is based on knowledge rather than assumptions.
Can you upgrade an old version of Craft?
Yes. I plan the upgrade path based on the current version, the plugins in use and the template code. I test the upgrade in staging first and work through compatibility issues before deploying to production. Craft upgrades are manageable with proper planning.
Is it worth keeping Craft or migrating to another platform?
That depends on the site and the team. Craft is a good long-term platform for structured content and editorial sites. If the site is genuinely unsalvageable, migration might be the right call. Most of the time, stabilising and maintaining the existing Craft site is more practical and less disruptive than switching platforms.
Craft CMS developer across the UK
I also work with Craft CMS clients in London and Manchester. For a full overview of Craft CMS services, see the Craft CMS service page. If you are deciding between platforms, I have written a Craft CMS vs WordPress comparison.
Inherited a Craft CMS site in Birmingham?
Describe the situation. I will tell you what the takeover process looks like and whether I can help.