The codebase is unstable and risky to change
Small changes cause unexpected breakage and nobody is sure why. I map the system, add safety nets, and make it possible to change code with confidence again.
Available for modernization projects
Legacy modernization
Legacy modernization for old PHP, WordPress, and Laravel systems
You have an old PHP, WordPress, or Laravel system the business still depends on, but it is risky to touch: outdated versions, no tests, no deployment process, and code nobody fully understands. I stabilize it and modernize it in controlled steps, so the business keeps running while the system gets safer to change.
A good fit for businesses running on aging software that cannot afford a risky big-bang rewrite but can no longer live with the fragility.
When modernization makes sense
WordPress or PHP is dangerously out of date
End-of-life PHP, abandoned plugins, or an old framework version with known security issues. I plan and execute a careful upgrade path with backups and rollbacks.
There are no tests and no deployment process
Every release is manual and nerve-wracking. I add automated tests on the critical paths and a real CI/CD pipeline so shipping stops being a gamble.
Only one person understands the system
Knowledge lives in one head and no documentation. I document the architecture and the risky areas so the business is not one resignation away from a crisis.
Performance and hosting have not kept up
The system was fine years ago but now struggles under load. I profile it and modernize the parts that matter, including the web server and infrastructure layer.
What modernization includes
A deep audit and roadmap first
Every modernization starts with a deep audit that produces a prioritized roadmap, so you invest in the right order, not everything at once.
Safety nets before change
Tests on the critical paths, backups, and a rollback plan, so modernization does not put the running business at risk.
Incremental upgrades
PHP, framework, and dependency upgrades done in controlled steps, each verified before the next, instead of one big risky jump.
Deployment and infrastructure
A real deploy process, and web server and infrastructure improvements where they move the needle on stability and performance.
Documentation and handover
The architecture, the risky areas, and the deploy process written down, so the system is no longer locked in one person's head.
How modernization runs
Modernization is delivered in controlled steps, each scoped and quoted before it starts, so the business is never exposed to a risky big-bang change.
Deep audit
I review the code, dependencies, tests, deployment, and infrastructure, then produce a written report on the real state and risks.
Modernization roadmap
You get a prioritized roadmap: what to stabilize first, what to upgrade, and what can wait, with costs per step.
Incremental delivery
We work through the roadmap in steps, each on a branch, tested, and released with a rollback path.
Handover or ongoing care
You get documentation and access. If you want, I stay on to keep the system healthy.
Modernization pricing
Starting points for a modernization project
Deep audit & roadmap
from €950 one-off
A thorough review of the system that produces a prioritized modernization roadmap with costs per step.
- Code, dependency, and security review
- Tests, deployment, and infrastructure assessment
- Written roadmap with prioritized steps
Incremental modernization
from €2,500 per step
Executing the roadmap in controlled steps: upgrades, tests, and stabilization, each scoped before it starts.
- Safety nets before changes
- Verified, reversible releases
- Documentation as we go
Full modernization program
from €6,000 per project
A larger program covering upgrades, tests, deployment, and infrastructure across the whole system.
- Scoped from the roadmap
- CI/CD and infrastructure included
- Full documentation and handover
Ongoing maintenance
from €1,500 per month
Keeping a modernized system healthy: updates, monitoring, and a senior engineer who knows it.
- Managed updates and monitoring
- Reserved capacity each month
- Cancel anytime
Modernization always starts with a deep audit and roadmap, because the cost of the work depends entirely on the state of the system. All prices are starting points in EUR and the implementation quote follows the roadmap. Working remotely from Spain with clients across Europe; other currencies quoted on request.
Relevant modernization work
Long-running production systems I have stabilized, upgraded, and maintained. Each links to a longer write-up.
MEDIA PLATFORM
Artnet News — Global Art Media Platform
Senior Full-Stack Engineer — Freelance
Full-stack engineering for one of the world's largest art media platforms: 11 custom WordPress plugins, a Leaky Paywall metered subscription…
View case study →- AMP
- Bedrock
- Cloudflare
- Cloudinary
- +17
CORPORATE WEBSITE
WebSpellChecker — Corporate Website & Commercial Platform
WordPress Engineer & Platform Lead
Corporate site and commercial platform built from scratch: WooCommerce subscriptions, a custom licensing REST API, 4 custom plugins, 15+ page…
View case study →- ACF
- Cloudflare
- CSS
- Docker
- +11
Related reading
How I think about performance, infrastructure, and clean architecture when modernizing old systems.
Other things I can help with
WordPress & WooCommerce rescue
Your site is slow, updates break things, or customers cannot complete checkout. I find the real cause, fix the critical path, and leave you with a site your team can safely operate.
Laravel & SaaS development
Turn a product idea or an unfinished platform into software people can actually use and pay for — including subscriptions, onboarding, dashboards, integrations, and reliable releases.
AI automation
Reduce repetitive work with focused tools and workflows: process documents, prepare answers, connect systems, or give your team faster access to internal knowledge.
Monthly technical support
For businesses that need someone to know the system and take care of it every month: updates, monitoring, fixes, and small improvements without briefing a new contractor each time.
Working with a business in Ireland?
I work with Irish clients remotely from Spain, with almost fully overlapping working hours. See the Ireland-specific pages for local market context and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Do you rewrite the system or upgrade it?
Upgrade first, rewrite only where it is genuinely cheaper long term. A big-bang rewrite is where most modernization projects fail. I favor controlled, incremental steps that keep the business running, and I will tell you honestly when a specific piece really is better rebuilt.
You work remotely from Spain. Is that a problem for legacy work?
No. Modernization is done through repository, hosting, and staging access, so it is remote by nature. I am in the CET timezone and overlap the European working day. You get a senior engineer who owns the work regardless of location.
Will the business have downtime during modernization?
The goal is no surprise downtime. Work is done on branches and staging, released in small verified steps with a rollback path. Any change that needs a maintenance window is planned with you in advance.
What if the original developer is gone?
That is the normal case for this work. The deep audit exists precisely to reconstruct how the system works without relying on the original author. I document what I find as I go.
Why not just keep patching it ourselves?
You can, until an unsupported PHP version, a security issue, or a fragile deploy forces a crisis at the worst possible time. Modernization on your schedule is far cheaper than an emergency one on the system's schedule.
Will I be locked into you afterwards?
No. Everything is documented and handed over, and the code and infrastructure are yours. Ongoing maintenance is optional, not a condition of the modernization.
Tell me about your legacy system
Describe the system, its stack and version, and what is making it risky to run. I read every message and reply personally, usually within one business day.