What does a website takeover involve?
A takeover means handing the technical care of your website over to a new person. I start by checking how the site is built and what state it is in, gather all access details in one place and make a full backup. Only then do I change anything.
After the takeover you know where the site is hosted, who has access to it and what needs attention. The domain, hosting and admin account are in your name, not the previous developer’s.
Does this sound familiar?
- The previous developer is not responding. No replies to emails, or they have closed their business, and something on the site needs changing.
- The site has not been updated for months. Old versions of WordPress and plugins are the most common way in for malware and outages.
- You are afraid to touch anything. You don’t know what happens after clicking “update”, so the site stays as it is.
- You don’t have full access. The admin password is missing, there is no hosting access, or the domain is registered to someone else.
Takeover pricing
- Review of the site with a list of what needs attention
- Sorting out access to WordPress, hosting and the domain, including recovering it if the previous developer won’t hand it over
- Full backup of files and database before any changes
- Everything in the website takeover
- Overdue WordPress, theme and plugin updates at no extra cost
- Then regular updates, backups and fixes according to the plan
- I tell you plainly what needs doing and in what order
- You get the price before any work starts
- You decide what we do
Without a care plan, overdue updates are quoted separately, because on a site that has not been updated for a long time this can mean several hours of work and testing. Plan details are on the WordPress care and maintenance page.
How the takeover works
- Free conversation – you tell me what is going on with the site and what access you have. I tell you where I will start and what it will cost.
- Access – I gather the passwords to the admin panel, hosting and domain. If something is missing, I help you recover it from the hosting company or domain registrar.
- Backup – a full copy of files and database before I change anything.
- Site review – WordPress and plugin versions, security, hosting, forms. You get a short summary of what needs attention.
- Ongoing care – if you choose a plan, I look after the site from then on and do the overdue updates at no extra cost.
Frequently asked questions
Will you take over a site you did not build?
Yes. Most of the sites I look after were built by someone else. I start with a review to learn how the site is put together.
How much does a website takeover cost?
From PLN 300. That covers reviewing the site, sorting out access to WordPress, hosting and the domain, and a full backup. Overdue updates are free if you choose a care plan for at least 3 months. Without a plan, they are quoted separately.
The previous developer won’t hand over access. What then?
I help you recover it directly from the hosting company and domain registrar, as part of the takeover price. Usually it is enough to confirm that you are the owner, for example with invoice details. How long it takes depends on the company’s procedures.
Do I have to buy a care plan?
No. The takeover itself is a one-off. A care plan makes sense if you want someone to keep looking after updates and backups, and with a plan of at least 3 months you get the overdue updates at no extra cost.
What if the site is in bad shape?
After the review I tell you plainly what needs fixing and how long it will take. Malware removal, serious errors or a rebuild are quoted separately, and you decide what we do.
Does the site have to run on WordPress?
I specialise in WordPress and WooCommerce. Other sites I assess after a conversation and tell you honestly whether I can help.
Related services
If you want to try on your own first, read the guide on how to recover access to your website, domain and hosting. If the review finds malware, see WordPress malware removal. If the site is outdated, see WordPress website redesign, and if you want to change hosting along the way, WordPress migration.