Taking over a Craft CMS project
Do you have a Craft CMS website that nobody looks after any more? We take the project over from your previous supplier, upgrade it to a supported version, and run it from there. In most cases that is both faster and cheaper than building something new.
When should you consider changing supplier?
Most people who contact us are in one of these situations.
- The agency no longer exists. The supplier has closed, been acquired or changed direction.
- The person who knew the solution has left. Nobody else knows the code, and nobody dares touch it.
- Nothing has happened for a long time. The site works, but has not been updated in years.
- You are getting security warnings. Or IT has told you something needs to be done.
- You cannot get help. Small changes take weeks, or nobody answers.
- The price does not match the delivery. You pay for operations, but are not sure what you get.
What does it cost to do nothing?
A website that is not maintained does not just get old. It gets steadily more expensive to rescue.
Leave it long enough and every version jump has to be taken in turn. Plugins stop existing. The server has to be updated before anything else can happen. A site that could have been lifted in a few days quickly becomes a project of several weeks. In the worst case you are left with a known security hole in a solution nobody can update.
How a takeover works
1. Review
We get access to the code, the server and the database, and go through the current state. Which Craft version are you running? Which plugins are in use, and do they still exist? What is custom, and what is standard? How are backups, version control and the PHP version doing?
You get a written assessment covering the state as it is, a recommended route forward and a cost estimate. The review can be ordered on its own, without committing to anything further. Many people want to know what they are actually dealing with before choosing a supplier.
2. Takeover
We set the project up locally and in a staging environment. The code goes into version control, backups are put in place, and we tidy up access. Licences, domains and servers get mapped out and put in order, so nothing is left unpaid or forgotten.
3. Upgrade
We lift the site to a supported version. The work happens in staging, and you see the result before anything goes into production. The switch itself is scheduled for a time that suits you.
4. Ongoing operations
The site moves onto a normal operations agreement. Updates are then applied as they come, and you have a fixed technical contact who knows the solution.
We often make some improvements along the way. If we see obvious problems with speed, accessibility or structure, we flag them in the review. You then decide whether they should be included.
Upgrading from Craft 3 or 4 to Craft 5
Craft CMS gives each major version at least two years of active support, followed by one year of critical security updates. Here is where things stand:
- Craft 3 had its last security update on 30 April 2024.
- Craft 4 had its last security update on 30 April 2026.
- Craft 5 has active support through 2030 and security updates through 2031.
- Craft 6 is expected during 2026, and is built on Laravel rather than Yii.
If you are running Craft 3 or Craft 4 today, your site is getting no security updates at all.
What decides how much work is involved?
Rarely Craft itself. On a tidy site the jump from Craft 4 to Craft 5 is often undramatic. What drives the scope is this:
- Plugins. Some do not exist in newer versions, and have to be replaced or rewritten.
- Custom code. Bespoke modules and integrations have to be reviewed and tested.
- How old the site is. From Craft 3 the route goes via Craft 4, and each step has its own requirements.
- The server. Newer Craft needs newer PHP and database versions. Sometimes the server has to be updated first.
- The frontend. Old build tools and dependencies may need updating just to run at all.
That is why we do not quote before we have seen the project. The review exists precisely to make the estimate realistic.
We do the work, not you
A takeover is made up of a lot of small decisions. Which plugin gets replaced with what? Does the server have to be updated first? What is urgent, and what can wait?
Answering that is not your job. We go through the project, make the calls, and come back with a recommendation and a price. You should be able to say yes or no to a plan, not have to get to grips with a technical landscape you never asked for.
We handle the practical side too. Licences, servers, domains and access are sorted along the way, and we keep track of what sits where. If you want to know, you will be told. If you would rather not think about it, that is fine too.
Some handovers go more smoothly than others
Some suppliers send us everything we need the same day. Others reply slowly, or not at all. The latter is tiresome, but it is not yours to solve.
If it gets difficult, we find other routes. We pull what we need off the server, recreate setups that are missing, and rebuild whatever nobody will hand over. It takes a little longer, but we have yet to meet a project we could not take over. It works out, one way or another.
Get in touch
Not sure which version you are on, or what it would take to move forward? That is fine. That is exactly what the review is for.
Get in touch for a no-obligation chat.
Frequently asked questions about takeovers
Can you take the site over without us having to rebuild it?
Yes, and that is usually what we recommend. If the site is technically sound and you are happy with how it looks and works, a takeover and upgrade costs considerably less than a new project.
What does it cost to upgrade from Craft 4 to Craft 5?
It depends on how many plugins and custom parts the site has. A tidy site without much bespoke work is a manageable job. A site with many integrations and custom modules takes longer. We give a cost estimate after the review, before you commit to anything.
How long does a takeover take?
The review itself usually takes a few days. The upgrade depends on what we find. Most projects are done within a few weeks of starting.
We do not know which Craft version we are on. Can you find out?
Yes. We can often tell a lot from the outside, and we find the rest once we have access. You do not need to have the overview before getting in touch.
Do we lose content during an upgrade?
No. The content lives in the database and comes along. We take backups before we start, and work in a staging environment until everything is verified.
Do we have to change server or hosting provider?
Not necessarily. Newer Craft versions have requirements for PHP and database versions, so sometimes the server has to be updated first. We flag it in the review if that applies.
What if the previous supplier will not cooperate?
It works out either way. Some suppliers send us everything we need the same day, others reply slowly or not at all. If it is the latter, we find other routes. We pull what we need off the server and recreate what is missing. It takes a little longer, but sorting that out is our job, not yours.
What if our site is not built in Craft CMS?
We work mostly with Craft CMS and Kirby CMS, but have been through many other systems. Get in touch and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right supplier for you.
