Ongoing legacy application care
A responsible adult for software your business depends on.
Getting an old application under control is one job. Keeping it that way is another. Software that isn't maintained drifts back into risk: patches missed, backups failing unnoticed, a certificate expiring at 3am, and a new "temporary" fix that nobody records.
Ongoing care gives you continuing technical ownership: one senior specialist who knows your system, watches over it and fixes it.
From £2,000 per month.
Who it's for
- Businesses with no in-house developer who rely on a bespoke PHP application
- Teams that want a specialist on call for a system their own developers don't want to own
- Owners recovering from a takeover, upgrade or hack who want it to stay fixed. Legacy application takeover
- Anyone who needs to show insurers, auditors and customers that the system is actively maintained
What's included
| Area | What I do |
|---|---|
| Technical ownership | A named person who knows your system and is accountable for it |
| Monitoring | Uptime, errors, performance, certificates, disk and resource use |
| Patching and updates | Operating system, PHP, database, dependencies and framework security updates, tested before deployment |
| Backups | Verified backups and periodic restore tests, because a backup you've never restored is a hope, not a backup |
| Security | Vulnerability monitoring, access reviews and prompt response to new threats |
| Incident response | Priority attention when something breaks. See response times below |
| Development | Bug fixes, improvements and small features, within the agreed allowance |
| Documentation | Keeping system documentation and runbooks up to date. Documentation |
| Reviews and roadmap | Regular review of risks, costs and what to fix or upgrade next |
One development day a month is included. Development beyond that is charged at the day rate, £950.
How AI helps you here
AI-assisted analysis means I can investigate issues, review changes, update documentation and spot problems faster, which is why a specialist can look after a large legacy application at a price a small business can afford. Every change is still understood, reviewed and tested. How I use AI
Response and availability
Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:30 UK time. Urgent issues get a response within 4 working hours. Out of hours, incidents are handled on a best-efforts basis.
I'm a one-person business, which means you get a senior specialist directly, and it's why I'm candid about capacity and continuity. Everything about your system is documented, so you're never locked in and the knowledge stays yours. How I work
Scope and pricing
From £2,000 per month. The exact scope is agreed according to the application, its risk and the level of responsibility you need. Typical factors:
- Size and complexity of the application
- Number of servers and environments
- Hours of support cover and response targets
- Amount of included development
- Security and compliance requirements
Longer-term, this is usually cheaper than emergency work. Planned maintenance costs far less than a crisis, and the monthly fee is predictable.
If you don't need a retainer, work is also available fixed-price or at £950 per day. Pricing
Terms
- Minimum term: 3 months, then 30 days' notice
- Billing: monthly in advance
Support is provided under a written agreement that sets out scope, response times and responsibilities. A data processing agreement is available on request. Data protection and security
For agencies
I can provide ongoing care for client applications white-label, so your team doesn't have to maintain a legacy system. Agency terms
Frequently asked questions
Why not just hire a developer?
A full-time senior PHP developer costs far more than £2,000 a month, and a single hire has the same continuity risk. Ongoing care gives you specialist experience on demand, without a salary, recruitment or management overhead.
What happens if something breaks at night?
Out of hours, I respond on a best-efforts basis. Proper monitoring means I usually know about a problem before you do.
Can we start with a one-off project and move to care afterwards?
Yes, that's the usual route. Many clients start with an assessment or upgrade, then continue with care once the system is stable.
What if we need more than the monthly allowance?
Additional work is quoted before it's done, at the day rate or as a fixed price. No surprises.
Can we cancel?
Yes: after the 3-month minimum term, with 30 days' notice. You'll always keep your documentation, access and records.
Do you look after servers as well as the application?
Yes, application and infrastructure together, because legacy problems cross that boundary. I'll agree exactly what's covered, including hosting arrangements, in writing.
Tell me what you've inherited.
If your business depends on an application that nobody is looking after, this is the fix.
Book a free conversationLegacy System Assessment, from £2,500