Delaying an ExpressionEngine upgrade is easy to justify. The site still works, the budget is committed elsewhere, and nothing has broken yet. But delays in this area follow a predictable pattern, and the costs accumulate in ways that are not immediately visible.
ExpressionEngine has released several major versions over the past decade. Each major version involves architectural changes that affect how upgrades are handled. A site that upgrades steadily through versions is a much simpler project at each step than a site that skips multiple major versions in one go. The further behind you fall, the more each version gap contributes to migration complexity and the time required to complete it safely.
Third-party addons for ExpressionEngine are maintained by independent developers. Each time you delay, there is a higher probability that one or more of your addons has been abandoned, is no longer compatible with the current EE version, or requires replacement rather than a simple update. Replacing addons is not just a technical task. It may involve workflow changes, retraining, or rebuilding functionality that was previously handled by a plugin that no longer exists.
Sites that were built several years ago often contain customisations that were never properly documented. As time passes, the people who built those customisations move on. By the time an upgrade is finally commissioned, the scope of the work includes not just the upgrade itself but also an archaeology project to understand what the site actually does and why certain things were built the way they were.
The most expensive scenario is the forced upgrade: a hosting provider announces an end-of-life PHP version, or a security incident occurs, or a critical addon stops working. At that point, the upgrade has to happen under time pressure, without the luxury of planning, testing, and staging. Work done under pressure is more expensive and carries more risk of introducing new problems.
The alternative to all of this is a simple maintenance arrangement where your ExpressionEngine site is reviewed on a regular basis. Core and addon updates are applied in a controlled environment, tested, and deployed systematically. Issues are caught before they become crises. The total cost of that approach over three years is typically a fraction of what a deferred upgrade under pressure costs in year four.
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ExpressionEngine is a specialist platform. The community of genuinely experienced EE developers is small, particularly in the UK, and the difference between someone who has worked with EE seriously and someone who has touched it once or twice is significant.
It is more common than most people realise. A business has been running an ExpressionEngine site for years, the relationship with the agency that built it gradually fades, and eventually there is no-one actively looking after the site. Understanding why this happens helps you know what to do about it.
Most business owners have no idea what state their ExpressionEngine site is in. They know it’s working, they can add content, and the contact form still sends emails. Beyond that, it’s a black box. Problems can accumulate quietly over a long period before they become visible.
Most clients come to us when their site has started to feel like a risk rather than an asset. Whether the agency relationship has ended, an upgrade has been delayed, or the site has simply grown beyond what it can handle, a conversation costs nothing.
Get in touch with KarlTrusted by established businesses and growing brands across the UK
Expression 37 works with a small number of clients at any one time. These are some of them.
Karl is the founder of Expression 37 Ltd and has been working exclusively with ExpressionEngine and Craft CMS since 2007. In eighteen years he has supported more than 80 clients across the UK, from long-term retainer arrangements to emergency rescues when something has gone wrong at the worst possible moment. Every piece of work is handled personally by Karl, with no account managers or junior developers between you and the person doing it.
Find out how we workI cannot recommend Karl highly enough for his expertise and professionalism during our website upgrade. The transition from ExpressionEngine v2 to v7 was a significant undertaking, but Karl managed the entire process seamlessly, ensuring that every detail was addressed. The update of over 70 add-ons and 10 custom plugins was executed flawlessly, and the custom enhancements to our E-Commerce Store module have greatly improved our online shopping experience. The move to a more secure dedicated server has given us peace of mind regarding our site's performance and security. Karl’s dedication to our project was evident at every stage, and the final result is a modern, efficient website that truly represents our brand. Thank you for your hard work!"
Lisa Sanderson ~ Director
Graham Sanderson Interiors Ltd.