Craft CMS enquiries from Middlesbrough generally mean one of two things: an install that's holding up but ignored, or one that's actively broken with nobody left to call.
Karl handles it from first contact to final fix. Craft CMS and ExpressionEngine are the only two platforms Expression 37's touched since 2007. No handoff to anyone else.
Before anything's quoted, he goes through the install properly. That's usually a fix, a version upgrade, or an ongoing retainer.
Where this tends to matter:
Manufacturing and chemical process firms whose Craft site holds technical specification or compliance content that needs to stay accurate and properly organised. Businesses whose previous agency stopped supporting Craft and moved to another platform, leaving the old install live but effectively unmanaged. Sites with Stripe or HubSpot integrations set up years ago by someone no longer around. And installs several major versions old, where the honest work in upgrading is checking every plugin individually.
How this tends to start:
Nothing gets quoted before Karl's gone through the plugins and templates properly, since Middlesbrough handovers rarely arrive with anything resembling documentation. Most people get in touch after something specific: technical content that's become hard to find or trust, a Composer conflict nobody's acted on, or a decision that the install needs proper attention again. From there it's a defined project or a retainer, priced before anything starts.
Common questions Middlesbrough clients ask:
Does it matter that you're not based in Middlesbrough?
Not for the work. Everything runs remotely, plugin review through to deployment, and it holds up well. If a face-to-face conversation is genuinely useful, Middlesbrough isn't out of reach.
Our site holds detailed technical or compliance content, is that common around here?
Yes, given the manufacturing base. It needs a proper Craft structure that keeps things categorised and searchable, not a flat archive nobody can navigate as it grows.
Can you pick up an install the previous developer's abandoned?
Yes, regularly. The first step is establishing which plugins are genuinely load-bearing versus a modified extra, which needs an actual read of the code rather than a guess from outside.
How much should we worry about an old Craft version?
Less than most assume. The core rarely causes trouble on its own. The real exposure sits in whatever plugins have been left unmaintained alongside it.
What comes with ongoing support?
Priority when something breaks, proactive checks rather than waiting for a fault to appear, and a developer who already understands your setup instead of starting fresh each time.
What's this likely to cost?
Depends entirely on scope. A one-off project is a fixed price. Ongoing support runs monthly. Either way, the number's agreed before anything begins.
Ready to get started?
If your website is business-critical and needs a specialist who will take proper long-term ownership of it, get in touch. Karl will respond personally and give you an honest view of how we can help.
