Reading's Craft CMS enquiries usually split two ways: an install that's stable but neglected, or one that's genuinely broken with the developer who built it long gone.
Karl takes these on personally, no exceptions. Craft CMS and ExpressionEngine are the only platforms Expression 37's touched since 2007. Every job stays with him.
Before quoting anything, he reviews the install itself. What that turns up decides whether it's a fix, a version upgrade, or an ongoing retainer.
Where we typically come in:
- UK offices of international companies whose Craft site was originally built by a head office team that's since scaled back or moved on.
- Insurance and professional services firms with entry-heavy Craft installs that need ongoing editorial and technical support, not just occasional patching.
- Composer setups that have drifted out of date, where dependency conflicts are quietly blocking updates nobody's noticed yet.
- Sites built around HubSpot or Stripe, common in this corridor, and needing a developer who can debug the integration as well as the CMS.
- Teams that want a consistent point of contact instead of restarting the relationship with a new agency every renewal cycle.
How a typical engagement starts:
The trigger is usually a change in personnel or a specific failure: a new marketing lead inheriting a site nobody can fully explain, a security scan flagging outdated dependencies, or a HubSpot form that's silently stopped submitting. Karl reviews the live Composer setup and codebase before quoting, and plenty of that first piece of work becomes a standing monthly retainer.
Common questions Reading clients ask:
Is it a problem for you to work with us remotely?
Not at all, it's how the vast majority of work gets done, template changes, deployments, ongoing fixes, all remote by default. Reading's close enough that an in-person meeting is never off the table, just rarely necessary.
Our internal team has shrunk since the site was built, can you cover that gap?
That's a familiar starting point around here. A proper audit of what's actually built comes first, then ongoing support gets scoped around what's genuinely needed.
A marketing integration that used to work fine has stopped, is that a Craft problem or something else?
Often both are tangled together. Integrations wired directly into Craft templates are common in this area, and they tend to be the first thing that breaks quietly once nobody's actively maintaining the site.
How far behind on Craft versions is too far?
Security is the immediate concern regardless of version. Beyond that, older installs increasingly run into plugins that have stopped being maintained, which becomes the real blocker at upgrade time.
Can you work alongside our current agency rather than take over entirely?
Occasionally, depending on scope. More often Expression 37 ends up taking full responsibility once an existing agency relationship has stopped delivering.
How does pricing work?
A fixed cost for defined project work, a monthly retainer for ongoing cover. Both agreed upfront, nothing billed hourly after the fact.
What should we cover in a first call?
Your current Craft version, what's actually built into the site, and what's prompted the enquiry. Enough for an honest, specific first view.
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.
