WordPress · Support
A website usually stops working at the worst possible moment: on the day a newsletter goes out or in the middle of an advertising campaign. Instead of switching plugins off one by one to see what helps, I start with the server logs, because they almost always name the file and the line that cause the fault. You usually get the diagnosis on the same day.
Scope of work
Eight situations that come up most often. If your symptom is not on the list, write to me anyway, because the name of an error rarely says anything about its cause.
The admin panel stops letting anyone in after an update, after a change to a security plugin’s settings or after an attack on the administrator accounts. I reset access through the files and the database, check the list of administrator accounts and delete any that should not be there.
Two plugins that each load their own version of the same library can break a slider, a gallery or the editor. I reproduce the problem on a copy of the website, find out which components clash and look for a fix, whether that is an update, a replacement or a change in the child theme.
The form shows a thank-you message, but the enquiry never arrives. Most often the email goes out through PHP instead of SMTP, the SPF and DKIM records are missing, or a filter at the recipient’s end stops it. I set up sending through an authenticated account and check delivery to several mailboxes.
Your hosting provider updates PHP, and the website stops working because the theme or a plugin uses an outdated function. I check which components are compatible, correct the outdated code in the child theme and only then leave the live website on the new PHP version.
The padlock disappears because some resources still load over http, usually images stored in the database or scripts hard-coded into the theme. I correct the addresses in the database, set up redirects and check that the certificate renews automatically.
If the website cannot be repaired in a reasonable time, I go back to the last working backup and look for the cause on the restored version. After that, I set up a proper backup schedule.
Error 500, error 502 or a page that takes a minute to load are often a hosting problem rather than a WordPress one, caused by too little memory, an exhausted process limit or a block from the server’s security rules. I establish this from the logs and write the support ticket for you to send to your hosting provider.
A blank page or the message “There has been a critical error on this website” usually means a PHP error that stops the script. I turn on error logging on the server, read the log and go straight to the file at fault instead of switching plugins off one by one on the live website.
Process
Three steps, in the same order every time. The first one matters most, because the backup comes before anyone touches the files.
You describe the symptom and what has changed on the website in the last few days. Before I change anything, I back up the files and the database, even if the website has already stopped working.
I read the server and PHP error logs, turn on debugging mode, compare the WordPress core files with the originals and reproduce the problem on a copy of the website. Switching plugins off one by one on the live website is my last resort.
I remove the cause and check the whole website, including its pages, forms, search and admin panel. At the end you get a short explanation of what happened and what to do so that the same fault does not come back a month later, even if you do not choose ongoing maintenance.
Starting the repair
The more of this list I get straight away, the sooner I can finish the repair. Access to the hosting is the item most often missing, and it holds the logs that point to the cause.
If you cannot log in to the admin panel, FTP and access to the database are enough. From there I can switch off the plugin that blocks the login and get the website working again.
Other services
Some outages have a deeper cause, for example an infection, an overloaded server or years without updates. In those cases a repair alone is not enough.
Cleaning files and the database, closing the security hole and clearing the Google warning, with a report on the work done. Website €500 net, WooCommerce shop €900 net; if the infection returns within 30 days, I remove it free of charge.
Cache, images, database, plugins and server. I measure before and after on the same pages, using Core Web Vitals rather than a single test score.
Updates, backups, uptime monitoring and hours of work for ongoing changes. Three plans from €100 net per month.
If the website stopped working right after a move to a new server, see WordPress migration. You will find all WordPress services on the WordPress page. All prices are net, excluding VAT. The offer is for businesses only.
FAQ
What clients ask in their first message, usually sent in a hurry: the time, the cost, the risk to their data and what happens after the repair.
I fix typical faults, such as a white screen, a plugin conflict or a form that does not send, within 24 to 48 hours of receiving access. The diagnosis itself usually takes a few hours, so you hear about the cause and the cost on the same day. It takes longer when the website has to be restored from a backup or when the code of a theme written by someone else needs correcting.
The price depends on the cause, so you get it after the diagnosis. I check the logs and reproduce the problem, then give you the scope, the time and the cost of the repair, and the work starts only once you accept. You know the amount before the invoice arrives. If the repair turns out to be bigger while I am working on it, I stop and come back to you with a new quote. All prices are net, excluding VAT. The offer is for businesses only.
I start with a full backup of the files and the database and keep it away from the website’s server. Changes to the code go into a child theme, so they do not disappear with the next theme update. If the repair needs changes to the database, for example replacing addresses after a change of domain, I first make a separate backup of the tables I am going to change.
Yes, and it is a common case. A security plugin, an error in the theme or a hijacked account can lock the admin panel. FTP or SSH access and access to the database are enough, because from there I can switch off the plugin that blocks the login, activate the default theme and create a new administrator account. If you suspect that someone has taken over the website, start with malware removal rather than just resetting the password.
I need a description of the symptom with the address of the affected page and screenshots, and a WordPress administrator account. If the admin panel does not work, add FTP or SSH access. Login details for the hosting control panel give me the server error logs. It also helps to know what has changed recently, for example an update, a new plugin, a new PHP version or a move to another host. The more of this I get straight away, the sooner I can finish the repair.
I give a 30-day guarantee on the repair: if the same fault returns within that time, I fix it at no extra cost. A new, different fault is a separate job. With every report I look for the cause of the fault and describe it in a short summary, together with what needs to be done so that it does not happen again.
You get a description of what was broken and why, and a list of things worth sorting out to avoid the next outage, for example the PHP version, abandoned plugins or missing backups. You can deal with them yourself or move to ongoing maintenance, in which updates and backups are checked every week. I do not make the repair conditional on a maintenance plan.
Yes. I work remotely with companies in the UK and the EU, among them a chain of tattoo and piercing studios in the UK and education organisations in Belgium. You deal with me directly, in English. A repair needs no visit, because I work through the WordPress admin panel, the hosting control panel and FTP or SSH. You can reach me by email, WhatsApp, phone and video call, Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00 Central European Time (8:00–16:00 UK time).
