Stuck with a site you can't edit
Old CMS, lost logins, custom code nobody understands. Here is how a takeover works, and how you stop ever feeling stuck again.
01 / What probably happened
Stuck is a fixable state
The 'I cannot edit my own website' problem usually has one of three causes: the original developer built something custom and never documented it, the CMS works in theory but nobody on your team has the time or appetite to learn it, or the logins have been lost so far down the back of the cupboard that finding them feels harder than starting over. All three are fixable, and none of them require you to learn anything new.
There are two routes back to a usable site. Either we recover access to what is already there and start making changes for you, or we migrate everything onto a platform we look after and you ask for changes in plain English from there. Sometimes the right answer is the first one. Often it is the second.
Either way, the goal is the same: your content stays where it is, your domain stays the same, and from now on changes happen by you asking and us doing.
02 / How a takeover actually works
Six things we do during a takeover
None of this requires you to be technical. The whole point is that you should not have to be.
Find out what the site is built on
WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Joomla, Drupal, custom code from a freelancer? Each one has a different takeover path. Identifying the platform is step zero and we can usually do it from outside in five minutes.
Find any working logins
Even partial access helps. An old admin login, an editor account, an FTP credential, a hosting login, a registrar login. Each one opens a different door into the site.
Capture the site as it stands
Before changing anything, we take a complete external snapshot of the public site so the content is safe regardless of what happens next. You cannot lose copy that you have already preserved.
Rebuild on a platform you control
If the existing platform is genuinely stuck (custom code nobody understands, abandoned CMS, lost logins), the right move is a clean rebuild on something we maintain. We migrate the content, keep the URLs and update the DNS.
Keep your search rankings
We map every existing URL to the new equivalent and set up proper redirects so Google knows the move is intentional. Done correctly, the rebuild is invisible to your search rankings.
Hand you a portal that just works
Once the new site is live, you do not get another set of credentials to lose. You get a portal where you can ask for changes in plain English and we make them for you. No CMS to fight with.
03 / How we handle it
Our takeover sequence
Triage
We identify the platform, find every account that touches the site, and tell you whether the existing setup is fixable or whether a rebuild is faster. Honest answer, no upselling.
Stabilise
We capture a full copy of the existing site and content so nothing can be lost. If the live site is broken or risky, we get a clean version up at a temporary URL while we plan the takeover.
Migrate
We rebuild the site on stable, modern infrastructure, preserving your content, your URLs and your branding. You sign off the new version before we switch the domain over.
Hand over
DNS is updated, redirects are in place, the old site is decommissioned. From here, every change goes through your portal and we make it for you. You never need to log into a CMS again.
FAQ
Common questions
I have a website I cannot change. Can you take it over?
Yes, that is one of the most common things we do. Send us the URL and any logins you do have (or do not have) and we will tell you what is involved. The answer is usually a takeover or a clean migration onto a platform we look after.
Will I lose my content if you migrate the site?
No. We keep every page, every image and every piece of copy. We can rewrite or restructure where you want us to, but nothing disappears unless you ask for it to. Your URLs stay the same so existing links and bookmarks still work.
What about my Google rankings?
We preserve them as far as is technically possible. That means matching URLs, setting up redirects on any URLs that have to change, keeping page structure recognisable to Google, and submitting an updated sitemap so the new site is reindexed quickly.
Do I have to pick a platform or use a CMS?
No. The whole point is that you do not. We build the site, we host it, and you ask for changes in plain English through a customer portal. No drag-and-drop builder, no admin login, no plugin updates to worry about.
How long does a takeover take?
A simple site can be migrated in a week or two. A more involved one with lots of pages, custom forms or e-commerce takes three to six weeks. Either way, your existing site stays up the whole time and the switchover is essentially invisible to visitors.
What if I want to leave you later?
We hand everything over cleanly: domain, content, design files, DNS. No lock-in, no exit fee, no game playing. The whole point is that you should never feel stuck again, including stuck with us.
Done fighting your own website?
Hand it over. We look after the build, the hosting, the updates and the changes. You ask, we do. From £79/month.