Website modernisation and legacy system upgrades
An old site rarely needs a revolution. Usually it needs its technical debt cleared, faster loading, accessibility fixes and a simpler content back end, so your team can run it without a developer. We modernise in stages, so the site stays live throughout the work.
Website modernisation is the process of tidying up an existing site by improving its performance, accessibility, content structure and code, without rebuilding everything from scratch. We start with an audit that separates critical faults from cosmetic ones, then roll out changes in order of risk, cost and business impact.
What the problem we sort out costs
53% of mobile users leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load.
A slow site does more than frustrate: it directly cuts enquiries and sales. Modernisation starts with measurement – how long the page takes to load, what slows it down and which element to fix first.
Reference pointGoogle / Think with Google
Stripe calculates that developers spend an average of 17.3 of their 41.1 hours a week on maintenance, bug fixes, debugging and refactoring.
That is about 42% of a technical team’s working week. So with an older system, we first look for what blocks maintenance, and only then add new features.
Reference pointStripe Developer Coefficient Report
A standard modernisation calculation compares the cost of the change queue with the cost of tidying up the CMS and code.
If every content change needs a developer and several days of waiting, the company pays not only for developer hours but also for delayed offers, campaigns and updates. Modernisation cuts that cost through self-service editing and simpler maintenance.
Reference pointTCO model: team time × cost of upkeep × number of changes
Does this apply to your business
A company with a site more than three years old that slows down or complicates content editing
An organisation with performance problems: slow loading, unstable layout, weak Core Web Vitals
A marketing team that depends on a developer for every content change on the site
A business ahead of a rebrand or offer change that does not want to lose search rankings
Signs it is time to act
Core Web Vitals below Google’s thresholds – LCP above 2.5 s, CLS above 0.1, INP above 200 ms
Maintenance costs keep rising, but no new features are being added
Your team cannot change content on its own without a developer
A planned migration, rebrand or platform change – organic traffic needs protecting
What the work covers
Audit of performance, accessibility (WCAG), technical SEO and code quality
Core Web Vitals optimisation: loading time, layout stability, responsiveness to interactions
Refactoring and clearing technical debt without a full rewrite
Content and data migration to a new or restructured CMS
Redirect map and 301 rollout, protecting search rankings
Simpler content editing, so your team doesn’t need a developer for every change
What should change in how the company works
Faster, more stable site
Better Core Web Vitals mean a lower bounce rate and stronger search rankings – they are a Google ranking factor.
No loss of rankings during migration
Planned 301 redirects and indexation checks protect organic traffic during the rebuild.
WCAG-compliant accessibility
The site works with screen readers and keyboard-only navigation, reaching a wider audience and meeting compliance requirements.
Content under your team’s control
A tidier back end lets you update offers, materials and contact details without queuing for a developer.
A decision without guesswork
| Criterion | Modernisation | Rewrite from scratch |
|---|---|---|
| State of the code | Works, but carries technical debt | Impossible to maintain, or unsafe |
| Content and SEO | Valuable, worth keeping its rankings | Marginal, or needs a full overhaul |
| Cost and risk | Lower, phased work | Higher, with a long wait and no results |
| Time to first result | First changes arrive quickly | Results only after full deployment |
Questions before we start working together
How much does website modernisation cost?
The cost depends on the state of the code, the number of pages, the scope of migration and the performance and accessibility requirements. We work in stages, so the budget is spread across successive deliveries. Indicative price ranges and the factors behind them are described on our pricing model page.
Does modernisation mean losing rankings on Google?
No, not if it is planned properly. We prepare a 301 redirect map, keep the URL structure under control and monitor indexation, so that organic traffic and search rankings are preserved during the rebuild.
Does the site have to be rewritten from scratch?
Usually not. Most sites can be tidied up layer by layer: performance, accessibility, content and code. We only propose a rewrite from scratch when the technology cannot be maintained or poses a security risk.
Contact · We reply within 24 hours
Let us talk about what should work better
Tell us which problem you want to sort out: a new website, an application, automation, an integration, a process or a technology decision. You will get a concrete answer, with no pressure to adopt a solution you do not need.