The ultimate guide for agencies and freelancers to take over Joomla! and Wordpress websites from other service providers

As an agency we often take over existing projects from other service providers. To avoid any nasty surprises when working with potential new customers, we have put together a short checklist below of what you should look out for when taking over existing projects.

1. The first impression: Frontend check

Even without access to the Joomla! or WordPress administration area, we can already perform initial checks on the site.

The first and simplest check is to simply click through the site. Look out for obvious bugs in the site - both technical and graphical. Make a note of these errors and then discuss with the customer whether they should be fixed and what effort is involved. Also check whether errors are logged in the console that should also be fixed.

A simple Lighthouse audit also helps with the evaluation of possible optimisations to the website (pagespeed.web.dev).

2. Request credentials

Ask for all the necessary credentials for the administration of the website right at the beginning. For the initial assessment of the site, this includes access to the administration area of the site. If the site is to be included in a long-term maintenance service, we also recommend requesting credentials for the hosting panel in order to be able to react quickly in the event of problems.

Document your customers' obligations to cooperate in your maintenance agreement.

3. Which Joomla! or WordPress version is used?

A crucial aspect when taking over a web project is checking the Joomla! or WordPress version used. The version of the content management system (CMS) provides information on whether the website is state of the art or whether urgent updates or a migration are required.

• Why is this important? Outdated CMS versions pose a significant security risk as they no longer receive security updates and are therefore vulnerable to attacks. In addition, newer functions and performance improvements introduced with more recent versions may be missing.
• Joomla: With Joomla! in particular, you should check whether a migration to Joomla 4/5 is necessary, as older versions such as Joomla 3 will be phased out and no longer supported in the foreseeable future. You can find out more about this in our guide to Joomla migration.
• WordPress: It is also essential to ensure that you are using the latest major version of WordPress. Updates are not only crucial for security, but also for compatibility with plugins and themes.

4. Check extensions

The second step when taking over a web project is to analyse the installed extensions (WordPress plugins or Joomla extensions). This is the only way to realistically estimate the technical effort required for maintenance work.

4.1 Which extensions are installed and will still be needed in the future?

Knowing which extensions are currently in use and whether they will still be needed in the future is essential in order to plan the effort required for maintenance work and updates. Our experience from day-to-day agency work is that extensions are often installed in pages that are not (or no longer) actively used. Every installed extension represents a potential security risk. By deactivating or removing unnecessary extensions, the risk of security vulnerabilities is significantly reduced and maintenance work in the future is minimised.

4.2 Are extension updates pending?

In addition to the CMS itself, the extensions must of course also be checked for updates. Open updates should be installed quickly and then of course checked to ensure that all functions on the site are still working properly.

• Restore update sources: If Joomla projects fail to update, this is often due to missing update sources. These must be set up again.
• Check licence keys and licences: Ensure that all required licence keys are set and licences are valid to ensure future updates.
• Repair database: For Joomla websites in particular, it is advisable to repair the database to detect any damage or compromise at an early stage.

4.3 Are there any customised solutions developed by the previous service provider?

Many web projects contain customised developments that are often inadequately documented.

• Is there any documentation? Check whether the previous service provider has left any documentation.
• Short-term handover possible? If no documentation is available, a handover meeting should take place to explain any in-house developments.

5. Inform new customers about the necessary work on the site

Once all the important points have been checked, it is crucial to inform new customers transparently about the necessary work. Whether it's security updates, optimisations or the removal of unnecessary extensions. Our experience from day-to-day agency work with more than 120 maintenance customers: Transparent communication is key at this point - although unexpected costs are rarely met with great favour by potential new customers, an explanation of why the various tasks are necessary for the secure operation of the site creates trust.

6 ‘Upselling’: What are the goals and wishes for the site?

Taking over a web project also offers the opportunity to talk to customers about the further development of the site.

• New functions and optimisations: Are there functions that they want to be added to the website? What goals are customers pursuing with the website and how can the project be optimised in the long term?
• Strategy development: By making targeted suggestions for optimising and expanding the site, you can identify the potential for upselling and retain customers in the long term. Our experience shows that customers are (almost) always open to good ideas.

Taking over a web project from another agency presents challenges, but also opportunities. With a thorough analysis and transparent communication, you lay the foundation for a successful collaboration and the further development of the project. You avoid unplanned costs on both sides and ensure that both parties start the collaboration with a good feeling.

Download Checklist (PDF)