Emergency Website and WordPress Rescue

At a glance

A site that is down, showing a white screen, a critical error or a hacked warning loses visitors and sales by the hour. You explain it once, to me. I find the cause across hosting, DNS, code and database, and fix it.

What is included

• A look at the real cause, not only the symptom you see
• A plain explanation before anything critical is touched
• The fix, with a backup taken first wherever possible
• A check with you that the site behaves normally before the job is closed

What is not included

• Redesigns and new features (those are separate jobs)
• Recovering data that no backup or server copy holds
• A fixed price before I have seen the problem

Frequently asked questions

Do you only work with WordPress?

No. WordPress is just one of many platforms I work on. I regularly fix sites built on Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Joomla, Magento, and plenty of hand-coded HTML or PHP sites that were never built on a CMS at all.

My domain just expired, is it recoverable?

Often, yes, especially within the first few weeks after expiry. I'll check its current status with the registrar and walk you through the fastest way to get it back before it moves further into redemption or gets released entirely.

What does "Not Secure" or a missing padlock mean?

It usually means your SSL certificate has expired, is misconfigured, or that some page elements are still loading over an insecure connection. It's normally a quick fix once I find the exact cause.

My hosting company suspended my account, what now?

Tell me why, if you know it (unpaid invoice, abuse report, resource overuse), and I'll help you deal with the host directly, recover access, or move everything to a more reliable provider if that account is a lost cause.

I think my website has been hacked, what should I do first?

Don't panic, and avoid deleting anything yourself before getting help, you might remove evidence that would speed up the clean-up. Message me straight away describing what you're seeing (redirects, strange content, a host warning) and I'll assess how deep the infection goes before cleaning it out and closing the entry point.

Google says my site "may be hacked" in search results, can you fix that?

Yes. That warning usually means Google's crawler found malicious code or spam content on your site. I clean the infection, harden the entry point it came through, and help you request a review so the warning gets lifted.

My Shopify store isn't loading, is that something you handle?

Yes. Whether it's a theme error, a broken app integration, a domain connection issue, or checkout problems, I work directly inside Shopify to sort it out.

My Wix or Squarespace site is stuck, can you help with those too?

Yes. Builder platforms have their own quirks, publishing failures, domain connection errors, layout glitches, and I know my way around all of the major ones.

My site shows a 500 Internal Server Error, what does that mean?

It's a vague but common error usually tied to a corrupted configuration file, a plugin or code conflict, or a server resource limit being hit. I dig into the server logs to find the real cause rather than guessing.

My email stopped working after I changed hosting, can you fix it?

Very common after a migration. It's usually an MX record or DNS issue, and I can normally get mail flowing again once I check how your domain and mailboxes are currently configured.

I lost access to my admin panel, cPanel, or FTP, can you get me back in?

Yes. Depending on the cause, forgotten credentials, a locked account, a login loop, or a compromised account, I can usually restore access directly through the hosting or domain level, without you needing to already be logged in somewhere.

How much does emergency website repair cost?

It depends entirely on what's actually broken, a stuck domain renewal takes minutes, a deep malware infection takes considerably longer. I don't publish a price list because a flat number would be dishonest before I've even seen your site. What I can promise is a fair rate based on real time spent, and a clear quote before any paid work begins.

My freelancer or agency disappeared, can you take over?

Very often, yes, this is one of the most common reasons people reach out. I can usually work with whatever's already on the server without needing to involve the original developer at all.

Can you migrate my site to a new host without downtime?

Yes. I move the whole site, files, database, and email routing where relevant, to the new environment, test everything thoroughly on a private link, and only switch the DNS once it's fully verified, so visitors never notice a gap.

My checkout is broken and I'm losing sales, how fast can you help?

This gets top priority, because every minute a checkout stays broken costs you real money. Message me immediately and I'll start diagnosing right away, whatever platform your store runs on.

Why is my website loading so slowly?

Usually a mix of unoptimised images, bloated page builders, too many third-party scripts, or cheap hosting that can't keep up. I can optimise what you already have or advise on a leaner rebuild if that makes more sense.

Is there a minimum job size?

No minimum. If something small is bothering you, a broken contact form, a stuck redirect, it's still worth reaching out. Small fixes are priced fairly for the short amount of time they take.

What information do you need from me to get started?

A description of what's wrong and, if you have them, admin or hosting access details. If you're not sure what you have, that's fine too, tell me what you do know and I'll figure out the rest.

Is my data and access safe with you?

I only request the access strictly necessary to fix the issue, never share it with anyone else, and don't keep it longer than the job requires unless you've asked me to look after things on an ongoing basis.

Do you offer ongoing maintenance, not just one-off emergencies?

Yes. Once your site is stable, I offer monitoring, managed hosting, backups, and security plans so the same emergency is far less likely to happen again.

How do I get started right now?

Message me on WhatsApp or e-mail, describe what's going on, and send a screenshot if you can. I'll reply, ask anything I need to know, and give you a clear picture of the fix and the cost before touching anything.

My WordPress site is showing a blank white screen, what is that?

It's the "white screen of death", almost always caused by a PHP fatal error, often a plugin or theme conflict, or a memory limit being hit. I check your debug log to find the exact line causing it and fix it without guessing.

WordPress says "There has been a critical error on this website", can you fix it today?

In most cases, yes. Message me on WhatsApp or e-mail with what you're seeing and I'll respond as fast as I can. There's no fixed schedule, so "today" often means within the hour.

I'm getting "Error establishing a database connection", is my content lost?

Almost never. This error usually means wrong database credentials, a corrupted table, or an overloaded database server, not that your content is gone. I diagnose and repair the database directly.

My WordPress site was hacked, what should I do first?

Don't panic, and avoid deleting anything yourself before getting help, you might remove evidence that would speed up the clean-up. Message me straight away describing what you're seeing (redirects, strange content, a host warning) and I'll assess how deep the infection goes before cleaning it out and closing the entry point.

Google says my WordPress site "may be hacked" in search results, can you fix that?

Yes. That warning usually means Google's crawler found malicious code or spam content on your site. I clean the infection, harden the entry point it came through, and help you request a review so the warning gets lifted.

I updated a plugin and now my site is broken, can you undo it?

Usually, yes. I can roll back the plugin, resolve the underlying conflict, or apply the update properly on a staging copy first so it doesn't break the live site again.

My WooCommerce checkout isn't working and I'm losing sales, how fast can you help?

This gets top priority, because every minute a checkout stays broken costs you real money. Message me immediately and I'll start diagnosing right away, whatever payment gateway your store uses.

My site is stuck in maintenance mode after an update, how do I get out of it?

Usually a leftover ".maintenance" file after an interrupted update. It's normally a one-minute fix once I have access, but I'll also check that the update actually completed properly first.

I'm locked out of wp-admin, can you get me back in?

Yes. Depending on the cause, forgotten credentials, a login redirect loop, or a compromised account, I can usually restore access directly through the hosting or database level, without you needing to already be logged in somewhere.

My site says "Allowed memory size exhausted", what's causing that?

WordPress has hit its PHP memory limit, usually because of a heavy plugin, a large import, or a low hosting plan. I raise the limit safely and find what's actually consuming it.

My WordPress site shows "Not Secure" or a missing padlock, why?

It usually means your SSL certificate has expired, is misconfigured, or that some page elements are still loading over an insecure connection. It's normally a quick fix once I find the exact cause.

My WordPress site disappeared from Google search results, can you fix that?

Often, yes. It's usually caused by a hack, an accidental "noindex" setting, or an SEO plugin misconfiguration. I find the cause and help you get properly reindexed.

My site broke after moving to a new host or upgrading PHP, can you fix it?

Yes. This is one of the most common WordPress emergencies. I find the incompatibility, often an outdated plugin or a missing PHP extension, and get everything working again on the new environment.

My site is getting hit with constant login attempts on xmlrpc.php, is that dangerous?

It can slow your site to a crawl and, if successful, hand over admin access. I block or disable xmlrpc.php where it's not needed and add proper login protection.

My WordPress site has weird spam pages I never created, what happened?

This is a classic SEO spam injection, sometimes called a "pharma hack", malicious pages hidden from you but visible to Google. I remove every injected file and close the vulnerability that let it in.

Why is my WordPress site loading so slowly?

Usually a mix of unoptimised images, too many plugins, an unoptimised database, or cheap hosting that can't keep up. I can optimise what you already have or advise on leaner alternatives.

Do you only fix WordPress, or WooCommerce stores too?

Both, WooCommerce runs on WordPress, so a broken store is still very much within what I do every day, from checkout errors to payment gateway issues to product sync problems.

My freelancer or agency who built my WordPress site disappeared, can you take over?

Very often, yes, this is one of the most common reasons people reach out. I can usually work with whatever's already on the server without needing to involve the original developer at all.

How much does emergency WordPress repair cost?

It depends entirely on what's actually broken, a stuck maintenance-mode file takes minutes, a deep database corruption takes considerably longer. I don't publish a price list because a flat number would be dishonest before I've even seen your site. What I can promise is a fair rate based on real time spent, and a clear quote before any paid work begins.

Do you only work with clients near Pavia, Italy?

No. I'm based in Pavia and happy to meet in person if you're nearby, but the vast majority of my work is remote, with clients all over the world. WordPress problems don't care about geography, and neither do I.

What's the "white screen of death" and can you fix it?

It's when your WordPress site, sometimes the front end, sometimes wp-admin, sometimes both, shows a completely blank page with no error text at all. It's usually caused by a PHP error, a memory limit, or a plugin conflict. Yes, this is one of the most common emergencies I deal with.

My site says "Error establishing a database connection." What does that mean?

It means WordPress can't talk to its database, the place where all your content actually lives. Causes range from incorrect database credentials to a corrupted table or an overloaded server. It sounds alarming, but it's very often fixable without any data loss.

I think my WordPress site has been hacked. What should I do first?

Don't panic, and try not to delete anything yourself before getting help, you might remove evidence that's useful for the clean-up. Message me straight away with what you're seeing (strange redirects, spam content, a host warning) and I'll assess how deep the infection goes before cleaning it up and closing the entry point.

Do you charge extra for emergencies or working outside office hours?

No hidden "emergency callout" surcharge. My pricing reflects the time and complexity of the actual fix, not the time on the clock. I believe panic pricing is exactly the wrong way to treat someone whose site is already down.

How much does it cost to fix a WordPress site?

It depends entirely on what's actually broken, a stuck maintenance mode takes minutes, a deep malware infection takes considerably longer. I don't publish a price list because a fixed number would be dishonest before I've even seen your site. What I can promise is a fair rate based on real time spent, and a clear quote before any paid work starts.

My WordPress site broke right after I updated a plugin or theme. What now?

Very common, and usually very fixable. I identify which update caused the conflict, roll it back safely if needed, and find a way forward that doesn't leave you stuck choosing between "broken" and "out of date" forever.

Why is my WordPress site so slow, and can that really affect Google rankings?

Yes, genuinely. Page speed is one of the factors Google's algorithm takes into account. Bloated page builders, oversized images, and too many plugins are usually the culprits. I can optimise what you have or, if you'd rather start clean, build you a fast, lean site instead.

Do you work with sites built on Elementor, Divi, or other page builders?

Yes, I can diagnose and fix sites built on any page builder. I'll always be honest if I think the builder itself is part of why the site keeps breaking or loading slowly, but fixing the immediate emergency always comes first.

Can you migrate my WordPress site to a new host?

Yes. I move the full site, files, database, and email routing where relevant, to the new environment, test it thoroughly on a private link, and only switch the DNS over once everything checks out, so your visitors never see any downtime.

Do you offer ongoing WordPress maintenance, not just one-off emergency fixes?

Yes. Once your site is stable, I offer managed hosting and maintenance plans that include updates, backups, and security monitoring, so the same emergency is far less likely to happen again.

What is a "mixed content" or SSL error, and why does it matter?

It means some elements on your page (usually images or scripts) are still being loaded over an insecure connection even though your site has an SSL certificate. Browsers respond by removing the padlock or showing a warning, which understandably scares visitors away. It's a quick fix once identified.

Can you remove malware without losing my content?

In the vast majority of cases, yes. I clean infected files and database entries rather than wiping the site, and I always try to work from a backup as a safety net. If a proper backup exists, the risk of losing content is very low.

Is my data and login information safe with you?

I only ever ask for the access strictly needed to fix the problem (wp-admin, hosting panel, or FTP), I don't share it with anyone else, and I don't hold onto it longer than the job requires unless you've asked me to manage things on an ongoing basis.

Can you help even if my developer or agency has disappeared?

Very often, yes, this is one of the most common situations I'm brought in for. I can usually work with what's already on the server without needing the original developer involved at all.

Do you offer professional email addresses too, or only WordPress fixes?

Both. Alongside WordPress support, I set up professional email on your own domain, either directly on your hosting or connected to Apple iCloud+ if you'd rather keep using Apple Mail.

Is there a minimum job size, or is a five-minute fix worth messaging you about?

No minimum. If something small is bothering you, a stuck maintenance screen, a broken contact form, it's absolutely worth a message. Small fixes are priced fairly for the small amount of time they take.

Next step

Tell me what you need. Support is available Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 18:00, Rome time.