Why a website goes down
A website outage can start in several different layers, and the screen visible to visitors does not always reveal which one has failed. A WordPress fatal error, exhausted hosting resources, a stopped database service, incorrect DNS, an expired SSL certificate or a failed software update can produce very different symptoms while all appearing to the owner as simply a broken website.
WordPress documents common failures including white screens, internal server errors, database connection errors and failed upgrades. A white screen, for example, can be caused by a PHP or database error, while an 'Error establishing a database connection' points towards the connection between WordPress and its database rather than the visible page itself.
This is why diagnosis matters before repair. Reinstalling plugins, deleting files or repeatedly restoring old backups without establishing the cause can remove useful evidence or create a second problem.
What we check when your website is down
An emergency repair begins by narrowing the problem down to the part of the stack that has failed. Depending on the symptoms, useful evidence can include server error logs, PHP errors, database availability, DNS records, SSL status, recent updates and changes made immediately before the outage.
For a WordPress fatal error, the cause may be a plugin, theme or custom code. WordPress Recovery Mode can sometimes provide temporary administrative access after a fatal PHP error, but server-side investigation may still be needed if the site cannot load normally.
- Blank page or critical error: check PHP errors, plugin conflicts, theme code and memory or server limits.
- Database connection error: check database credentials, database availability and hosting-level faults.
- Security warning or unexpected content: treat the incident as a possible compromise rather than simply replacing the affected page.
- SSL or DNS failure: check certificate status and the records directing the domain to the correct service.
If malware is involved, the work may require our separate hacked website repair service because cleaning a compromised installation involves more than restoring normal page output.
Emergency website fix pricing
The Emergency Fix is £249 per incident. It covers diagnosis and repair of one website problem, with a response within two working hours. If we cannot fix that incident, the service is provided on a no fix, no fee basis.
The service can be used for WordPress, WooCommerce and custom PHP websites. Once the fault has been identified, the repair is followed by a plain-English explanation of the root cause and practical advice intended to reduce the chance of the same fault recurring.
A hacked website is different from an ordinary technical breakdown because malicious files, compromised credentials or hidden backdoors may remain even after the visible symptom disappears. Hacked Site Rescue is £349 on this page and includes malware scanning and cleaning, backdoor removal, post-cleanup hardening and a Google blacklist removal request where relevant.
Recovering safely instead of making the outage worse
When a site is already offline, hurried changes can make recovery more difficult. A recent backup is important, but restoring it blindly is not always the right first step. If the underlying cause is a vulnerable plugin, incorrect configuration or hosting failure, restoring the same state may simply recreate the incident.
The National Cyber Security Centre recommends keeping regular backups and making sure they can actually be restored. For website incidents, an independent or off-server backup is particularly useful because it remains available if the live hosting account is damaged or inaccessible.
After recovery, the useful checks are straightforward: confirm important pages load, forms or checkout functions operate, HTTPS is valid and any temporary debugging or recovery settings have been removed. For an ecommerce site, the visible home page is not enough. A working basket and payment path matter more than a successful page-load test.
Reducing the chance of another website outage
Not every outage is preventable, but delayed updates, expired certificates, missing backups and unnoticed downtime are avoidable sources of risk. Regular maintenance also means there is a known recent backup and a record of routine changes when a fault needs investigating.
Essential Care costs £59 a month and includes weekly WordPress updates, daily off-server backups, 24/7 uptime monitoring, security scanning and a monthly health report. Professional Care at £119 adds fixes within 24 to 48 hours, speed monitoring, accessibility scanning and development time.
If the immediate problem has been resolved but you want ongoing monitoring afterwards, compare the options on our website maintenance and uptime monitoring pages.