Your platform needs consistent attention, not a new developer every time something breaks.
Most platforms don't fail all at once. They degrade slowly: a bug left unfixed here, a server configuration creeping out of date there, a deployment process nobody documents. By the time something breaks in production, the underlying problems have been building for months.
A retainer means you have a developer who knows your codebase, monitors your infrastructure, and deals with issues before they become outages. No onboarding overhead. No explaining your system from scratch every time. This is where the journey lands: once a platform is secure and modernised, the retainer keeps it that way.
What a retainer covers
Proactive server monitoring: disk space, memory usage, slow queries, error log review. I catch issues before your users do.
Bug investigation and fixes: fast turnaround, with root cause analysis so the same issue doesn't recur.
Dependency and security updates: PHP, framework, and library updates tested and applied before they become vulnerabilities.
Deployment pipeline management: automated, repeatable deployments so releases are fast, safe, and stress-free.
Monthly reporting and named response times: you always know what I did, what I found, and how quickly I respond when something needs attention.
Retainer tiers
Three tiers, one fixed monthly rate each. Transparent, predictable, no hidden costs. Every tier includes proactive monitoring, dependency and security updates, and a monthly report.
Essential: £500/month: one day of dedicated development and maintenance time each month, with next-business-day response. Right for a stable platform that just needs a steady hand on it.
Standard: £1,000/month: two days each month, with same-day response during working hours. Room for ongoing improvements alongside the maintenance, not just firefighting.
Priority: £2,000/month: four days each month, priority response, and a monthly planning call. For platforms where downtime is expensive and the roadmap keeps moving.
Need more in a given month? Additional days are £500 each, agreed with you in advance. Unsure which tier fits? Most clients start on Standard and adjust once we both know the platform.
Every retainer starts with a platform review: a server and code audit to understand your platform, identify any immediate risks, and establish a baseline. If you have already had a Platform Audit, that is the baseline, and the retainer picks up directly from it.
"He consistently anticipates issues before they arise, responds at pace and brings a level of ownership that is rare. For a small business like ours, choosing Glen has been absolutely the right decision: the capability, responsiveness and trust you would expect from a much larger function, combined with a personal approach."
Kirsty Maynard, Commercial Director, THSP
Read the THSP support case study to see what the Maintain relationship looks like in practice.
Not sure where your platform stands?
Every retainer starts from a clear baseline. If you have not had one yet, begin with a Platform Audit: a fixed-price, plain-English picture of exactly what you own and what it needs.
