# Broken Website Repair: Critical Errors, 500s and More

Source: https://dijitulsupport.co.uk/broken-website-repair/
Updated: 2026-10-10

> dijitul support repairs broken websites for UK businesses: WordPress critical errors, white screens, 500 internal server errors, database connection errors and sites stuck in maintenance mode. We read the error logs, find the plugin, theme, PHP or server fault, fix it and check everything else still works. Repairs are £45 an hour + VAT with no plan needed.

## Common symptoms

- "There has been a critical error on this website"
- A blank white screen (the white screen of death)
- "Error establishing a database connection"
- 500 Internal Server Error on every page
- "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute." that never goes away
- Every page except the homepage returns a 404 error
- "Allowed memory size exhausted" errors

## Key facts

- We start with the server error log and the WordPress debug log, not guesswork
- Most breakages follow a plugin, theme, PHP or hosting change
- We take a backup of the broken state before making changes
- Fixes include deactivating faulty plugins, raising PHP memory, repairing .htaccess and repairing database tables
- If the site was hacked, we clean it and close the hole rather than just restoring
- £45 an hour + VAT, 30-minute minimum then 15-minute blocks

## Common errors and what causes them

| What you see | Usual cause |

| There has been a critical error on this website | A PHP fatal error in a plugin or theme, often after an update or PHP change |
| White screen | A fatal error with error display switched off, or PHP memory exhausted |
| Error establishing a database connection | Wrong credentials in *wp-config.php*, database server down, or corrupted tables |
| 500 Internal Server Error | A bad *.htaccess* rule, wrong file permissions or a PHP fatal error |
| Stuck in maintenance mode | An update was interrupted and left a *.maintenance* file behind |
| 404 on every page except home | Rewrite rules lost; permalinks or *.htaccess* need regenerating |
| Layout broken, no styling | CSS files not loading: caching, mixed content or a wrong site URL |

## How dijitul support repairs a broken site

- **Back up the current state**, even broken, so nothing is made worse.
- **Read the logs.** The server error log, PHP log and *wp-content/debug.log* usually name the exact file and line. WordPress also emails a recovery mode link to the admin address, which often points to the culprit.
- **Isolate the cause.** If a plugin is at fault, we disable it by renaming its folder; if it is the theme, we switch to a default theme temporarily.
- **Fix properly.** Update, patch or replace the faulty component, correct PHP settings, regenerate *.htaccess*, or repair database tables.
- **Check everything.** Pages, forms, logins and checkout, then clear caches.
- **Explain.** You get a plain-English note of what broke and how to avoid it.

## Why sites break

Websites rarely break by themselves. Something changed. The most common triggers we see:

- An automatic plugin or core update that clashed with another plugin
- The host upgrading PHP, exposing old code that does not work on PHP 8 (see PHP version upgrade)
- Hosting resource limits or a full disk
- An expired licence for a premium plugin or theme, sometimes switching off features
- Edits made directly in the theme editor with a typo
- A hack, where malicious code has been injected into files or the database

If you see redirects to spam sites, strange new admin users or warnings from Google, treat it as a hack and see hacked website repair.

## Before you call: safe things to try

- Note exactly what you see, and when it started. A screenshot helps.
- Think about what changed: updates, a new plugin, a hosting email about PHP.
- Check the email inbox for the site's admin address for a WordPress recovery mode email.
- Check your host's status page for outages.

Please do not reinstall WordPress, delete plugins wholesale or restore an old backup over the top before talking to us. That can destroy evidence of the cause, and on shops it can lose recent orders.

## Not just WordPress

Most broken sites we see run WordPress or WooCommerce, but we repair Joomla, Drupal, Magento, PrestaShop, OpenCart and custom PHP sites too. The method is the same: logs first, isolate, fix, test. On Joomla that might mean a broken extension after a Joomla 4 or 5 upgrade; on Magento, a failed reindex or a full *var/cache*; on Shopify, where hosting is managed for you, a theme or app change that broke the storefront or cart. Custom PHP sites often break on PHP upgrades or when a hard-coded database password changes at the host. Whatever the platform, we keep you updated while we work and tell you if the fix turns out bigger than expected. If your site is down and losing money right now, see emergency website support.

## Cost

Broken website repair is **£45 an hour + VAT**, 30-minute minimum then 15-minute blocks, with no plan required. Many repairs take under an hour. To avoid repeat breakages, our support plans from £25 a month + VAT include updates applied and checked, daily backups and uptime monitoring. Call 01623 650333 or get in touch.

## FAQs

### What does "There has been a critical error on this website" mean?

It is WordPress's message for a PHP fatal error, usually caused by a plugin, theme or PHP version change. WordPress emails a recovery mode link to the admin address that often names the culprit. dijitul support reads the logs, finds the fault and fixes it at £45 an hour + VAT.

### How do I fix the WordPress white screen of death?

A white screen usually means a fatal PHP error with error display off, or PHP running out of memory. Turning on WP_DEBUG logging reveals the cause. Common fixes are disabling the faulty plugin by renaming its folder or raising the PHP memory limit.

### Why does my site say error establishing a database connection?

WordPress cannot reach its database. The database details in wp-config.php may be wrong, the database server may be down or overloaded, or tables may be corrupted. dijitul support checks each in turn, and repairs tables where needed.

### My site is stuck in maintenance mode. How do I fix it?

An update was interrupted and left a file called .maintenance in the site's root folder. Deleting that file through your host's file manager or FTP usually brings the site back. Then check which update failed and complete it properly, as a half-finished update can leave files mismatched.

### How much does it cost to fix a broken website?

dijitul support charges £45 an hour + VAT, with a 30-minute minimum then 15-minute blocks, and no plan required. Many repairs take under an hour. If it looks like a bigger job, such as a full hack clean-up, we tell you before carrying on.

### Can you fix a site that is not WordPress?

Yes. dijitul support also repairs Joomla, Drupal, Magento, PrestaShop, OpenCart and custom PHP websites. We start with the server error logs, which work the same way whatever the platform, at the same £45 an hour + VAT.

## Pricing and contact

Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Plans: Essential £25/month + VAT (Website software updates (core, plugins, themes) applied and checked, Daily backups, Uptime monitoring, Security monitoring); Business £50/month + VAT (Everything in Essential, 1 hour of fixes or changes every month, Priority support); Complete £99/month + VAT (Everything in Business, 3 hours of fixes or changes every month, IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk for your team). Ad-hoc support is £45 an hour + VAT. The first 30 minutes are the minimum charge, then we bill in 15-minute blocks. Contact: 01623 650333, support@dijitul.uk, https://dijitulsupport.co.uk/contact/