The verdict in three sentences
When a vendor disappears, the absolute priority is to secure access (hosting, DNS, Git repositories, payment accounts) within 48 hours, before any technical discussion. A code audit of 5 to 10 days, priced 3,000 to 8,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026 with a nearshore team (Dublin agencies often charge 9,000 EUR or more), then quantifies technical debt in person-days and settles takeover versus rewrite. In 7 cases out of 10, a progressive takeover is cheaper than a full rewrite, provided the core business logic can be tested.
The first 48 hours: secure before you audit
| Action | Why | Timeline | Indicative cost excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recover hosting and registrar access | Avoid an outage or losing the domain | 24 h | 300 to 800 EUR |
| Clone every Git repository | Code can be deleted at any time | 4 h | Included |
| Rotate passwords and API keys | The vendor still has live access | 24 h | 400 to 1,000 EUR |
| Back up production databases | No guarantee backups exist | 12 h | 200 to 600 EUR |
| Inventory third-party services (email, SMS, payments) | Billed in the vendor's name | 48 h | 300 to 700 EUR |
| Set up monitoring | Detect outages before customers do | 48 h | 150 to 400 EUR |
This emergency kit costs 1,500 to 3,500 EUR excl. VAT. If the hosting account is in the vendor's name, a formal letter restating ownership of code and data often speeds up the handover.
What an audit of 80,000 lines delivers
A serious audit goes beyond an automated scanner. It combines code reading, database review, infrastructure and critical user journeys.
| Application size | Audit duration | 2026 cost excl. VAT | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 20,000 lines | 3 to 5 days | 3,000 to 4,000 EUR | Report, risk list |
| 20,000 to 50,000 lines | 5 to 7 days | 4,000 to 6,000 EUR | Report, costed debt, takeover plan |
| 50,000 to 100,000 lines | 7 to 10 days | 5,500 to 8,000 EUR | Report, costed debt, takeover and rewrite scenarios |
| Over 100,000 lines | 10 to 15 days | 8,000 to 12,000 EUR | Same + module map |
| Additional security audit | 2 to 4 days | 2,000 to 4,500 EUR | Targeted penetration tests |
Technical debt is expressed in person-days: for example 45 days to upgrade an obsolete framework, 20 days to write tests for the billing module, 10 days to document deployment.
Takeover, partial rebuild or full rewrite
| Scenario | When to choose it | Budget excl. VAT for 80,000 lines | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takeover under maintenance contract | Readable code, debt under 60 days | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR per month | Immediate |
| Takeover + upgrade | Obsolete framework, few tests | 25,000 to 45,000 EUR | 2 to 4 months |
| Partial rebuild (critical modules) | 2 or 3 unrecoverable modules | 40,000 to 70,000 EUR | 3 to 5 months |
| Full rewrite | Debt over 250 days, severe flaws | 90,000 to 160,000 EUR | 6 to 9 months |
A full rewrite usually freezes new features for 6 months. For an application that generates revenue, a module-by-module rebuild limits commercial risk.
Mini case study
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Nadia, managing director of a logistics SME, runs a delivery tracking SaaS used by 60 customers. Her vendor has not answered for 5 weeks. She orders the emergency kit (2,200 EUR), then an 8-day audit (6,400 EUR). Result: 110 person-days of debt, 70 of them in a single module. Chosen scenario: takeover with a rebuild of the scheduling module, for 48,000 EUR. A full rewrite had been quoted at 130,000 EUR. Savings: 130,000 - (48,000 + 8,600) = 73,400 EUR, with no service interruption for her customers.
FAQ
Do I own the code if the contract is silent?
In Ireland and most of the EU, without a written assignment clause the vendor generally keeps copyright. A lawyer can formalise the assignment for 800 to 2,000 EUR, which should happen before investing in the takeover.
Can you audit without Git access?
Yes, from the code deployed on the server, but the change history is lost. Add 1 to 2 audit days.
What does maintenance cost after the takeover?
For an 80,000-line application, application maintenance costs 1,500 to 4,000 EUR per month depending on the number of enhancement days included.
What if the application has security flaws?
Critical flaws are fixed first, within 1 to 5 days. If personal data was exposed, GDPR requires notifying the Data Protection Commission within 72 hours.
How do I prevent this from happening again?
Require permanent Git access, deployment documentation and IP assignment on payment in the contract. These three clauses cost nothing and protect an asset worth tens of thousands of euros.
Let's scope your project. Send us whatever access you still have and a description of your application: we secure it within 48 h, then price a 5 to 10-day audit. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
