Know what you're buying before you sign
Whether you're buying a business, investing in one or choosing a software supplier, the technology can hide expensive surprises. I give you an independent, plain-English assessment of the code, architecture, security, hosting and people risks, so you can decide with your eyes open.
Sound familiar?
- You're buying or investing in a business that depends on its software
- You're choosing between software packages or development agencies
- A supplier's proposal or quote doesn't feel right, but you can't say why
- You need to know if a system can scale, or how much it will cost to keep running
What you get
- Review of code quality, architecture and technical debt
- Security, data protection and hosting assessment
- Ownership check: code, IP, accounts, licences and key-person dependencies
- Supplier and contract review: what you're really getting
- A clear written report with risks rated and costs to fix, plus a walkthrough call
Ways to work together
Every engagement starts with a small, paid, fixed-price first step. That's where requirements are gathered and the scope and cost estimate for the rest of the work are written, so you know what you're committing to.
Supplier or platform review
from £1,500
An independent view on a proposal, package or agency before you commit.
Acquisition or investment review
from £2,500
A full technical due diligence report on a business's software and technology.
Follow-up support
Day rate
Help negotiating fixes, planning integration or overseeing remediation.
Common questions
What does technical due diligence cover?
The code, architecture and technical debt; security, data protection and hosting; who owns the code, IP, accounts and licences; how much depends on key people; and what the technology will cost to keep running and to scale. The written report rates each risk with a cost to fix, and ends with a walkthrough call.
How much does technical due diligence cost?
A supplier or platform review starts from £1,500 and a full acquisition or investment review from £2,500. The price depends on the size of the system and how much there is to review, and is agreed before work starts. Follow-up help, such as negotiating fixes or overseeing remediation, is charged at a day rate.
What's the difference between a supplier review and an acquisition review?
A supplier or platform review looks at what you're being offered before you commit: an agency's proposal, a software package or a quote. An acquisition or investment review looks at a whole business's software and technology, including ownership, key people and the cost of keeping it running.
What access do you need?
Read access to the source code and any documentation, a view of the hosting and deployment setup, and time with the people who built and run the system. If access is restricted, the report says what couldn't be checked and what that means for the risk.
Can you work under our NDA?
Yes. Due diligence work is confidential, and I'll sign your NDA before seeing anything. You keep the report whether or not you go ahead with the deal or ask me for follow-up help.
Have a project in mind?
Tell me what you're trying to achieve, and I'll reply as soon as I can to say whether it's a fit and what the fixed-price first step costs.