Chevening
Replaced a scholarship application system handling thousands of applications a year, with design partner Webb & Webb.
Read the case study: Chevening →
Drupal migration and upgrades
Upgrade, or move off Drupal. Whichever fits, we've done both. We've built on Drupal since 2009. That means we can tell you honestly whether your site needs an upgrade, a rebuild on a current version, or a different platform entirely, and then deliver whichever it is.
Where you're starting from
- Drupal 7
- Drupal 8/9
- Drupal 10
- Other CMS
Where you go next is decided in the Blueprint. Sometimes the answer is to upgrade.
Which situation are you in?
Unsupported
Still on Drupal 7
Community support ended in January 2025. Security fixes now depend on paid extended support, and contributed modules are going unmaintained. This is a migration rather than an upgrade: the content model and custom code have to be rebuilt.
We rebuild on a current Drupal, or move you elsewhere.
Support ending
On Drupal 10
Support ends in December 2026. Moving to Drupal 11 is an upgrade rather than a rebuild, provided the custom code and contributed modules have been kept current. We audit the codebase and tell you which you have.
We audit, then upgrade in place where we can.
Re-platforming
Moving off Drupal
Sometimes Drupal isn't the right fit any more. We move sites to enterprise WordPress or a headless CMS when the evidence supports it, and we say so when it doesn't.
Drupal to WordPress, Drupal to headless.
On Drupal 10?
Support ends when Drupal 12 ships in December. A Focused Blueprint tells you whether to upgrade, rebuild or move, and what each option costs. £5,500 + VAT.
What usually goes wrong, and how we stop it
A migration rarely fails on the new build. It fails on the things that were never written down: a field nobody mapped, a URL nobody redirected, an integration nobody knew about until the morning after cutover.
1
Data mapping
Every content type, field and taxonomy mapped from old to new and signed off by its owner before build starts.
2
URLs and SEO
Each old URL redirected to its nearest new page, tested before launch and monitored in Search Console after.
3
Content freeze
Repeated test migrations of real data, so the final run is a rehearsal and the freeze stays short.
4
Integrations
Every connection inventoried in discovery and decided on: keep, rebuild or retire. Nothing found on launch day.
5
Accessibility
Rebuilt to WCAG 2.2 AA, including the content that migrates across, not only the new templates.
6
Support after launch
Parallel running, a rollback plan, then ongoing care through WebsiteSupport.io if you want it.
How a Drupal migration runs
Typically six to nine months
- DiscoveryWorkshops, codebase audit, module inventory, decision log.
- ArchitectureContent model, field mapping, redirect plan, integrations.
- Build and migrateStaged releases and repeated test migrations of real data.
- CutoverFreeze, final migration, redirects, parallel running, rollback.
- HandoverTraining, documentation, support through WebsiteSupport.io.
Drupal migrations we've run
University of London Housing
Replaced the accommodation service's platform so students and landlords could find each other, and the team could run it themselves.
Read the case study: University of London Housing →Questions
If yours isn't here, it's usually quicker to ask on the phone.
Should we upgrade Drupal or move to something else?
It depends on your content model, your integrations and who will run the site. Discovery answers it with evidence: we audit what you have and recommend the platform that fits, including staying on Drupal.
Will we lose our search rankings?
Not if the redirects are planned. Every old URL is mapped to its new page during architecture, tested before cutover and monitored in Search Console afterwards.
How long will our content be frozen?
Usually days rather than weeks. We run repeated test migrations of your real data, so the final run is rehearsed and the freeze only covers that run and its checks.
Can our integrations stay as they are?
Most can. We inventory every connection during discovery and agree which to keep, rebuild or retire before any build work starts.
How long does a Drupal migration take?
Most of our migrations run six to nine months including discovery. Smaller, simpler sites are quicker, and we will tell you which yours is on the first call.
Who supports the site after launch?
WebsiteSupport.io, our support company, if you want it. Or your own team, with the documentation and training we hand over.
After launch
Drupal support and maintenance →Already live? WebsiteSupport.io looks after it
Once a Drupal site is live, our sister company WebsiteSupport.io keeps it patched, monitored, hosted and improving.
Start with a Blueprint!
Three weeks, from £5,500 + VAT. Credited against the build, and yours to take to any supplier.