Services
Website Development PHP Development Android Apps SEO Services Local SEO Google Ads Free Audit
PHP Developer for hire

Custom PHP development — built right, not bodged

Freelance PHP developer with 8+ years building custom web applications, REST APIs, booking systems, admin dashboards and data-driven tools. Available for fixed-price projects or ongoing retainer.

Discuss your project See examples
// clean, documented PHP
class UserService {
  public function find(int $id): ?User
  {
    $stmt = $this->db->prepare(
      'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id=?'
    );
    $stmt->execute([$id]);
    return $stmt->fetch() ?: null;
  }
}
What I build

PHP development services across the stack

Custom Web Applications

Bespoke multi-page applications built around your specific workflow — booking systems, CRMs, portals, dashboards.

REST APIs

Clean, documented JSON APIs for mobile apps, third-party integrations or decoupled front-ends. Authentication, rate limiting and versioning included.

Database Design

MySQL / MariaDB schema design, query optimisation, data migrations and reports. PDO with prepared statements throughout.

Admin Dashboards

Custom admin panels to manage your data — users, orders, leads, content — without needing a developer for every change.

Legacy PHP Rescue

Inheriting someone else's old codebase? I can audit, refactor and modernise legacy PHP 5/7 projects without breaking production.

Third-party Integrations

Payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal), email providers (Mailchimp, Postmark), Google APIs, CRMs and more.

Security Hardening

Prepared statements, CSRF protection, XSS prevention, secure session handling and proper error handling — not an afterthought.

Retainer / Ongoing Support

Available on a monthly retainer for regular development, bug fixes and feature additions. Predictable cost, flexible scope.

Skills & Stack

8+ years of real-world PHP

I've worked across small business sites, SaaS platforms, e-commerce tools and internal business applications. I'm language-practical, not language-dogmatic.

See portfolio
Back-end
PHP 8.x MySQL / MariaDB PDO / prepared statements REST APIs MVC patterns Composer
Front-end
HTML5 / CSS3 JavaScript (vanilla + jQuery) Bootstrap 5 AJAX / fetch Responsive design
Tools
Git / GitHub Apache / Nginx cPanel / WHM Linux CLI XAMPP / local dev VS Code
Integrations
Stripe PayPal Mailchimp / Postmark Google APIs Facebook Pixel Zapier / webhooks
How I work

A process designed for no surprises

01
Requirements

We map out exactly what the application needs to do — user flows, data structures, integrations and edge cases — before a line of code is written.

02
Spec & quote

You get a written spec and fixed-price quote. Change requests outside scope are discussed and priced transparently — no bill shock.

03
Build & test

I build in stages, push to a staging environment and share regular updates. Automated tests for critical paths where appropriate.

04
Deploy & hand over

Deployment to your server with zero-downtime if needed. Full documentation so your team can run it and another developer can maintain it.

Rates

Flexible engagement models

Project
Fixed price
per engagement

Clear scope, clear price. Ideal for defined applications with a start and end date.

  • Full written specification
  • Milestones & staged payments
  • Staging environment included
  • Post-launch bug fix period
  • Documentation & handover
Get in touch
Retainer
From £400/mo
monthly

Regular ongoing development for businesses that need continuous feature work.

  • Agreed hours per month
  • Priority response time
  • Bug fixes included
  • Monthly progress reports
  • Cancel with 30 days notice
Get in touch
Hourly
£55/hr
per engagement

Good for audits, one-off tasks, legacy rescue or supplementing your own team.

  • No minimum commitment
  • Detailed time tracking
  • Can scale up or down
  • Code review & audit available
  • Available for remote or async
Get in touch
FAQ

Common questions

Do you use a framework like Laravel or Symfony?
For most business applications I write structured custom PHP — it's lighter, easier to deploy and has no framework dependency. For larger projects where a framework adds genuine value, I'm comfortable with Laravel.
Can you take over an existing PHP project?
Yes. I regularly audit and extend legacy codebases. I'll start with a code review, identify the risks, and give you an honest assessment before committing to work.
Do you write tests?
For critical business logic, yes — unit and integration tests where they add real value. I won't add tests just to tick a box, but I won't skip them where they'd catch a costly bug.
What about front-end — do you handle that too?
Yes. I handle the full stack: back-end PHP/MySQL, front-end HTML/CSS/JS and deployment. If your project needs a React/Vue front-end I can integrate with your existing front-end team via API.
How do payments work?
Fixed-price projects are typically 50% upfront, 50% on delivery. Retainers are invoiced monthly. I accept bank transfer and most standard payment methods.

Got a PHP project? Let's talk.

Tell me what you're building — I'll come back with honest thoughts and a quote.

Start the conversation
Get in touch

Let's build something real

Tell me about your project — I'll reply within 24 hours with honest thoughts and a rough quote. No obligation.

Location
Hampshire, UK