VeryCreatives

SaaS Project Rescue

Your Build Stalled. We'll Tell You Exactly Why.

You hired someone to build your SaaS. They went quiet, missed every deadline, or delivered something that doesn't work. Before you spend more money, you need one thing: an honest answer about what's actually there and what it will really take to finish.

Our services are available worldwide,
including Germany
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Profiles
Reachbird
Jamdoughnut
Red Bull
European Research Council
Nestle
Philips
Mavie Me
OTP Bank
Atlantis
LiechtensteinLife
Reachbird
Jamdoughnut
Red Bull
European Research Council
Nestle
Philips
Mavie Me
OTP Bank
Atlantis
LiechtensteinLife

45%

of large IT projects run over budget on average (McKinsey & Oxford, 2012)

Free

initial 30-minute consultation, no commitment, no pitch

3

clear options after the audit: rescue, refactor, or rebuild

You're not the first founder this has happened to

There is no single way a SaaS build goes wrong. But the situations that bring founders to us follow a handful of familiar patterns. If any of these sound like where you are right now, you are not alone, and the situation is not as irreversible as it feels.

Key takeaways

  • Most failed SaaS projects are not total write-offs. The ratio of salvageable to unsalvageable code is better than founders expect, but only a proper audit tells you which one you have.
  • The most important decision is not 'which agency do I hire next'. It's 'do I know what I'm working with before I spend more money?' An audit answers that before any commitment.
  • You almost certainly own the code already. Most contracts assign IP to the client. The problem is usually access, not ownership.
  • We only take on rescues we are confident we can finish. If we can't, we will tell you that in the assessment, before you pay us anything.
You're not the first founder this has happened to
  • The agency went quiet Messages go unanswered. Deadlines pass without explanation. When you do get a response, it's vague. The code repository hasn't been updated in weeks. You're paying a retainer for nothing visible.
  • Something was delivered, but it doesn't work The agency handed over a product. It technically runs. But it doesn't match what was agreed, crashes under normal use, or requires so many workarounds that you can't show it to users or investors.
  • The budget is gone and the product isn't done The original estimate was $X. You've spent $X plus more. The timeline has slipped multiple times. The scope keeps changing with every conversation. You're not sure what you've paid for or what's left to build.
  • The developer left mid-project Your freelancer took another opportunity, or simply stopped responding, with a half-built product and no documentation. You have access to a repository but no idea what's done, what's broken, and what's missing.

What happens when you contact us

We don't ask you to commit to anything before we understand your situation. Every rescue engagement starts the same way, and you make the next decision with full information, not a sales pitch.

  • 1 Free 30-minute call You tell us what happened. We ask direct questions about the codebase, what was delivered, what's missing, and what you need to ship. No pitch, no deck. By the end of the call we'll tell you whether a proper audit makes sense and what it would involve.
  • 2 Code audit (2-5 working days) We review the existing codebase: architecture, data model, security posture, test coverage, and what's actually been built versus what was scoped. We do this before quoting anything, because any quote without an audit is a guess.
  • 3 Plain-English assessment You receive a written assessment in plain English. Not a technical document. A founder-facing summary covering: what's there, what's broken, what's missing, and which of the three paths forward we recommend, and why. You can take this document to any other agency and use it to get independent quotes.
  • 4 You decide what happens next Based on the assessment, we give you three options with honest cost and timeline for each. You decide which path to take. If you choose to work with us, we start with a fixed-scope agreement. If you take the assessment elsewhere, that's fine too. The goal is that you make your next decision with accurate information.

Three paths forward

We tell you which one you actually need.

Most agencies will take on any project and figure it out later. We don't. The audit exists to tell you, before you commit, which of these three paths is right for your specific situation.

Rescue

When the foundation is sound

Pick up and finish

The codebase has a workable foundation. Core functionality exists, the architecture is defensible, and the remaining work is a defined scope. We take over, fill the gaps, and ship. This is the fastest and cheapest path when the foundation is solid.

Refactor

When the logic works but the structure doesn't

Stabilise and complete

The core business logic is there but the architecture has problems that will cost more to ignore than to fix. We stabilise the existing code, restructure the parts that need it, and complete the build on a foundation that will hold long-term.

Rebuild

When starting clean
is faster

Start fresh, finish right

The codebase is not salvageable. Rebuilding with a proper process is faster and cheaper than patching a broken structure. You keep everything you learned about the product. You lose the broken code, which is not a loss.

What you need to know about your code rights

Most non-technical founders don't know what they're entitled to when a build goes wrong. This is not legal advice, but these are the practical things we help every rescue client sort out before we start work.

In most contracts, the code belongs to you even if the agency or freelancer wrote it. Look for an IP assignment or work-for-hire clause. If the contract doesn't have one, you may still have a claim, but get legal advice specific to your jurisdiction.

Before requesting a handover, identify everything that needs to be transferred: the source code repository, third-party API keys or service credentials set up in your name, database access, and hosting or infrastructure accounts.

If the agency is unresponsive, send a formal written request by email. This creates a paper trail if escalation becomes necessary. Keep every message you've sent and received.

If the codebase is hosted on the agency's infrastructure and they refuse to transfer it, you have options, including legal recourse and, in some cases, reverse engineering your own product data. We can help you understand what's realistic before you escalate.

Is this the right service for your situation?

We work with non-technical SaaS founders who have a build that went wrong and need an honest answer before spending more money. We are not the right fit for every rescue situation.

Good fit

  • You have an unfinished SaaS product and want to know honestly where it stands

  • Your previous developer or agency stopped communicating or left mid-project

  • You received a product that doesn't match what was agreed or doesn't work reliably

  • You've spent your budget and want to know if what you have is worth continuing

  • You need someone to explain the technical situation in plain English, no jargon

  • You want an independent second opinion before committing more money

Not the right fit

  • You need a rescue of an enterprise legacy system. We build SaaS products, not enterprise IT

  • You want someone to take over without a proper audit first

  • Your codebase is built on a proprietary platform or no-code tool we can't access or review

  • You need the project completed in under 2 weeks. Rescue takes time done properly

  • You're unwilling to transfer code access before work begins

Frequently asked questions

Related reading for founders in this situation

These posts cover the warning signs, the vetting process, and the decisions every founder faces when a build goes wrong.

MVP development red flags How to vet a development partner Technical co-founder vs. product partner Our MVP development service

Why VeryCreatives?

Get an honest answer about your build

Book a free 30-minute call.

We'll tell you whether we can help, what the code is likely worth, and what it would realistically take to finish. No commitment. No pitch deck. Just a straight conversation.

Book a free 30-minute discovery call
See our MVP development service

We only take on rescues we're confident we can finish.

Contact Us

We work with about 12 founders per year. If you're a non-technical founder with a SaaS idea and a defined budget, the next step is a 30-minute free discovery call. We'll talk through your idea, your stage, and whether we're the right partner for what you're trying to build. If we're not, we'll tell you who is.

Start a Conversation with Máté and Ferenc

Our usual reply time is 48 hours.

What is going to happen?

Our Account Manager colleagues will contact you to schedule an online consultation with our founders, Máté and Ferenc. In this (free of charge) consultation, they will discuss your idea and provide expert feedback on product development.

Your data is safe

Don't worry, we won't use the information you provide here for anything we wouldn't want you to do.

What time zone are you in?

We are based in Budapest, Hungary and our time zone is GMT+2. This gives us the flexibility to serve both EU and middle-eastern clients.

Or would you instead write an email?

Feel free to write to hello@verycreatives.com! We usually reply by the next working day at the latest.

Reachbird

"VeryCreatives is not only a reliable partner for IT-development, but also understands our whole business model completely. Therefore, the VC-team helped us actively to define the right product strategy. Thank you, VeryCreatives!"

Philipp Martin

Philipp Martin

CEO & Co-Founder, Reachbird