Adelaide owned and operated, IT & Digital + Web since 2001→

Website rescue and repair in Adelaide

For businesses with a website that is technically alive but no longer helping: slow, broken, hacked, outdated or left behind by a previous provider.

Last updated

Remote help from $115 an hour. On-site visits from $180 an hour, Adelaide metro travel included. See all our prices

The short answer

When a business website is broken, hacked, locked out or abandoned by its developer, WaTo Consulting in Adelaide recovers access, backs it up and fixes whatever blocks enquiries or sales first. You then get a plain report on what was fixed, what is still fragile and whether to repair, maintain or rebuild.

What does website rescue & repair involve?

The first job is getting in: recovering admin, hosting and domain access, then taking a full backup before touching anything. From there we fix whatever is stopping the site doing its job, such as broken forms, malware, failed plugin updates, an expired SSL certificate or pages that crawl. Once it is stable, you get a short written report on its condition and whether it is worth keeping.

What WaTo can help with

Initial assessment

Work out what is broken, risky, missing or simply no longer fit for purpose.

Stabilise first

Restore the important functions, access and security before adding new work.

Clear options

Explain whether the best path is repair, improvement, migration or rebuild.

Ongoing care

Leave the business with ownership, documentation and a support path.

Our work

Sites we've brought back

Ten at random from the websites we build, fix and host. Click one for the full gallery.

See all 55 websites →

Loop Dental Co: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Loop Dental Co

Loop Dental Co: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

SA Death Festival 2026: daytime-office

Website · Custom

SA Death Festival 2026

SA Death Festival 2026: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

SA Construct: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

SA Construct

A responsive website project delivered and supported by WaTo Consulting.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

LMVL Pilates: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

LMVL Pilates

LMVL Pilates: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Arch Day Surgery: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Arch Day Surgery

Arch Day Surgery: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

SAC Facades: daytime-office

Website · Custom

SAC Facades

SAC Facades: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Fili Hyde Park Adelaide: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Fili Hyde Park Adelaide

Fili Hyde Park Adelaide: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Sandy Litt: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Sandy Litt

Sandy Litt: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Adelaide Balustrade & Fencing: daytime-office

Website · Squarespace

Adelaide Balustrade & Fencing

Adelaide Balustrade & Fencing: maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

Adelaide Appliance Gallery: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Adelaide Appliance Gallery

Adelaide Appliance Gallery: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

Aussie Party Hire: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Aussie Party Hire

Aussie Party Hire: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Botell: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Botell

Botell: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Broadway Building Co.: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Broadway Building Co.

Broadway Building Co.: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

M.B. Butterfield & Co.: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

M.B. Butterfield & Co.

M.B. Butterfield & Co.: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Caroline's Sugar Art: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Caroline's Sugar Art

Caroline's Sugar Art: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

CHAV: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

CHAV

CHAV: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Clockworks Digital: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Clockworks Digital

Clockworks Digital: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

Copy Tec Services: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Copy Tec Services

Copy Tec Services: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

CS Consult: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

CS Consult

CS Consult: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Day Lawyers: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Day Lawyers

Day Lawyers: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

DBR Projects: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

DBR Projects

DBR Projects: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance
Dr Roberto D'Onise: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Dr Roberto D'Onise

Dr Roberto D'Onise: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

Enoteca Lounge & Cucina: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Enoteca Lounge & Cucina

Enoteca Lounge & Cucina: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance
Enzo's: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Enzo's

Enzo's: built by WaTo.

What we didBuilt
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Enzo's Ristorante: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Enzo's Ristorante

Enzo's Ristorante: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Future You: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Future You

Future You: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Futurum: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Futurum

Futurum: hosted by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hosting

Visit the site

GenMed 480: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

GenMed 480

GenMed 480: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Glenelg Psychology: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Glenelg Psychology

Glenelg Psychology: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Gridlock Electrical: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Gridlock Electrical

Gridlock Electrical: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

HAIMS Health: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

HAIMS Health

HAIMS Health: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Honey Bun Studio Adelaide: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Honey Bun Studio Adelaide

Honey Bun Studio Adelaide: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

IM Partners: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

IM Partners

IM Partners: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Kitchensmith: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Kitchensmith

Kitchensmith: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Kwiktech: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Kwiktech

Kwiktech: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Leventis Lawyers: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Leventis Lawyers

Leventis Lawyers: built by WaTo.

What we didBuilt
ServicesWebsite creation

Visit the site

Marion Bay Lodge: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Marion Bay Lodge

Marion Bay Lodge: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Marzola: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Marzola

Marzola: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Marzola Hair Restoration: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Marzola Hair Restoration

Marzola Hair Restoration: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Marzola Hair Skin & Wellness: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Marzola Hair Skin & Wellness

Marzola Hair Skin & Wellness: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Trymoss Engineering: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Trymoss Engineering

Trymoss Engineering: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Nurturing Independence: daytime-office

Website · Custom

Nurturing Independence

Nurturing Independence: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Power of 4: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Power of 4

Power of 4: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

Institute of Private Practising Psychologists: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Institute of Private Practising Psychologists

Institute of Private Practising Psychologists: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Pure Land Home Hospice: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Pure Land Home Hospice

Pure Land Home Hospice: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Remote Consult: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Remote Consult

Remote Consult: hosted by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Remote One: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Remote One

Remote One: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

RetroJam: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

RetroJam

RetroJam: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

SA Montessori: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

SA Montessori

SA Montessori: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

ShapeShell International: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

ShapeShell International

ShapeShell International: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

ShapeShift Technologies: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

ShapeShift Technologies

ShapeShift Technologies: hosted and maintained by WaTo.

What we didHosted + maintained
ServicesWebsite hostingWebsite maintenance

Visit the site

V.I.P. Online Shop: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

V.I.P. Online Shop

V.I.P. Online Shop: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting
Skyworld: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Skyworld

Skyworld: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Stacked Poker: daytime-office

Website · Sitejet

Stacked Poker

Stacked Poker: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Tealicious Cakes: daytime-office

Website · WordPress

Tealicious Cakes

Tealicious Cakes: built and hosted by WaTo.

What we didBuilt + hosted
ServicesWebsite creationWebsite hosting

Visit the site

Who it is for

  • A business whose contact form has quietly stopped delivering enquiries.
  • Owners locked out of their own website because the only admin account belonged to a previous developer.
  • A WordPress site that broke after an automatic update and now shows an error page.
  • A site flagged as unsafe by Google or the browser, or redirecting visitors to spam pages.

How it works

  1. We get access and back it up. Hosting, domain and admin logins are recovered or reset, and a copy of the files and database is saved before any changes.
  2. We find what is broken. We go through error logs, plugins, the theme, the hosting account and security scans to see what has failed and why.
  3. We get it working again. Fixes go in order of business impact, starting with anything that blocks enquiries, sales or bookings or puts visitors at risk.
  4. We tell you where it stands. You get a plain report on what was fixed, what is still fragile and whether repair, ongoing care or a rebuild makes the most sense.

Why WaTo for website rescue & repair

  • We fix the urgent problem first and leave any talk of a redesign until later, if at all.
  • We take on sites built by other people, including half-finished ones.
  • Hosting, domain and email are checked along with the site, because plenty of website faults start there.
  • A real person in Adelaide picks up the phone when your site goes down.

Website rescue and repair questions

What does it cost to fix a broken website?

It depends on what is wrong, and most rescue work is charged by the hour. A form or SSL fault can be a short job, while a hacked site with no clean backup takes longer. We look first and tell you what we found before starting anything bigger.

Is it worth fixing an old website or should we start again?

If the content is good and the platform can still be updated, repair is often the better value. If it runs on unsupported software, cannot be edited without the old developer or keeps getting hacked, a rebuild may cost less over time. We give you a straight view once we have looked inside it.

Will you need our hosting and domain logins?

Yes, or we help you recover them. Most fixes need access to the hosting account and the site admin, and sometimes the domain's DNS settings. If you are not sure where the site is hosted or who holds the domain, we can usually trace it and guide you through getting access back.

My website has stopped working. Who can fix it?

WaTo Consulting fixes broken, hacked and neglected business websites in Adelaide. We get the important functions working again first, then explain what caused it and what it would take to stop it happening again.

Our web developer has disappeared. Can you take over our website?

Yes. We work out where the site, domain and hosting are, recover access, back everything up and document it. Then you decide whether to keep improving the current site or rebuild.

What should I do if my website has been hacked?

Do not just delete things. Get help to clean the site, close the hole that let the attacker in and change the passwords. We restore a clean version where one exists and check the site is safe before it goes back to normal.

Related services

Guides on this topic

Ready to get your website sorted?

Send us your website address and describe what is broken or what you have noticed. We will look at it and tell you whether it needs a repair or a rebuild.

Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 5pm

No two businesses are the same, so nothing we do is off-the-shelf. Every solution is built around yours, and kept simple.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do your plans and pricing work?

Whatever suits you: a fixed contract, a monthly retainer, prepaid blocks of hours, or simple hourly rates. You pick the model that fits your business, and we keep it transparent with no surprise bills.

How quickly do you respond?

Fast. You talk to a real person, not a call queue. For urgent issues we're often on-site within the hour across Adelaide, with remote support Australia-wide.

Do you only do IT support?

No. IT & Digital, cyber security, websites & hosting, business solutions and currency equipment, all from one local team. One number to call.

What does it cost?

Managed IT is typically $80 to $200 per user per month. One-off help is $115 an hour remote or $180 an hour on site. Prices are ex GST. See our rates.

Do you support businesses outside Adelaide?

Yes. We're Adelaide-based with on-site visits across South Australia, remote support Australia-wide, and we fly in to clients in Darwin, Brisbane and elsewhere for planned work.

Will you work with our existing IT person?

Absolutely. We often co-manage, taking on monitoring, security and after-hours cover alongside your in-house team.

Why we're different

Not your typical IT company

We keep it simple, and fix things so they stay fixed, instead of patching them today.

A typical IT company
WaTo Consulting
You wait in a call queue
A real person on the WaTo team answers
One rigid plan, take it or leave it
Contract, retainer, blocks or hourly: your choice
Patch it today, deal with it again later
Fix the root cause, and what it could cause next
Jargon and over-engineering
Kept simple and explained in plain English
IT only, you juggle other vendors
IT, cyber, web, business & currency under one roof
Hosting resold from someone else
Our own Australian hosting, run by us
WaTo character, happy to help

Still not sure what you need?

Tell us what's slowing you down and we'll point you to the right fix. You're a partner, not a client.

Call (08) 7123 0805 Email info@wato.com.au
Why clients choose us

Trusted by Adelaide business since 2001

The WaTo team
Real people in Adelaide, not a call queue
  1. SA Construct · client from day one
    Our whole IT structure is with WaTo Consulting for the simple reason that there's no sales spiel, no waiting in line on the phone, and always an effective, quick result when needed.
  2. Wato

    From day one and still going 🤝

  3. Enzo's at Home · client since 2001
    WaTo has been assisting our company since 2001. Always punctual, trustworthy, honest, and can be relied on to get the job done.
  4. Wato

    Time flies when you're having fun 🙌

  5. Real estate business · client from 2010
    WaTo looked after IT for our property management business from 2010. We grew dramatically in that time and WaTo was instrumental in keeping all our IT in order, with smooth upgrades.
  6. Alyx

    Loved being part of the growth 📈

  7. Hospitality venue
    In a busy, large hospitality venue with constant IT issues, WaTo is an incredible asset. If WaTo's called with an issue, they're often here within the hour.
  8. Lee

    On my way 🚗

  9. Accounting practice
    WaTo has been invaluable in moving us from Outlook to Gmail and teaching us the other Google products. Friendly, approachable and easily understood. We've even brought WaTo in to help one of our own clients migrate.
  10. Lee

    Happy to help your clients too 🤝

  11. CRS · client since 2011
    Our data is the backbone of our company, and we sleep easy at night knowing it's safe and secure. Whenever we have an IT problem, WaTo understands how crippling downtime is and is quick to act.
  12. Alyx

    Backups checked. Sleep easy 😴

  13. Lasers in Medicine
    WaTo's IT expertise streamlined our medical practice, reduced operating costs and simplified our backups. 100% quality customer service to small business.
  14. Wato

    Small business is our thing 💪

  15. Engineering company
    Wato, or "DJ WaTo" as he's known to us, has become like family. He always goes above and beyond, with a few good solutions to our ever-demanding needs.
  16. Wato

    🎧 DJ WaTo, at your service

  17. City cafe, multiple locations
    WaTo set up our point of sale and internet. They always answered my calls and could even troubleshoot problems over the phone. Very professional. Thank you, WaTo!
  18. Lee

    Always happy to pick up 📞

  19. Printing industry · client since 2013
    Our business relies on discipline and attention to detail, which is exactly why we've relied on WaTo since 2013. Their knowledge and personal attention give us peace of mind in every area of our operation.
  20. Alyx

    Detail is our thing too 🔍

  21. Genmed 480
    We feel extremely lucky to have WaTo look after our computers. Easy to talk with, explains things in plain terms instead of jargon, and never pushes us to upgrade to the latest and greatest.
  22. Lee

    No jargon, promise 🙂

  23. Alex, 30 Acres · client since 2021
    If you're anything like us, IT is very daunting! WaTo took away the hassle and stress of setting up our brand new restaurant and installed our point of sale. Timely, efficient and a reasonable price. Highly recommended!
  24. Wato

    30 Acres, still the freshest food ever! 🍽️

  25. AV industry
    WaTo delivers for our standard office admin and as a consultant for integrating audio, visual and lighting products into the IT world. Problems are dealt with swiftly to avoid downtime.
  26. Lee

    Lights, camera, uptime 🎬

  27. Cummins Allison (CPI) · client since 2014
    Their ability to grasp and apply product-specific technical process has allowed us to meet all customer KPIs and offer value-added services.
  28. Alyx

    KPIs met. Keep counting 💵

  29. Allied health practice
    When the medical diary crashes, that's an all-out emergency. It happened three times in one year, and each time WaTo fixed it in under 10 minutes. Personal, reliable and fast.
  30. Alyx

    Diary's back up ✅

  31. Sports industry · client since 2015
    We've used WaTo since 2015. Before that, other providers made things difficult. WaTo is prompt, upfront and very reliable, and has saved us heaps!
  32. Lee

    Glad we could save you heaps 💸

  33. Sole owner-operator
    WaTo moved my site to a new server and set up secure, reliable email and hosting, so I could get on with what I do best. I'd send anyone to WaTo for all their wizardry needs.
  34. Wato

    Wizardry on tap 🪄

  35. Recreation industry
    WaTo did an amazing job setting up the audio and visual in our new business, and fantastic work migrating email accounts and managing our domains. Service is A+.
  36. Lee

    A+ right back at you ⭐

  37. Small home business
    Doesn't matter how small your business is, we all need help with IT and digital. WaTo makes me feel like BIG business.
  38. Alyx

    Small business, big support 🚀

  39. Mike Roberts
    As a non-geek, I appreciate that WaTo's always got my back and never makes me feel I'm imposing when I ring out of hours. Looking for someone local and reliable? WaTo's who you call!
  40. Wato

    Anytime, Mike 👍

Who we work with

Our story

Built in Adelaide, since 2001

WaTo Consulting was founded by John Watson in Adelaide in 2001. Over two decades it's earned a name for tailored work across a wide range of industries, helping businesses of every size run more smoothly, work more efficiently and grow steadily, without blowing the budget or disrupting the day-to-day. Rumour has it the story starts much earlier, with a young Wato on his grandfather's knee in front of a Commodore 64, learning to code in BASIC.

Emma Watson (née Dickenson) was part of the story for a stage along the way. She brought real estate and property management expertise, and a clear view of where the business could go: growing it, bringing in new systems and fresh thinking, and lifting the standard of how things are done. WaTo has been through plenty of shapes and stages since, but one thing she helped sharpen has never changed: being consistent for the client is a must.

Today it's all tailored, never off-the-shelf: IT & Digital, Business & Web Hosting, built around what each client actually needs. Over the years those areas have come together under one roof: our IT & Digital, Currency, Business and Web Hosting work now all sit within WaTo Consulting. One team, one standard, looking after the lot.

When you work with us, you're a partner, not just a client.

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