Some Brands I've Worked With
What I Do
I work on WordPress sites that already exist. Every engagement is fixed in scope and quoted up front — no open-ended builds, no retainers you cannot see the bottom of.
WordPress1 Troubleshooting & Repairs
Something broke. I find out why and fix it.
White screens, plugin conflicts, broken updates, checkout failures, mail that stopped sending. I diagnose the actual cause and repair it, then tell you in plain language what happened.
WordPress Server Migrations
Moving hosts without losing anything.
Full site moves between hosts, PHP and database upgrades, staging-to-production cutovers, DNS and SSL. Planned around your traffic so the switch is quiet.
WordPress Custom Blocks
Editor blocks built for how your team actually works.
Custom blocks and patterns so your content editors can build pages without touching code or wrestling a page builder. Priced per block.
WordPress Care Plans
Monthly maintenance on a predictable schedule.
Core, theme, and plugin updates, backups, uptime monitoring, and a set block of support time each month. Scheduled work, not emergency cover.
WordPress Performance & Security Audits
A fixed-scope review with a written report.
Core Web Vitals, query and asset bloat, caching, hardening, user and file permissions, known vulnerabilities. You get a prioritized report you can act on — with or without me.
WordPress Technical SEO Audit
One fixed-scope technical pass.
Crawlability, indexation, structured data, redirects, canonicals, and site health. A one-time audit with findings and fixes listed in priority order. Not an ongoing SEO program.
Portfolio
A few of the WordPress sites I have worked on over the years. My focus now is keeping existing sites healthy, and projects like these are why their problems rarely surprise me.
How It Works
Four steps, no discovery phase. I reply within 48 hours, and small, clear requests are usually quoted in that first reply.
1. Request
You send what is wrong or what you need, with access details when you have them. I reply within 48 hours.
2. Diagnostic or Quote
Small, clear problems get a fixed quote straight away. Anything murky starts with a paid diagnostic, so nobody guesses at scope.
3. Fix
I do the work on staging where a staging site exists, and push to production at a time that suits your traffic.
4. Summary Report
You get a written summary of what was wrong, what I changed, and anything I noticed that you should watch.
Experience
Building the Web Since 1997. Specialist WordPress support, without the agency overhead.
A WordPress specialist for sites that are already built
I work directly with small businesses, startups, and nonprofits that have a WordPress site that already works — and need someone reliable when it breaks, needs to move, or needs a feature the page builder cannot give them.
I have been doing this since 1997, which mostly means I have seen the failure modes before. You get a direct line to the person doing the work, a fixed scope, and a written record of what changed.
Have Questions? Visit my FAQ section.
Have something that needs fixing? Send me the details.
Request helpHTML/CSS/JavaScript
29 years
Server Administration
29 years
Server Migrations
29 years
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)
26 years
Technical SEO & On-Page Optimization
22 years
WordPress Development
19 years
WooCommerce
15 years
About Me
I'm a WordPress developer based in Norwalk, CT.
I'm Vernon Howard. I started building for the web in 1997 and have been at it ever since.
WordPress development is my full-time job, so I'm working in the platform every day. It also means my freelance time is limited, which is why I've scaled back what I offer here. I no longer have time for full site builds, ecommerce, design, or agency projects.
What I do take on is focused: WordPress sites that are already up and running. I fix what breaks, move sites to new hosts, check them for speed and security, and build custom blocks that make editing easier, all in the evenings and on weekends.
You'll always get a clear price up front and a plain-English summary when the work is done.
- Name:
Vernon S. Howard
- Phone/Text:
- Email:
- Experience:
Since 1997
- Service area:
Remotely Nationwide (United States)
My Rates
Fixed prices for the work I do most often, so you know the cost before I start. Each has an hour minimum, and anything outside them is billed hourly at $100/hour in 15-minute increments. I am based in the U.S. and work remotely.
WordPress Diagnostic
- Description
- A scoped investigation of one specific problem, with a written finding and a quote to fix it. If it needs longer than an hour, I quote the extra before I carry on.
- 1 Hour
- Minimum $100Paid up front — credited toward the fix
WordPress Server Migration
- Description
- A full move to a new host — database, media, DNS, and SSL — scheduled around your traffic. The minimum covers a straightforward site; larger or more tangled ones are quoted once I have looked.
- 2 Hours
- Minimum $200Paid in full before the cutover
WordPress Custom Block
- Description
- One custom editor block, built to your spec and documented for your content team. Discounts on multiples.
- 5 Hours
- Minimum $500Per block — $250 deposit to start
WordPress Care Plan
- Description
- Monthly updates, backups, monitoring, and a set block of support hours.
- Monthly
- Minimum $150Per month — recurring subscription
“True value lies not in the hourly rate, but in the quality, efficiency, and results delivered.”
A lower hourly rate does not always mean a lower cost. Having worked on WordPress since it existed, I usually find the cause faster than a general contractor will — which is where the saving actually comes from.
Genuine client reviews
Feedback from clients and colleagues I have worked with over the years.
I have been ultra satisfied with Vernon Howard's services. He gets the job done, is communicative and respnsive.
Vernon is a competent technical programmer and a highly experienced businessman to boot - a rare but extremely valuable mix in my experience
Vernon effortlessly blends marketing expertise with solid web design, a rare and interesting combination, and can be considered ahead of the curve on where the future of web technology is going. He's also passionate and driven.
I have worked with Vernon for more than 10 years on a variety of projects. He has always been very efficient and fantastic to work with. I would highly recommend Vernon for your Wordpress/website development needs.
Vernon is a dedicated and hardworking professional. He will endeavor to meet the demands of any project and is willing to learn, which he does very quickly. I would work with this person on any project.
I had a VERY informative conversation with Vernon regarding the initial stages of setting up an e-commerce biz... Many considerations and possibilities that had not even occurred to me! Highly recommend!
Vernon is a valuable partner for custom WordPress development projects. He never needs to be babysat, and he always ensures he understands the project comprehensively so that the work is done right the first time.
Vernon Howard was great! I hired him to fix some issues on my own website and he did an awesome job. Programming is an art and it is the last stop before you go live. Working with a programmer that cares about his work is important as it will only lead to success. I highly recommend Vernon and will continue working with him. Thank you Vernon, it was a pleasure working with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve compiled a list of common questions I receive from clients. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Most of what I do is fixed-price. A diagnostic, a server migration, a custom block, and a care plan each carry a set fee, quoted before I start work. Anything that does not fit one of those is billed hourly. Pricing never includes domain registration, hosting, or plugin and API subscriptions — those stay in your name and on your card, which is how it should be.
I work a full-time job, so freelance work happens evenings and weekends, Eastern Time. I reply to new requests within 48 hours. Scheduled work is booked in advance, so the further ahead you can tell me about something, the more likely it is I can fit it in.
No. I do not offer emergency response, same-day turnaround, or an on-call arrangement, and I would rather say so plainly than let you find out during an outage. If a day of downtime would be a serious problem for your business, you need a host or agency with a staffed support desk, and I am glad to point you toward one.
Yes. I work in WordPress, so you keep the standard block editor and full access to your own site. When I build custom blocks, making them obvious for whoever writes your content is part of the job, and I document them before I hand them over.
Migrate, yes. Rebuild, no. I move existing WordPress sites to a new host — database, media, DNS, and SSL — scheduled around your traffic so the switch is as quiet as possible.
I do not rebuild sites, redesign them, or move them onto WordPress from another platform. That is project work on a project timeline, and it is exactly what I no longer have the time to do properly. If that is what you need, say so and I will point you toward someone who can take it on.
Core, theme, and plugin updates on a set schedule; off-site backups with restores actually tested; uptime monitoring; and a fixed block of support time each month for small changes. Anything beyond that block is quoted separately. Care plans cover planned maintenance, not emergency cover.
Email is the main channel and the one I answer fastest — within 48 hours. Short confirmations can go by text. Video calls are possible but limited to evenings by arrangement, and most of this work does not need one: you get a written summary instead, which is more useful later than a meeting nobody took notes at.
Yes. Every engagement ends with a written summary of what was wrong, what I changed, and anything you should keep an eye on. Custom block work includes short documentation or a recorded walkthrough for your content team. Ongoing help is handled through a care plan rather than ad-hoc requests.
For most clients, I recommend WP Engine or GreenGeeks, depending on your specific needs.
- WP Engine is a top-tier managed WordPress host — fast, secure, and ideal for business-critical sites that need performance and support.
- GreenGeeks is a solid, eco-friendly option that offers great value and reliability for smaller sites or budget-conscious projects.
I’m happy to help you choose the best fit based on your platform, traffic, and goals.
The WP Engine and GreenGeeks links are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it does not change what I recommend.
No. I handle every request myself, from the first reply to the summary report. I do not subcontract, offshore, or bring in outside partners.
No. I work directly with the business that owns the site: small businesses, startups, and nonprofits. I do not take on agency subcontracting or white-label work.
Need help with an existing WordPress site?
Tell me what is happening and I will come back within 48 hours with next steps or a quote. Evenings and weekends, Eastern Time — I do not take emergency or same-day work.
