Hi, I'm Marcin.
I build, fix and look after PHP websites.
I've spent 15+ years building, running and fixing my own PHP sites. Now I put that experience to work on yours, at a fixed price, with nothing going live until you say so.
Nothing goes public without you
New work stays hidden from visitors until you've checked it and approved it.
No surprise bills
A fixed price agreed in writing before I start. New ideas are quoted separately.
Your code is yours
Once a job is paid in full, the custom code belongs to you. No lock-in.
Plain-English updates
You always know what's done, what's next and what's changed on your site.
What I can do for you
PHP, MySQL and JavaScript work on existing websites and scripts.
Custom add-ons and features
New features and add-ons for existing PHP scripts, kept in their own files where possible so script updates are easier.
Bug fixing and debugging
Finding and fixing errors, broken features and PHP version problems in existing applications.
Script installation and setup
Installing and configuring PHP applications, server settings and databases.
Code review and clean-up
Reviewing existing code for errors, security issues and PHP compatibility, with a written list of findings.
Database work
MySQL / MariaDB tables, queries, migrations and data clean-up for live sites.
Technical advice
Talking through a planned feature or problem by email before you commit to anything.
Simple, fixed and agreed upfront
Every job gets a written, fixed-price quote before any work starts. No hourly meter running.
- Priced against a written spec you agree
- 50% deposit before work starts
- 50% when it works as the spec says and you approve it
- 30 days of fixes after go-live for anything not working to spec, handled together in weekly rounds
- The custom code is yours once paid in full
- Single bug fixes and small changes
- Price agreed by email before I start
- Paid in full upfront, before I start, by bank transfer or card
- Checked with you on completion, then closed. Any later change is a new small job
How you can pay
Bank transfer with Wise
Pay in GBP or USD to local account details. Ideal for project deposits and larger invoices.
Card payment with Stripe
Handy for smaller jobs. I'll email you a secure Stripe payment link for the agreed amount.
Payments are handled by Wise and Stripe. I never see or store your card details. Invoices are issued through FreeAgent.
How a project runs
The same steps for every project, so you always know where things stand.
- Agree the specYou describe what you need. We agree a written spec, and that becomes what I quote against and build to.
- Quote and depositYou get a fixed price and a start date. Work starts once the 50% deposit invoice is paid.
- Build safelyOn a copy of your site where possible. If that isn't practical, new features are built on your live site but stay hidden from visitors until you approve them. New code goes in its own files wherever possible, and every change to an existing file is listed for you.
- Check as it growsYou can look at the work as it comes together and send feedback along the way.
- Sign-off and go-liveWhen it works as the spec says, you approve it and pay the balance. It can go live gradually, for example to you first, then a few users, then everyone.
- 30 days of fixes (projects)Anything that doesn't work as the spec says is fixed at no charge for 30 days after go-live, collected and handled together about once a week. New ideas are quoted separately. Small jobs are checked with you on completion and then closed.
Your projects, all in one place
A client dashboard is on its way, so you can request work, follow it and manage everything without long email threads.
Request a job
Describe what you need, get a fixed quote and approve it in one click.
Track progress
See where each project stands, what's done and what's next.
Support built in
Raise a ticket or ask a question right next to the project it's about.
Quotes and invoices
View your quotes and invoices, and pay them, all in one place.
Add-on store planned
Ready-made add-ons for your site, ready to install.
Until then, email contact@marpal.dev or use the support desk.
About me
I'm Marcin Palicki, a PHP developer based in London. For more than 15 years I've built, customised and run my own PHP websites, from the code to the servers, databases and upgrades behind them. Most of what I know, I learned the practical way: by keeping real sites running for real people. Plenty of sites have come and gone in that time. Mine are still here, still growing, and I feel like I'm only getting started.
marpal.dev is where I now bring that experience to other site owners. I work as a sole trader, quote fixed prices in writing, and keep you informed at every step.
Security comes first. I use modern tools, including AI coding assistants, to work faster and catch problems early, but they work on code, never on your live site or your data. They don't get your logins or access to your server, and your users' personal information is never shared with them. I decide what each tool can see, I check everything it produces, and every change is reviewed and tested by me before your visitors see it.
Everyone has AI now. Not everyone knows how to use it safely. These days anyone can ask AI for a splash page or a simple script, and every few months a new sales pitch dresses it up as rocket science, the work of an Einstein-level genius. Knowing what happens behind it, from the server and the database to the security and the data that must never leak, is a different story. That takes 15 years of real-world experience, combined with keeping right up to date as AI moves forward month by month. That's the difference I bring: making the most of new technology without ever putting your site or your users at risk. Months of hands-on work with AI every day, built on years of carefully documented know-how, put me light years ahead: what could take others months to work out, I can often deliver in just a few hours. I ask only for the access a job truly needs, and I remove it the moment the job is done.
I know it can feel a little scary. Anything new does at first. But sooner or later every site owner faces the same question: trust a careful, proven process, or keep running things like it's still 1970? And if you've ever been told a change "isn't worth the time", it's fair to ask whether the problem is the change, or the way it's being done. The choice is yours. Just remember that sites which stand still don't stay where they are: they slowly fall behind, until one day they're simply gone. I'm here to make sure yours moves forward, and that the first step is a safe one.
I take on a small number of projects at a time, so each one gets the attention it deserves.
Marcin
Got a project in mind?
Email a short description of what you need and the website it's for. I aim to reply within one working day.
contact@marpal.devAlready working with me? Use the support desk to report a problem or ask a question about your project.
Marcin Palicki trading as marpal.dev · London, United Kingdom