First step — regain control of access
Until you have collected the access, the project is not yours. Gather everything: code repositories, servers and cloud, domains, databases, store accounts, payment and external services. If something is left only with the former contractor, request handover in writing. This is the foundation: without access, any further work is blocked.
Technical audit: what is actually done
Next you need an honest audit of the code and infrastructure. We look at what works, what is abandoned, how much is really finished (often far less than claimed), where the critical security and performance issues are, and how maintainable the code is. The output is a map of the project state and the volume of technical debt in clear numbers.
Decision: finish, refactor or rewrite
After the audit there are three scenarios. Finish — if the code is of acceptable quality and close to the goal. Refactor — if the base works but debt has accumulated. Rewrite — if the code is unstable, insecure or the architecture is a dead end. A rewrite sounds scary, but sometimes it is cheaper than an endless fight with someone else's workarounds. We tell you honestly which path pays off in your case.
Recovery plan and a clean restart
Then comes a staged plan: stabilize what exists, close critical gaps, then targeted work to release. We work in short iterations with demos so you see progress again. You get access to tasks and repositories, and the code and documentation stay with you — so the vanished-contractor story does not repeat.