When AI-built code has to become a real system.
Fractional CTO and technical rescue. 25+ years of senior engineering: I decide what gets built - the datastore, the service boundaries, the shape of the thing - and I write the checks that prove it works before it ships.
Why this is happening now
AI tools make it cheap to ship code fast. They don't make it cheap to ship code that holds - the result is systems that work in the demo and buckle under real usage, and technical debt compounding faster than anyone budgeted for. The same shift that caused the problem also makes the fix viable at your size: a senior engineer sitting in your office runs β¬6,000-9,000/month. Senior oversight through Fracsen starts at β¬1,500/month - not discounted, just no longer locked behind a full-time hire.
Stop me getting in a mess, or get me out of one - four ways in.
Technical rescue & remediation
Your system works in the demo and breaks in production. I get into the code and the data underneath it - schema, queues, what runs where - decide what needs to change, and make it safe to build on again - without a six-month rewrite.
Learn more βTechnical due diligence
Before you acquire or invest: architecture, key-person risk, IP and licence exposure, and what remediation will actually cost. A clear deal / no-deal view.
Learn more βFractional CTO
Ongoing senior technical leadership without a full-time hire. Your team keeps building and deciding - I review the architecture and scope at the points that matter, and give you a clear recommendation.
Learn more βPre-flight review
Before the AI writes a line, I decide what gets built - the datastore, the boundaries, what we're not building. Then I write the checks that prove it ships correctly. The thing that stops the breakage recurring.
Learn more βDecided, not vibecoded
Vibecoding is prompting an AI and shipping whatever comes back. What happens here is different: the AI writes the code, but Postgres or DynamoDB, a queue or a straight function call, where the tenant boundary sits, what we deliberately don't build - those calls are mine. No softening on this one: my calls, my responsibility.
What's included
- Async access Message me when something comes up. I respond within a working day, usually faster. No scheduling overhead for quick questions.
- Regular check-ins Weekly or fortnightly, depending on the engagement: what's been built, what's coming, what needs attention.
- Architecture reviews When a significant technical decision is on the table, I'll lay out the options and give you a clear recommendation with the reasoning.
- Developer support Your team can reach me directly. Code reviews, pair debugging, guidance on getting good output from Copilot and Claude.
How engagements are shaped
Fractional CTO
Typically starts at β¬1,500/mo
Ongoing senior technical leadership - architecture, scope, and review at the decision points.
Technical rescue & remediation
β¬2,000-4,500/mo
Active stabilisation of a fragile or AI-tangled codebase. Priced by system size.
Pre-flight review
β¬2,500-5,500/mo
The AI writes the code, I decide what gets built and ships, and I write the checks that prove it before it goes out. Priced by system size.
All engagements are month-to-month. No lock-in. Priced by system size where the engagement is point-in-time work; scales with involvement otherwise.
Prices exclude VAT. Reverse charge applies for VAT-registered business clients outside Hungary.
Evaluating a system before you commit?
Technical due diligence - a focused review of the codebase, architecture, and key-person risk: a written report within 2-3 working days of access being granted and questions answered, plus a clear deal / no-deal view. Priced by deal size and complexity, from β¬1,500 (credited against a follow-on engagement started within 30 days) up to β¬9,000 for larger or more complex deals.
From β¬1,500 - Ask about due diligence βWhat clients say
Architecture meetings with David are a crucible in which bad ideas are burned away and good ideas are refined to great ideas. He always keeps business need front and centre and can manage complexity while maintaining a relentless pressure towards simplicity and effectiveness.
He suggested the change of our hosting provider to AWS, and has helped us make significant improvements to our stability and reduction in costs, in an extremely short time, with minimal downtime. He is an amazing AWS expert that's always up-to-date, but above all he is very diligent and proficient in his work.
Who you're talking to
David Channon
Fractional CTO
25+ years building software - from startups to enterprise, from PHP monoliths to serverless TypeScript, from single MySQL boxes to DynamoDB at scale. The senior engineer you bring in before a system breaks, or call when it already has. Based in Hungary, working with teams across Europe.
LinkedIn profile βHow engagements work
A short call to understand the system and the situation, a scoped proposal within a few days, then we start.
Book a call βFrequently asked questions
How fast can you start?
Usually within a few days of the call. For time-boxed diligence work, faster - tell me the timeline when we speak.
What do you need from me to get going?
Repo access, whoever holds context on the system (even 30 minutes of their time), and an honest read on what's not working. I'll ask for anything else as I go.
Does this replace my dev team or work alongside them?
Alongside. Fractional CTO and rescue engagements both work with your existing team - I'm there to give direction and catch what a team under deadline pressure doesn't have time to catch, not to take over delivery.
What if the codebase is worse than we thought - does the price change?
Rescue and fractional CTO engagements are month-to-month, so scope adjusts with what we find rather than triggering a change order. Due diligence is scoped upfront as a fixed 2-3 day review; if it clearly needs more, I'll say so before continuing, not after.
What does handover look like if the engagement ends?
Documentation of what changed and why, a clear picture of system state, and a call with whoever takes over next. No lock-in - that's the point of month-to-month.
Do you sign an NDA before diligence work?
Yes, standard practice before any diligence engagement.
Is this remote-only?
Yes - working with teams across Europe, remote by default.