Recruitment · Startup
inploi
Recruitment web application
A startup in the recruitment space, helping businesses connect with candidates. I worked inside their product team for two years.
Taking on new clients
Senior Laravel developer · Fractional CTO · London
Laravel development, without the agency overhead.
Hi, I’m Chris. I build web apps, SaaS products and APIs on Laravel for startups and growing businesses, and I act as your fractional CTO when you need senior direction. One experienced engineer, explained in plain English.
- Laravel
- Vue
- Nuxt
- Inertia
- AI
- years building web software
- 16+years building web software
- years as a full-time independent
- 13years as a full-time independent
- senior engineer, no hand-offs
- 1senior engineer, no hand-offs
- time zone, London-based
- UKtime zone, London-based
What I do
Laravel first, with senior help around it.
Most clients start with a Laravel build, an upgrade or an audit, then add technical leadership or AI as the product grows.
Main focus
Laravel Development
Web apps, SaaS products, APIs and internal tools built on Laravel by a senior developer you speak to directly.
Learn more 01Fractional CTO
Senior technology leadership on a part-time basis: strategy, hiring, budgets and delivery, without the full-time salary.
Learn more 02AI Consulting
Find where AI genuinely saves time or money, build it safely, and skip the expensive demos.
Learn more 03Technical Audit & Rescue
An independent, plain-English review of your software (Laravel or otherwise), suppliers and hosting, plus rescue plans for stalled projects.
Learn moreWhy work with me
Senior experience, minus the corporate wrapper.
I’ve spent 16+ years building web applications and leading technical work for everyone from small startups to global brands. When you work with me, you work with me.
How I work with clients →01
Plain English, always
If I use a technical term, I’ll explain it. You’ll never leave a conversation feeling lost.
02
Honest, even when it costs me work
If you don’t need to build it, I’ll say so. If a full agency suits you better, I’ll say that too.
03
Hands-on and senior
I’ve shipped software for 16+ years and still write code every week, so advice comes from building.
04
Direct, start to finish
You deal with me directly: no hand-offs, nothing lost in translation, and one senior person accountable for the result.
How it works
Start in three simple steps.
- 01
Intro chat
Tell me what you’re working on. I’ll reply personally and we’ll have a short, no-obligation call.
- 02
Plan & price
You get a plain-English plan: scope, timeline, cost range and risks, fixed price or day rate.
- 03
Build & launch
I build in small releases you can test, then launch and look after it.
Selected work
Products I’ve helped bring to life.
Care · Marketplace
Carevia My own product
On-demand home-care platform
An on-demand home-care app for older people, often described as “Uber for care aides”: clients request care and aides pick up the work, through web and mobile apps backed by an API.
SaaS · Developer tools
Lairo My own product
Visual bug-reporting SaaS
A visual bug-reporting tool for freelancers, developers and small agencies. Clients click, annotate and submit bugs on a screenshot, with console errors, network logs and session replay attached, and issues sync to GitHub, Linear and Slack.
Visit lairo.io ↗Fintech
MBD
Cryptocurrency web application
A platform where customers buy, sell and securely store cryptocurrencies.
What they say
“It is rare to come across a real ‘full-stack’ developer, but Chris is precisely that. … He is easy-going whilst being ferociously determined and will do whatever it takes to solve any task that confronts him.”
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Do you only work with Laravel?
Laravel is my main focus and what most of my work is built on, usually alongside Vue, Nuxt or Inertia on the front end. I also act as a fractional CTO and AI advisor, which means I can help with the bigger technology decisions around your product too.
Why hire a freelance Laravel developer rather than an agency?
You deal directly with the senior engineer who writes the code, decisions are quick and more of your budget becomes working software. For bigger builds I bring in trusted specialists, chosen for your project, and you still deal with me directly. If you genuinely need a large team working in parallel from day one, an agency is the better fit, and I’ll tell you if that’s you.
I’m not technical. Can I still work with you?
That’s exactly who I work with most. My job is to translate: I’ll explain options, trade-offs and risks in plain English so you can make confident decisions without learning to code.
What is a fractional CTO, and do I need one?
A fractional CTO is an experienced technology leader who works with you part-time. If you need senior direction on your product, team or suppliers but not a full-time executive, it’s often the best value route. It pairs naturally with Laravel development, with the same person leading and building.
Can you take over or upgrade an existing Laravel project?
Yes. I usually start with a short technical audit, then agree a plan to stabilise the app, add tests around the risky parts and upgrade Laravel and PHP in safe stages.
Do you only work with businesses in London?
I’m based in London and always happy to meet in person, but most work happens remotely, so I work with startups and SMEs across the UK and beyond.
More detailed answers about hiring a Laravel developer are on the Laravel development page.
Get in touch
Tell me about your project.
No sales script and no pressure. Share a few details and I’ll reply personally, tell you honestly whether I can help and, if I can’t, point you to someone who can.
- hello@chris-mackie.co.uk
- +44 7593 182227
- London, UK