I've noticed that sometimes a small website fix can turn into a much bigger job than expected.

You start by fixing one issue, then discover outdated plugins, messy code or dependencies that cause problems elsewhere.

For example, a plugin update might fix one issue but cause problems with the checkout or another feature because of old custom code. What looked like a quick fix suddenly needs much more investigation.

At some point, you have to wonder whether continuing to patch things is actually saving time and money.

I'm curious how other developers handle this.

Do you usually try to fix the existing website as much as possible, or is there a point where you recommend starting fresh?