[brudgers]

Make a business case to the business execs. There is not one in your description...slowing down productivity because the code base is "ugly" doesn't cut it. A future where it is hard to change the code only happens if the busines survives and grows to the point where that's a problem...and if the company really grows well, then even a pretty code base will probably get chucked when the new problems that only come with scale dominate. Good luck.