The verdict in three sentences
For a Douglas accounting firm formed by a merger, the real question is less "what does a redesign cost" than "what does it cost to keep two tired websites alive for three more years". On our market assumptions, patching two old sites comes to roughly £8,800 over 3 years, against roughly £6,900 for a Growth redesign at £3,900 plus market-rate maintenance. The main risk is handled upfront: a URL inventory of both legacy domains, a 301 redirect map and a go-live outside your filing peak.
Redesign or keep patching?
On the Isle of Man, many firms around Athol Street and Prospect Hill serve local owner-managers, corporate service providers, finance and e-gaming businesses, and individuals who have relocated from the UK mainland. The signs that a redesign is due are fairly consistent:
- two brands still live online after two practices combined, with service pages that contradict each other;
- the site renders poorly on mobile, while prospects compare firms on their phones;
- fee pages or tax service pages that still attract visits are out of date;
- the contact form asks for documents or financial details it should never receive;
- every change depends on a former supplier who no longer answers, or on an outdated plugin.
The table below compares the three-year cost of five options. Maintenance and hosting amounts are market assumptions, not Kolonell prices: after the 3 included months of support, Kolonell maintenance is on quote.
| Option (2026 ballpark) | Year 1 | Years 2 and 3 | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patch both legacy sites (hosting 2 x £60/month, fixes £1,500/year) | £2,940 | £5,880 | £8,820 |
| Freelancer (£4,000 rebuild, £80/month maintenance, assumption) | £4,960 | £1,920 | £6,880 |
| Kolonell Growth £3,900 (£90/month after 3 months, market assumption) | £4,710 | £2,160 | £6,870 |
| Kolonell Premium £6,900 (same maintenance assumption) | £7,710 | £2,160 | £9,060 |
| Douglas agency, mid-range (£10,000, £120/month retainer, assumption) | £11,440 | £2,880 | £14,320 |
The freelancer and Growth land close on total cost; the difference is continuity (one point of contact, a project manager reachable in your time zone) and who owns the redirect work.
What budget and timeline should a Douglas firm plan?
These ranges are 2026 ballpark figures based on typical agency quotes and public rate pages from agencies on the island and in North West England. They vary widely with page count and copywriting effort.
| Provider | Typical redesign scope | 2026 range | Usual timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas agency | 15 to 30 pages, CMS, copy support | £6,000 to £18,000 | 8 to 14 weeks |
| North West England agency | Same scope, remote workshops | £7,000 to £20,000 | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Local freelancer | Theme rebuild, copy written by the firm | £2,000 to £6,000 | 4 to 10 weeks |
| Kolonell Starter | Compact site, core services | £2,300 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | Full service and guide structure | £3,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | £6,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
Kolonell prices include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Details are on the international offer page.
On timing, allow one to three weeks of internal work first: agreeing the combined brand, signing off service copy and listing the pages worth keeping. Then come structure and the redirect map (week 1), design and build (week 2), content migration and partner review (week 3), then testing and go-live (week 4). Keep that last week well clear of your clients' personal and company return deadlines, and avoid TT fortnight in late May and early June, when diaries across the island tend to be disrupted.
Which risks matter for a merged practice?
A merger adds a risk that ordinary redesigns do not have: two domains to redirect into one. Here are the points to handle, in the order they usually bite.
- Traffic loss on both legacy domains. Export the URLs of both sites, use Search Console to find the pages that still get visits (payroll, VAT, returns, company formation) and map each one to a target page with a 301. Keep both old domains live and redirecting for several years.
- Conflicting content. Two fee schedules, two descriptions of audit work: a partner decides before migration, not during it.
- Integrations. Each former firm's client portal and secure document exchange is linked or embedded, never rebuilt inside the site; merging them is on quote.
- Forms. The public form asks for name, contact details and type of need, nothing more: no tax reference, bank details, payslips or financial statements.
- Titles and regulated wording. Words such as chartered, auditor, or corporate service provider regulated by the IOMFSA appear only where the firm is genuinely entitled to them, checked by the firm before go-live. Anti-money-laundering onboarding remains the firm's own process.
- Data protection. The Isle of Man has its own data protection legislation aligned with GDPR standards and its own Information Commissioner. The privacy notice and consent banner are reviewed by the firm. This is not legal advice.
What stays on quote, and when is a local agency the better choice?
On quote: client portal, secure document exchange, e-signature, links with practice management or accounting software such as Xero, QuickBooks or Sage, integrated booking, and any SEO work beyond the redirect migration. Questions to ask any provider: who produces the URL inventory, who tests the 301s after launch, how long the old domain stays redirected, who owns the domain and hosting, and what happens after the support months.
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On professional services, Kolonell built the site of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey. A Douglas agency is still the better pick if you want weekly in-person workshops, a team photo shoot arranged on the island, or if the redesign is part of a wider local campaign (press, events, island trade shows).
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Harbourline Accountants, a fictional Douglas firm formed by merging two small practices, 11 staff, two legacy sites (one on WordPress since 2016, one on a hosted site builder). The managing partner, Fiona, compares three years.
- Keep both sites: 2 x £60 x 36 months = £4,320 in hosting and subscriptions, plus £1,500 x 3 in fixes = £4,500, so £8,820, still with two brands online.
- Kolonell Growth redesign: £3,900, plus 33 months x £90 = £2,970 (market assumption; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months on quote), plus £600 for a local photographer (third-party cost), so £7,470.
Gap: £8,820 minus £7,470 = £1,350 over three years, with one brand and a redirect map covering both domains. A combined client portal is priced separately, on quote.
FAQ
What does an accounting firm website redesign cost in Douglas in 2026?
As a ballpark, £6,000 to £18,000 with a local agency and £2,000 to £6,000 with a freelancer. Kolonell offers £2,300 (Starter), £3,900 (Growth) and £6,900 (Premium).
How long should we keep the old domains after a merger?
Several years, with page-to-page 301 redirects. Renewing two domain names usually costs a few tens of pounds a year, far less than losing the visits they have built up.
When should the new site go live?
Outside the weeks before your clients' return deadlines, and ideally outside TT fortnight. Plan 3 to 4 weeks of production once content is ready.
Is the client portal included in the fixed price?
No. The portal, secure document exchange and e-signature are linked or embedded and priced on quote, even on the £6,900 Premium tier.
What should come off the contact form?
Anything beyond name, contact details and type of need. Financial documents go through your secure tool, never an open form; checking this takes about 30 minutes at review.
To price your own case, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. A Douglas firm redesign with two domains to merge, £3,900 to £6,900 depending on tier, live in 3 to 4 weeks outside your filing peak. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
