The verdict in three sentences
A website redesign for an accounting and tax firm in Taipei runs TWD 150,000 to 600,000 with a local agency in 2026 (roughly $4,700 to $18,800), against a fixed Kolonell grid of $2,900, $4,900 or $8,900. The main risk is not design but the go-live window: switching the site or DNS during the May filing season exposes the firm to lost enquiries at the worst possible moment. Plan the cutover for June or July, with a URL inventory, a 301 redirect map and a rollback ready.
Which signals show the redesign is due?
Firms in Xinyi, Da'an, Zhongshan or the Neihu technology park mostly serve owner-managed SMEs and foreign-invested companies. Five signals come up often: the site exists only in Traditional Chinese while part of the prospects search in English, the bookkeeping page is unreadable on mobile, the contact form asks for documents it should never receive, the service pages are several fiscal years old, and nobody at the firm can edit a page without the original vendor.
A firm website that receives bank statements or payslips through an open form is a problem under Taiwan's Personal Data Protection Act. The redesign should cut the public form down to the minimum: name, contact, type of need. Documents then go through the secure channel the firm has chosen.
How much does a redesign cost in Taipei in 2026?
2026 ballpark, based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages (approximate conversion at about TWD 32 to USD 1):
| Option | Budget TWD | Approx. USD | Usual timeline | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | 50,000 to 150,000 | 1,500 to 4,700 | 4 to 8 weeks | Theme, basic pages, little SEO follow-up |
| Local agency, brochure site | 150,000 to 350,000 | 4,700 to 11,000 | 8 to 12 weeks | Custom design, Traditional Chinese |
| Local agency, bilingual with migration | 350,000 to 600,000 | 11,000 to 18,800 | 10 to 16 weeks | Two languages, migration, training |
| Kolonell Starter | n/a | $2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Focused site, one language |
| Kolonell Growth | n/a | $4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Full service pages, 301 map |
| Kolonell Premium | n/a | $8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
With Kolonell, every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support. A Traditional Chinese, English and Japanese journey falls under Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote). On quote: client portal, secure document exchange, e-signature, accounting or practice management software links, and any SEO work beyond the migration. See the international offer.
When to switch, and how to avoid downtime?
In Taiwan, the annual income tax return is filed in May. It is the worst window to change websites: peak traffic, a stretched team and no time to approve pages. Lunar New Year is also best avoided, since the firm and its suppliers are often closed.
| Phase | Recommended window | Kolonell duration | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| URL inventory and Search Console export | March or early June | 2 to 3 days | List of pages that receive traffic |
| Content and title approval | Before kickoff | Firm side | CPA wording checked by a partner |
| Design and build | June | 2 weeks | Mobile mockups approved |
| 301 redirect map | June | 2 days | Every old URL has a target |
| QA and compliance review | Late June | 3 to 4 days | Minimal forms, legal notices |
| DNS cutover | Saturday morning, Taipei time | A few hours | TTL lowered 48 hours before, rollback ready |
Downtime is prevented with three simple steps: lower the TTL on DNS records two days ahead, keep the old hosting live for one week, and never touch mail (MX) records without copying them exactly. A firm that loses email for 24 hours loses more than one with a misaligned page.
Which risks to watch during migration?
- SEO traffic loss: pages such as "tax filing for foreign-invested companies" or "bookkeeping fees" that already rank must keep an equivalent, with a 301 to the new URL. Submit the new sitemap in Search Console the same day.
- Content migration: outdated tax guides, fee schedules and rough English pages must be sorted before migration, not after.
- Integrations: the link to the existing client portal stays a link or an embed, never a rebuild inside a fixed-grid site.
- Regulated titles: CPA under the Certified Public Accountant Act, "audit", "tax agent": every mention is checked by the firm before go-live.
- Anti-money-laundering: client onboarding remains the firm's own process; the site can mention it in general terms, without an identity collection form.
This is not legal advice.
When is a local agency the better choice?
If the firm wants in-person workshops in Taipei, native Traditional Chinese copy produced by the vendor, or a client portal built and hosted locally, a Taipei agency is often the better fit. Kolonell suits firms that need a strong English journey for foreign-invested companies, a fixed price and a short timeline. As a professional services reference, Kolonell built the site of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey.
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Questions to ask any provider: who produces the 301 map? Who owns the domain name? What is the rollback procedure? Are the English pages written or machine translated?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Lin & Hsu Tax Partners, a partner-led firm in Zhongshan with 6 staff, serving owner-managed SMEs and Japanese subsidiaries. The old site has 42 indexed URLs, 9 of which carry most of the traffic. The partners choose Premium for a Traditional Chinese, English and Japanese journey.
- Kolonell Premium: $8,900
- Japanese review by a freelance translator (third-party cost): about $600
- Hosting and maintenance over 33 months: 33 x $80 = $2,640 (market assumption; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months on quote)
- Total over 3 years: about $12,140
A local bilingual quote at TWD 450,000 is roughly $14,000 before maintenance. Kickoff on June 15, cutover on Saturday July 11, outside filing season.
FAQ
How long does a Kolonell redesign take for a Taipei firm?
3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Allow 1 to 2 weeks beforehand for the partners to approve copy and regulated wording.
Should we avoid May for go-live?
Yes. May is the annual income tax filing month in Taiwan; aim for June, July or a March window, away from Lunar New Year.
Is the client portal included in the $4,900 Growth tier?
No. Portal, secure document exchange, e-signature and accounting software stay on quote, linked or embedded.
What should the contact form ask for?
Three fields are enough: name, contact, type of need. No tax ID, bank statement or financial statements in an open form.
How many URLs need redirecting?
Every indexed one, often 30 to 80 for a firm this size. The 10 that carry traffic are checked one by one after cutover.
Let's scope your project. A bilingual or trilingual redesign, 301 map and cutover outside tax season, from $2,900 to $8,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. 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.
