The verdict in three sentences
An Amsterdam accounting and tax firm that sends agencies a vague brief usually gets quotes that cannot be compared, often anywhere from about EUR 8,000 to 25,000 for what looks like the same site. A two to four page specification listing pages, languages, integrations, data protection rules for forms, ownership and acceptance criteria puts those quotes back on one scale. Write it before you call anyone, plan go-live outside the spring income tax filing peak (Dutch returns are due by 1 May) and keep the client portal and document exchange as separate lines.
What should the specification contain?
Each block below is a line you want priced, or explicitly excluded, in every quote.
| Block | What to write down | Why it moves the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Goals and audiences | Who you serve (expat employees under the 30% ruling, startup founders, Dutch BVs of international groups) and 2 or 3 measurable goals | Sets the number of service and audience pages |
| Pages and templates | Home, 6 to 10 service pages, team, sectors, insights, contact, legal pages; count templates, not only pages | Agencies price templates and content volume |
| Content ownership | Who writes, who approves, who signs off regulated claims such as RA or AA titles | Copywriting is in or out of scope, never "tbc" |
| Languages | Dutch and English, or English first with Dutch later | Can add 30 to 80% to content and QA effort |
| Integrations | Portal link, document exchange, CRM, booking tool, newsletter: one line each | The largest source of spread between quotes |
| Accessibility | WCAG 2.2 AA target, tested on templates, menus and forms | Testing time must be planned, not promised vaguely |
| Data protection | Minimal form fields, no BSN or bank details, consent text, retention, processors, hosting location | Shapes forms, cookie banner and hosting choice |
| Ownership | Domain, hosting and CMS admin accounts in the firm's name; content and code handover | Avoids lock-in when you change provider |
Add three short paragraphs under the table:
- SEO migration if a site exists: export the current URLs (a firm of your size often has 40 to 120), require a 301 redirect map approved by you, and Search Console checks for 6 weeks after go-live.
- Acceptance criteria: pages load well on mobile, forms reach the right inbox, redirects return 301, accessibility checks pass on each template, and nothing goes live before a partner signs off the regulated wording.
- Timeline and budget range: a target go-live date (for example mid-February, before returns open on 1 March) and an honest range. Stating "EUR 6,000 to 10,000" stops agencies guessing.
How does a vague brief change the quotes?
The table compares what three Amsterdam agencies typically answer to a one-line brief versus a structured one. Figures are a 2026 ballpark drawn from typical local agency quotes, not a survey.
| Item | Vague brief: "modern bilingual site with portal" | Precise brief |
|---|---|---|
| Design and templates | EUR 4,000 to 10,000, template count unknown | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 for 7 named templates |
| Copywriting | "Client supplies" or an unexplained lump sum | 10 pages in scope, 2 review rounds |
| Languages | "Bilingual" priced from +30% to +80% | Dutch and English, translation owner named |
| Client portal | A login button, or a EUR 10,000+ build | Link to the existing portal, any build on quote |
| Forms and privacy | Not mentioned | 2 forms, 4 to 6 fields each, consent text approved by the firm |
| SEO migration | Not mentioned | 60 URLs inventoried, 301 map, 6 weeks of checks |
| Total range | EUR 8,000 to 25,000 | EUR 7,000 to 14,000 at local agencies |
A precise brief makes quotes comparable and isolates the uncertain items (portal, CRM sync, document exchange) on lines you can accept or postpone.
How do you score three quotes fairly?
Fix the weights before the quotes arrive. Score each criterion from 1 to 5, then weighted points = weight x score / 5. The example below uses three illustrative quotes.
| Criterion | Weight | Quote A, local agency, EUR 14,500 | Quote B, freelancer, EUR 5,200 | Quote C, remote studio, EUR 8,200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage of the checklist | 25 | 5 (25) | 3 (15) | 4 (20) |
| Price transparency, separate lines | 20 | 3 (12) | 2 (8) | 5 (20) |
| Realistic timeline | 15 | 4 (12) | 3 (9) | 4 (12) |
| Privacy and accessibility commitments | 15 | 5 (15) | 2 (6) | 4 (12) |
| Ownership of domain, hosting, content | 15 | 4 (12) | 3 (9) | 5 (15) |
| Support terms | 10 | 5 (10) | 2 (4) | 3 (6) |
| Total | 100 | 86 | 51 | 85 |
A and C score almost the same; the cost per point is about EUR 169 for A and EUR 96 for C, while B (about EUR 102 per point) leaves too many gaps. If on-site workshops in Dutch matter to your partners, A can still be the right call.
How does the Kolonell fixed grid map to your checklist?
The Kolonell international offer uses a fixed grid, so the checklist translates into a tier plus a short list of quoted extras.
| Checklist block | Starter, EUR 2,700 | Growth, EUR 4,500 | Premium, EUR 8,200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages | One | One | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
| Page scope | Compact site | Full service pages and insights | Full scope per language |
| Copywriting | Native English or French | Native English or French | Native English or French; Dutch reviewed by a native reviewer (third-party cost) or by your team |
| Portal, document exchange, CRM | On quote | On quote | On quote |
| URL inventory and 301 map | Scoped in the quote | Scoped in the quote | Scoped in the quote |
| Delivery and support | 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, 3 months of support | Same | Same, maintenance afterwards on quote |
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
A project manager stays reachable in Amsterdam business hours. Professional services reference: Kolonell built the site of TR Signing Group (trsigninggroup.com), a New Jersey signing services company with similar needs (clear service pages, enquiry routing).
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Sanne Bakker is managing partner of "Herengracht Fiscaal", a fictional eight-person tax firm on the canal belt serving expats and startup BVs. Her first brief ("a modern bilingual site, with a portal") brings back quotes of EUR 9,000, 16,500 and 24,000: a spread of EUR 15,000 nobody can explain.
She spends 6 hours on a specification: Dutch and English, 9 service pages, a link to the existing portal (no build), 2 forms without BSN or bank fields, 48 URLs to redirect, go-live by mid-February.
- Round two: EUR 11,800 and EUR 13,200 from two local agencies, and Premium at EUR 8,200 plus a native Dutch reviewer at EUR 700 (third-party cost), so EUR 8,900.
- Spread: from EUR 15,000 down to EUR 4,300 (13,200 minus 8,900).
- Her time: 6 hours x EUR 150 (internal rate, assumption) = EUR 900.
FAQ
How long should the specification be?
Two to four pages are enough for a firm of 5 to 30 people. Write decisions, not feature wish lists.
Should the client portal be part of the website quote?
Keep it as a separate line. Depending on the tool, a portal integration or build can range from a few thousand to well over EUR 15,000 locally, which would distort the comparison of the site itself.
Which data protection rules apply to our forms?
The GDPR (AVG in Dutch) applies, supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens; keep forms to 4 to 6 fields and never ask for BSN, tax IDs or bank details in an open form. This is not legal advice: have your privacy notice checked by your adviser.
When should we go live?
Avoid the 1 March to 1 May filing window and allow 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring after launch.
Can we mention RA or AA titles on the site?
Only for the people who actually hold them and are registered with the NBA, stated person by person. Plan one partner review round for every page carrying a regulated title.
Let's scope your project. Send us your checklist, even rough, and we will map it to a tier, list the extras on quote and confirm a 3 to 4 week delivery window. 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.
