The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture practice of 8 to 25 people, whether in Dublin or a comparable European city, a high-end showcase website costs EUR 8,000 to 18,000 excl. VAT and ships in 6 to 10 weeks. The line that doubles the price is the filterable project portfolio (40 to 120 projects) and how heavy visuals are optimised. A precise brief of 6 to 10 pages lets you genuinely compare the 3 quotes you will receive on average, instead of comparing three different interpretations of your needs.
The sections of a brief that works
An architecture firm does not buy a website like an industrial SME. The site helps win competitions, reassure public and private clients, recruit rare profiles and feed bid submissions. Your brief must describe content as much as technology.
| Brief section | What to specify | Budget impact excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Context and goals | Target competitions, sectors (housing, offices, public buildings) | Neutral |
| Sitemap | 8 to 15 page types, number of projects at launch | EUR 500 to 1,500 |
| Filterable portfolio | 40 to 120 projects, filters by programme, year, status, client | EUR 2,500 to 6,000 |
| Competitions and publications | Winner, shortlisted, press, awards, downloadable PDFs | EUR 800 to 2,000 |
| Media and performance | Max weight per image, WebP/AVIF, hosted video | EUR 600 to 1,800 |
| Back office | Team can add a project in under 15 minutes | EUR 1,000 to 2,500 |
| SEO and accessibility | Local keywords, markup, WCAG contrast | EUR 700 to 1,500 |
| Bilingual content | International projects, European competitions | EUR 1,500 to 3,000 |
Add an appendix with 3 reference websites you like, explaining why (navigation, typography, project layout). Agencies price far more accurately when they see the expected visual standard.
Portfolio and visuals: where budgets slip
Architecture practices work with 3D renders of 8 to 25 MB and high-definition architectural photography. Handled badly, they produce a site that looks stunning on the partner's screen and is unusable on a client's phone. Set measurable targets in the brief.
| Indicator | Poorly optimised site (common finding) | Target to write into the brief |
|---|---|---|
| Project page weight | 12 to 30 MB | Under 2.5 MB |
| Mobile LCP (Core Web Vitals) | 4.5 to 8 s | Under 2.5 s |
| CLS | 0.2 to 0.4 | Under 0.1 |
| Mobile Lighthouse score | 25 to 50 | Above 85 |
| Image format | 4,000 px JPEG | Responsive WebP/AVIF, 3 to 5 sizes |
| Time to add a project | 45 to 90 minutes | Under 15 minutes |
These thresholds have a cost: an automated image pipeline and a well-designed project template represent EUR 1,500 to 3,000. It pays off as soon as you publish more than 10 projects a year.
Comparing quotes: analysis grid
With a shared brief, the 3 quotes become comparable line by line. Here are the typical gaps observed in 2026 for a mid-sized European city market.
| Criterion | Senior freelancer | Local web studio | Communications agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget excl. VAT (15 pages, 60 projects) | EUR 8,000 to 11,000 | EUR 11,000 to 15,000 | EUR 14,000 to 18,000 |
| Timeline | 8 to 10 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Art direction | Variable | Strong | Strong, sometimes templated |
| Monthly hosting | EUR 30 to 50 | EUR 40 to 80 | EUR 60 to 80 |
| Monthly maintenance | EUR 80 to 150 | EUR 120 to 250 | EUR 200 to 350 |
| Main risk | Availability | Capacity at peak times | Change-order overruns |
Require each offer to state the number of mock-up rounds included (2 or 3 is standard), ownership of code and content, and the day rate for post-launch changes (EUR 450 to 650 in regional markets, often EUR 600 to 800 in Dublin).
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Mini case study
Sean, managing partner of a 14-person architecture practice in Dublin, receives three quotes: EUR 9,500, 13,800 and 17,200. After applying his grid, the cheapest quote includes neither bilingual content (EUR 2,200) nor image optimisation (EUR 1,800): it rises to EUR 13,500. The current site costs his assistant about 2 hours per published project, i.e. 30 hours a year for 15 projects, at EUR 35 loaded hourly cost: EUR 1,050 a year. With the EUR 13,800 quote, which guarantees adding a project in 15 minutes, he saves 26 hours a year and cuts page weight from 18 MB to 2 MB. Over three years, the time saved alone covers nearly 23 % of the investment, before counting any competitions won.
FAQ
How much does an architecture firm website cost in 2026?
Budget EUR 8,000 to 18,000 excl. VAT depending on the number of projects and languages. A portfolio of more than 80 projects with advanced filters pushes toward the top of the range.
How long should a website brief be?
6 to 10 pages including appendices is enough. Beyond 15 pages, agencies skim and price in a 15 to 20 % safety margin.
What timeline should we expect?
6 to 10 weeks from quote approval to launch. Collecting texts and visuals from the practice is often the bottleneck, allow 2 to 3 weeks.
How many quotes should we request?
Three quotes is the observed average and the right balance. Beyond five, analysis time outweighs the benefit.
Which hosting should we choose?
Hosting with a CDN at EUR 30 to 80 per month is enough for a heavy portfolio. Check that images are served as WebP or AVIF from a server close to your visitors.
Let's scope your project. Send us your project list and 3 reference sites: we will turn your needs into a priced brief with an indicative budget and a 6 to 10 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
