Architecture firm website cost in Cork: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Cork, an architecture firm website built by a local agency costs a 2026 ballpark of 6 000 to 25 000 EUR ex VAT, and Dublin agencies often quote 10 000 to 40 000 EUR for similar scope. Kolonell builds the project archive, sector pages and enquiry route for a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 EUR, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. For a practice that bids on public tenders, the real question is the three-year cost and whether the site proves relevant experience, more than the build price alone.

How do Cork agency, freelancer and Kolonell prices compare?

These ranges are cautious orders of magnitude, not official figures. They rest on public price pages of Irish agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by local agencies (often 60 to 110 EUR an hour) and rates visible on Upwork. Irish quotes are usually ex VAT at the 23 % standard rate: always compare on the same basis.

Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. The project manager books Google Meet calls at the practice's hours and sends a written update every week; with the team in Senegal (GMT), there is no time difference with Cork in winter and one hour in summer. Packages are detailed in our international website offer.

What does the website cost over three years?

Beyond the build come hosting, maintenance, new project pages and photography of completed schemes. The table applies the same maintenance assumption to every column, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request.

These totals frame the discussion; they do not predict an invoice. The Premium column deliberately keeps 33 months of maintenance even though 6 months of support are included, so the assumption stays cautious.

Which Kolonell package fits a Cork practice?

A drawing-sharing extranet or a partner portal is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing SEO.

What should a Cork architecture website show?

Cork brings a varied mix of commissions: regeneration of the Docklands and Tivoli, housing for developers and approved housing bodies, pharma and medtech campuses in Ringaskiddy and Little Island, buildings for University College Cork and Munster Technological University, and one-off homes in Douglas, Blackrock or along the coast towards Kinsale and Cobh. A large share of public work goes through eTenders, and evaluators look at websites to check claimed experience.

• Verifiable project sheets: client (with permission), brief, area, status, the practice's exact role.
• Sector pages (housing, education, healthcare, industry) that use tender vocabulary.
• An accurate team page, useful when a tender asks for named references.
• Lightweight pages: many decision makers browse on mobile between site meetings.
• A short form for homeowners, separate from institutional contacts.

On compliance, the facts. Since Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007, the title architect is protected in Ireland and the register is kept by the RIAI: the team page must label registered architects, technologists and designers accurately. Building photographs fall under the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000; check that the photographer's licence covers web use. Forms and analytics fall under GDPR and Ireland's Data Protection Act 2018, supervised by the Data Protection Commission, which has published cookie guidance. The European Accessibility Act, applicable since 28 June 2025, mainly targets certain services such as e-commerce and exempts service microenterprises; WCAG 2.1 AA remains a sound reference that public clients often expect. This is not legal advice.

Which warning signs should you look for in a quote?

• A VAT-inclusive quote compared with an ex VAT one without saying so.
• No list of pages or of the number of projects loaded at launch.
• Case studies left to the practice with no copywriting budget.
• Domain or hosting in the agency's name.
• Professional titles not checked against the RIAI register.
• Competitors' photos or stock images offered to pad out the portfolio.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Aoife M., founding director of a nine-person practice in Cork (multi-unit housing, schools, a mixed-use scheme in the Docklands), wants a filterable archive of 40 projects for tender responses. A local agency quotes 22 000 EUR ex VAT, delivered in 14 weeks. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 200 EUR on a written five-week plan. On both sides, the practice reuses its licensed images and commissions a 1 500 EUR shoot of a school extension.

Build and photography: 23 500 EUR against 9 700 EUR, a 13 800 EUR difference. With the same maintenance over 33 months (4 290 EUR each side), the three-year totals are 27 790 EUR and 13 990 EUR. Aoife spends part of the difference photographing two more completed schemes.

FAQ

How much does an architecture firm website cost in Cork in 2026?

As a ballpark, 6 000 to 25 000 EUR ex VAT with a Cork agency, 10 000 to 40 000 EUR in Dublin and 2 000 to 7 000 EUR with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 EUR.

Can the site be in Irish?

Yes, if the practice supplies the Irish text or accepts a separate quote. Only the bilingual FR/EN version is included, on Premium at 8 200 EUR.

Can Kolonell come and photograph our buildings?

No, there is no on-site shooting. A Cork architectural photographer often charges 500 to 1 500 EUR per scheme according to published rates, and a local agency can organise that shoot for you.

How many projects can go live at launch?

The number is fixed in writing in the quote: a few projects on Starter, one case study per project on Growth, a full archive on Premium. Later additions are quoted before work, for example 750 EUR for 8 pages in our assumption.

How does payment work?

Bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery, so two payments of 4 100 EUR for Premium.

Let's scope your project. Send us your reference list, target sectors and available images, and we come back with a fixed-price package and a 3 to 4 week timeline (4 to 6 on Premium). Request your free quote or see the international offer.