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

The verdict in three sentences

In Fribourg, an architecture firm website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, between 6 000 and 24 000 CHF, and the city's agencies often deliver a French and German site from the start, which matters in a bilingual canton. Kolonell builds the portfolio, project pages and practice page in English or French for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth, but the German version is supplied by the practice or quoted separately. Compare the 3-year total cost including that translation: if more than half of your clients are German-speaking, a bilingual Fribourg agency may be the better choice.

This version is written for the English-speaking partners of architecture practices in Fribourg, including those who work with the University and international employers in the canton.

What do Fribourg agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?

These ranges are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of agencies in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud and Bern, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co, hourly rates commonly published by regional agencies (often 110 to 170 CHF per hour) and rates on Malt and Upwork.

Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. The project manager runs Google Meet calls at a time that suits the practice and sends a written update every week; the team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Fribourg depending on the season. The domain stays in your name and all access is handed over. The full offer is on our international website page.

Which 3-year total cost should you compare?

Here a mid-range Fribourg agency, German version included, is compared with Kolonell Growth plus a professional German translation. Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the same maintenance assumption is used on both sides.

Also count the hidden cost of bilingualism: every new project you publish needs translating. Ask each supplier who does it and at what price.

What does each Kolonell tier include for a Fribourg practice?

A drawing-sharing area for clients is a custom application, quoted on request. Ongoing search work is too.

What does a Fribourg architecture practice website need?

Fribourg sits on the language border: the city and canton are officially bilingual, and part of the clients, municipalities and contractors work in German, especially towards the Sense and Lake districts. Fribourg practices convert farmhouses and barns into homes, renovate old town buildings, design condominium schemes in the agglomeration and school buildings, and follow projects in the blueFACTORY innovation district. The Gruyère region adds chalets and second homes. The site should:

• Be designed bilingual from day one: identical page structure in French and German, a clear language switch.
• Show conversions of rural and old buildings, with heritage protection constraints explained simply.
• Present public competitions, common for schools and municipal buildings, stating each project's status.
• State qualifications exactly: degree, REG registration, SIA membership. Several French-speaking cantons regulate who may sign plans; check the Fribourg rule and display only what can be verified.
• Clear photo rights with each photographer for web use.

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Which questions should you ask before signing?

• Who translates new projects after launch, and at what price?
• Do both language versions share the same structure and page addresses?
• How many projects are included at launch?
• In whose name are the domain and hosting registered?
• Do the photos have a verified web licence?
• Can we leave maintenance and keep the site?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Nadia F., partner in a five-person Fribourg practice working on both sides of the Sarine, compares two offers. A local agency quotes 15 500 CHF for a French and German site. Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 500 CHF in French, with German handed to a translator for 1 800 CHF. Photos cost 1 600 CHF in both cases.

Build, German and photos: 17 100 CHF with the agency versus 7 900 CHF with Kolonell, a 9 200 CHF gap. With the same maintenance assumption of 110 CHF per month over 33 months (3 630 CHF on each side), the 3-year total is 20 730 CHF versus 11 530 CHF. Since two thirds of her clients are French-speaking, Nadia goes with Kolonell; a mostly German-speaking practice would have done better to keep the bilingual agency.

FAQ

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

With a local agency, expect a ballpark of 6 000 to 24 000 CHF, and 2 500 to 8 500 CHF with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF.

Can Kolonell deliver the site in German?

Kolonell writes natively in English and French. German is supplied by the practice or quoted separately; a professional translation of a 10 to 15 page site often costs 1 500 to 2 500 CHF.

Is a French and English site possible?

Yes, bilingual FR/EN is included in Premium at 8 200 CHF, useful for international clients or University researchers.

Are photos of our projects included?

No. The practice supplies its images or books a local photographer, often 900 to 2 000 CHF per day based on published rates.

How long does it take?

Starter and Growth are delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, provided the photos and German translation arrive on time. Premium follows a written schedule, usually 4 to 6 weeks.

Let's scope your project. Send us your projects, the split of your clients between French and German, and your images, and we come back with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.