The verdict in three sentences
In Gothenburg, an architecture firm website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, about 80 000 to 300 000 SEK, roughly 7 000 to 26 000 EUR, and more when the firm wants a heavy project database or custom 3D viewers. Kolonell builds the project portfolio, the practice and team pages and the enquiry journey for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 EUR, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. The honest comparison rests on the 3-year total cost, on the Swedish language version (a Gothenburg agency writes it natively, Kolonell writes English and French only) and on who owns the photographs of your buildings.
What do Gothenburg agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
The ranges below are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of Swedish digital agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles of agencies in western Sweden, hourly rates commonly published by Swedish studios (often 900 to 1 400 SEK per hour, about 80 to 120 EUR) and rates visible on Upwork and Malt for Scandinavian freelancers. Conversions use about 11.5 SEK to the euro and move with the exchange rate.
| Criterion | Gothenburg agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | 80 000 to 300 000 SEK (about 7 000 to 26 000 EUR) | 25 000 to 90 000 SEK (about 2 200 to 7 800 EUR) | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 EUR, fixed |
| Changes outside scope | Often 900 to 1 400 SEK per hour | Often 600 to 950 SEK per hour | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 16 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Swedish copy | Native, often billed separately | Usually native | Supplied by the firm or quoted separately |
| English or French copy | Variable quality | Rarely native | Native English or French included |
| Support after launch | Separate maintenance contract | Case by case | 3 months, 6 on Premium |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A good Gothenburg freelancer can come close to Kolonell's Growth price, and a local agency brings something real: meetings in your studio and a Swedish copywriter on hand. What Kolonell adds is a project manager in your time zone, Google Meet calls at your hour and a written update every week, plus native English for international competition entries. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Gothenburg depending on the season. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. Tier details are on our international website offer.
Which 3-year total cost should you compare?
The build price is a fraction of the bill. A practice also pays for hosting, maintenance, new project pages after each completion and sometimes architectural photography. The table assumes the same maintenance budget on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request.
| Item over 36 months | Gothenburg agency (mid range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 150 000 SEK, about 13 000 EUR | 4 500 EUR |
| Support included after launch | Depends on contract | 3 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 140 EUR per month over 33 months, 4 620 EUR | 4 620 EUR, maintenance quoted on request |
| 6 new project pages over 3 years | 9 hours at 100 EUR, 900 EUR | Quoted beforehand, assumption 700 EUR |
| Swedish version of the copy | Often included or 1 500 EUR | Translator booked by the firm, 1 500 EUR |
| Indicative total | 20 020 EUR | 11 320 EUR |
These figures structure the conversation; they do not predict your invoice. Ask each supplier to fill in the same grid.
What does each Kolonell tier include for an architecture practice?
| Item | Starter 2 700 EUR | Growth 4 500 EUR | Premium 8 200 EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project portfolio | Up to 8 featured projects | Filterable portfolio by type (housing, schools, offices) | Full archive, case pages with drawings and credits |
| Practice and team pages | One practice page | Profiles per partner with qualifications | Detailed profiles, awards, publications |
| Competitions and news | No | News section | News, competitions and lectures |
| Enquiry form | Included | Included, sorted by project type | Journeys for clients, recruits and press |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Written schedule at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks |
| Support after launch | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
An extranet to share drawings with clients or an intranet is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing search work.
What does a Gothenburg architecture firm website need?
Gothenburg practices work on a city in transformation: the RiverCity (Älvstaden) redevelopment along the Göta älv, the Lindholmen and Frihamnen districts, the West Link rail tunnel, plus housing, schools and industrial buildings for the region's manufacturers. Clients range from municipal housing companies and developers to private homeowners, and many firms recruit Chalmers graduates and international staff. The site has to serve all of them:
- A portfolio that loads fast on a phone despite large images, with modern compressed formats.
- Clear credits on every project: client, role of the firm, partners, photographer. Public procurement panels read these.
- Sustainability content stated factually (timber construction, certifications obtained), with no claim the firm cannot document.
- Swedish first for local clients, English for competitions and recruitment.
- A careers page, often the most visited page after the portfolio.
On compliance, the facts only. In Sweden the word arkitekt is not reserved by law in the way it is in some countries, but professional membership of Sveriges Arkitekter (shown as SAR/MSA) and certifications should appear only if actually held. Architectural photographs are protected by copyright: check that the photographer's licence covers web use and future marketing. Contact forms and analytics fall under the GDPR, supervised in Sweden by IMY (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten). WCAG 2.1 AA is a sensible technical reference for accessibility, and the European Accessibility Act, applicable since 28 June 2025, mainly targets specific consumer services. This is not legal advice.
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Which red flags should you watch in quotes?
- A price with no list of templates: a portfolio page, a project page and a news page are separate templates.
- Images uploaded uncompressed: a 40 MB homepage is common on architecture sites.
- A domain or hosting account in the agency's name.
- No word on photo licences when the agency proposes to reuse images.
- A proprietary CMS that only the agency can edit.
- Translation not mentioned when you need Swedish and English.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Johan L., partner in a 12-person Gothenburg practice focused on housing and schools, receives two proposals. A local agency quotes 165 000 SEK (about 14 350 EUR) including Swedish copy, delivered in 14 weeks. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 200 EUR with a bilingual FR/EN site, and the firm books a Swedish translator for 1 800 EUR.
Build and language: 14 350 EUR with the agency against 10 000 EUR with Kolonell, a 4 350 EUR gap. With the same maintenance assumption over the remaining months (about 4 200 EUR on each side), the 3-year totals become roughly 18 550 EUR and 14 200 EUR. The gap is real but smaller than on Starter, so Johan weighs it against the value of studio meetings in Swedish. A firm that wants Swedish-only content and frequent face-to-face workshops could reasonably choose the local agency.
FAQ
How much does an architecture firm website cost in Gothenburg in 2026?
With a local agency, expect about 80 000 to 300 000 SEK (about 7 000 to 26 000 EUR) depending on scope, and 25 000 to 90 000 SEK with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 EUR.
Can Kolonell write the Swedish version?
No. Kolonell writes native English and French; the Swedish copy is supplied by the firm or quoted separately. Many Gothenburg practices budget 1 000 to 2 000 EUR for a professional translator.
Who takes the photos of our projects?
The firm supplies its existing architectural photography or books a local photographer. Check that each licence covers web use; Kolonell does not shoot on site.
How long does a project take?
3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth, once your images and project texts are ready. Premium gets a written schedule at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks.
How does payment work?
By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. On Premium, that means two payments of 4 100 EUR.
Let's scope your project. Send us your project list, your best images and the languages you need, 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.
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.