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

The verdict in three sentences

In Lausanne, an architecture firm website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, between 8 000 and 30 000 CHF, and more for a practice that wants custom animation or several languages. Kolonell builds the project portfolio, competition pages and team page for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. The real comparison is the 3-year total cost, the quality of the photographs of your built work (which Kolonell does not produce) and how each quote handles image rights and the way your qualifications are presented.

This version is written for the English-speaking partners of architecture practices in Lausanne, many of whom came through EPFL or work for international clients around Lake Geneva.

What do Lausanne agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?

The ranges below are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of agencies in French-speaking Switzerland, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates commonly published by Vaud web agencies (often 120 to 190 CHF per hour) and rates visible on Malt or Upwork. They vary widely with the number of projects to publish, the languages and the level of animation.

A point of honesty: a good Vaud freelancer can offer a simple site at a price close to Kolonell's Starter. The difference then lies in the written fixed price, the project copy included and a project manager who holds the schedule. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise: 50 % to start, 50 % at delivery. The project manager works in your time zone, with Google Meet calls at a time that suits the practice and a written update every week; the team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Lausanne depending on the season. Full details are on our international website offer.

Which 3-year total cost should you compare?

The build price is only part of the bill. A practice also pays for hosting, maintenance, adding a section (publications, awards, competitions) and often photo licences. The table assumes the same maintenance budget on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request.

These figures structure the comparison; they do not predict your invoice. Ask every supplier to fill in the same table and the real gaps show up quickly. In both cases, the practice adds new projects itself through the admin interface.

What does each Kolonell tier include for an architecture firm?

A client extranet for sharing drawings or an office intranet is a custom application, quoted on request. So is ongoing search work.

What does a Lausanne architecture practice website need?

Lausanne practices work for housing cooperatives, Vaud municipalities, institutional investors and private owners transforming a house in the upper town or in Lavaux. Many enter competitions, and the EPFL ecosystem also brings international clients. The site therefore has to:

• Show projects rigorously: programme, client (if permitted), floor area, SIA phase, year, photo credits.
• Present competitions honestly: ranking, jury, project status, without implying that a winning entry has been built when it has not.
• State qualifications exactly: degree, REG registration (A, B or C), SIA membership. Several cantons, including Vaud, regulate who may practise and submit plans; display only what can be verified.
• Respect photo copyright: an image commissioned for a publication is not necessarily licensed for the web. Check each licence with the photographer.
• Load fast on mobile despite heavy images, using compressed formats.

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How do you compare quotes, and which red flags matter?

• A price without a written scope: ask for the list of pages, the number of projects included and the languages.
• A domain registered in the supplier's name: it must be in yours.
• No copywriting in the quote: without project texts, the job stalls for weeks.
• Project photos uploaded with no question about licences.
• A generic theme that crushes images or forces slow animations on mobile.
• Mandatory long-term maintenance with no way to take back control.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Sophie M., partner in a six-person Lausanne practice focused on cooperative housing, receives two proposals. A local agency quotes 16 000 CHF, delivered in 10 weeks. Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 500 CHF, delivered in 4 weeks. In both cases, the practice pays the photographer 2 400 CHF to extend the licences of three recent projects to the web.

Build and photos: 18 400 CHF with the agency versus 6 900 CHF with Kolonell, an 11 500 CHF gap. With the same maintenance assumption of 120 CHF per month over 33 months (3 960 CHF on each side), the 3-year total becomes 22 360 CHF versus 10 860 CHF. Sophie picks the second option and keeps the local agency in mind for a future presentation film shot on site.

FAQ

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

With a local agency, expect a ballpark of 8 000 to 30 000 CHF depending on scope, and 3 000 to 9 000 CHF with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF.

Are photos of our projects included?

No. The practice supplies its images or books an architectural photographer, often around 1 200 to 2 500 CHF per day based on published rates. This is a genuine advantage of local agencies, which can coordinate a shoot on site.

Can we add projects ourselves?

Yes, every tier includes an admin interface to publish a new project without outside help. Training is covered during the 3 months of support.

Can the site be in English and French?

Yes, the bilingual FR/EN site is included in Premium at 8 200 CHF. A German version is supplied by the practice or quoted separately.

How does payment work?

By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. On Growth, that means two payments of 2 250 CHF.

Let's scope your project. Send us your project list, the images you have and your recent competitions, 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.