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

The verdict in three sentences

In Manama, an architecture firm website from a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 1 500 to 7 500 BHD (about 4 000 to 20 000 USD), with the top of the range reserved for bilingual English and Arabic sites with heavy custom design. Kolonell delivers the portfolio, studio profile and enquiry journey for a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD, in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. In a market as small and referral-driven as Bahrain, the deciding factors are the 3-year cost, the quality of the project write-ups and whether you need someone physically on site to photograph your work.

How do Manama agencies, freelancers and Kolonell compare on price?

These figures are prudent ballparks, not official rates. They come from public rate cards of Bahraini and wider Gulf agencies, minimum project sizes listed on Clutch.co, hourly rates published by Manama studios (often 15 to 35 BHD per hour, roughly 40 to 95 USD) and freelance rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr. The spread is wide because scope varies: eight projects in English is a very different job from forty projects in two languages.

Honestly, a good Manama freelancer can undercut Kolonell's Starter tier. The difference lies in a written scope, a project manager, native copywriting and a clean handover. That project manager is reachable in your time zone: Google Meet calls in the Manama early afternoon and a written update every week. The team works on GMT, three hours behind Bahrain, and plans around the Friday and Saturday weekend. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. See the international website offer for the full terms.

What will the site really cost over three years?

The build is the visible part. Hosting, maintenance and new project pages add up over 36 months. Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table below applies the same maintenance assumption on both sides.

Use this as a template, not a forecast. Give it to every bidder and compare like with like.

Which Kolonell tier fits a Bahraini practice?

An Arabic version is built from Arabic copy you supply or quoted separately. A client extranet, a drawing-sharing portal or an intranet is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing search work.

What should a Manama architecture website show?

Bahrain's work comes from waterfront and mixed-use developments around Bahrain Bay, Seef and Diyar Al Muharraq, from residential towers in Juffair, from fit-out of offices and restaurants, and from heritage work in Muharraq, where the Pearling Path is a UNESCO World Heritage site. A share of clients come across the King Fahd Causeway from Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. The website should help them all decide quickly:

• Sector filters: residential, hospitality, workplace fit-out, heritage. A developer and a restaurateur look for different proof.
• Fit-out shown with real photos: interiors projects win on finish quality, so allow for strong photography even on Starter.
• Heritage projects described with care: credit the client and authorities correctly and say exactly what your role was.
• Accurate professional titles: engineering and architectural practice in Bahrain is regulated by the Council for Regulating the Practice of Engineering Professions. Present licences and categories exactly as granted and keep the word architect for those entitled to it.
• Image rights: confirm your photographer's licence covers web use, and ask clients before publishing private homes.

Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018) has applied since August 2019. It is relevant to contact forms, newsletter sign-ups, cookies and where enquiry data is held. This is not legal advice.

Questions to ask before signing

• Which pages, projects and languages does the price include, in writing?
• Who registers the domain, and in whose name?
• Who writes the project descriptions, and are they in the quote?
• How fast does a gallery page load on a phone over mobile data?
• What does a new project page cost after launch?
• Can you leave the maintenance contract and keep every access?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Noora K., partner in a five-person interior architecture and fit-out studio in Seef, wants to replace a portfolio PDF with a real site. A Manama agency quotes 2 800 BHD (about 7 450 USD) in 9 weeks. Kolonell proposes Starter at 2 900 USD in 3 to 4 weeks for her eight strongest projects, and she books a local photographer for three recent fit-outs at 300 BHD (about 800 USD).

Agency: 7 450 USD. Kolonell plus photographer: 3 700 USD, a 3 750 USD difference. If the studio grows, moving to a fuller portfolio later is quoted at that time. Noora notes that an agency with a stills and video team would make sense for a large hospitality launch.

FAQ

What does an architecture firm website cost in Manama in 2026?

A local agency typically charges 1 500 to 7 500 BHD, about 4 000 to 20 000 USD, and a freelancer 350 to 1 400 BHD. Kolonell's tiers are fixed at 2 900, 4 900 and 8 900 USD.

Is Kolonell cheaper than every local option?

No. A Bahraini freelancer can be cheaper than the 2 900 USD Starter tier. Kolonell's case rests on native copy, a project manager, a fixed scope and full ownership.

Can you build the Arabic version?

Yes, from Arabic copy you supply or as a separately quoted item. The French and English bilingual site is included in Premium at 8 900 USD.

How long does the project take?

Three to four weeks on Starter and Growth once content is received. Premium gets a written schedule at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks.

What happens after launch?

Support is included for 3 months, or 6 months on Premium. After that, maintenance is quoted on request and you keep the domain and every access.

Let's scope your project. Send us your project list, your sectors and the languages you need, and we reply with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.