Website redesign for an architecture firm in Auckland: budget, timeline and risks (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Auckland, an architecture firm redesigning its website has to think about two audiences: clients comparing portfolios, and candidates (graduates, technologists, registered architects) who judge the studio culture before applying. A local agency prices a redesign at NZD 15,000 to 35,000 as a 2026 ballpark (about USD 8,850 to 20,650), while the Kolonell fixed grid is USD 2,900 (Starter), USD 4,900 (Growth) and USD 8,900 (Premium). An honest careers section, with no invented figures, matters as much as the project gallery.

Which signals show the site is costing you clients and hires?

The Auckland market mixes residential intensification, commercial work and mixed-use projects. A practice focused on timber, low-carbon and retrofit work attracts specific profiles, who read the site before sending a portfolio. The warning signs:

• the "Careers" page boils down to "send your CV to info@";
• no page explains the graduate programme or internships;
• retrofit projects show neither the existing building nor the approach, only finished photos;
• claims like "zero carbon" or "sustainable" rest on no data supplied by the practice, which is a problem under the Fair Trading Act;
• the site presents the whole team as "architects" when the title registered architect is protected under the Registered Architects Act 2005 and the register is kept by the NZRAB.

Touches of te reo Māori belong on the site only if the practice already uses them, with care and appropriate review.

What does the redesign cost in Auckland?

2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages. Approximate conversion: NZD 1 ≈ USD 0.59.

Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support. Details are on the international offer page. These stay on quote: embedded applicant tracking system (ATS), BIM viewer, project extranet, client portal, tender document room, CRM, SEO work beyond the migration.

What goes into the careers section, and who supplies what?

The Privacy Act 2020 covers candidate data: only ask for what you need to assess the application and say how long you keep it. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner publishes guidance on these principles. This is not legal advice.

Which risks during the 3 to 4 weeks, and how do you avoid them?

Phases: URL inventory and Search Console export (3 days); architecture plus project and careers templates (1 week); build and image conversion to WebP or AVIF with lazy loading (1 to 2 weeks); compliance review and cutover (3 to 5 days); Search Console monitoring for 6 weeks.

• Search ranking loss: a 301 redirect for every old URL, including old job ads redirected to the careers page.
• Environmental claims: every mention of carbon performance or sustainability rating is real and documented by the practice, otherwise it comes off.
• Project migration: photo credit and client consent for every project, private houses without addresses, resource and building consent processes described in general terms.
• Forms: client contact limited to name, contact, project type, location area and rough budget; plans and documents through a separate secure channel, on quote.
• Downtime: midweek DNS switch, email tested on the day.

Questions to ask your provider: who writes the careers copy? How do we take down a filled role? Where are candidate portfolios stored?

An Auckland agency remains the better choice if you want a full employer brand campaign with video filmed in the studio, team workshops and an ATS integrated from day one.

Mini case study

Illustrative example: Northbeam Studio, an 11-person Auckland practice specialising in timber, low-carbon and retrofit work. The old site has 38 URLs and a single line about hiring.

• Kolonell Growth: USD 4,900.
• One day of portraits and studio photos by a local photographer (third-party cost): NZD 1,800, about USD 1,060.
• Total: USD 5,960.

A reference point the directors set, not a promise: a recruitment agency often charges 15 to 20% of first-year salary (market assumption). For a NZD 85,000 role, 15% is NZD 12,750, about USD 7,520. The site guarantees no applications, but it gives direct candidates a reason to apply without an intermediary.

FAQ

Do we need one page per open role?

Yes, once you have 2 or 3 roles open at once: each ad gets its own URL and date. Once filled, the URL redirects to the careers page.

Can we write "architect" on every profile?

No. The title registered architect is protected under the Registered Architects Act 2005; only people on the NZRAB register use it. Others are presented as graduates, technologists or designers.

How long should we keep applications?

The Privacy Act 2020 says not to keep them longer than necessary. Many practices set a period, for example 6 to 12 months, and state it in the candidate notice.

How long does the redesign take?

3 to 4 weeks with Kolonell once content is ready. The careers copy often takes the directors 1 week of work.

Can our recruitment software be connected?

Yes, on quote: the ATS is linked or embedded. It is not included in the USD 4,900 Growth tier.

Request a free quote and attach this year's hiring plan.

Let's scope your project. Share your current URLs, open roles and hiring calendar: we will price Growth or Premium with a careers section ready to publish. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.