The verdict in three sentences
A Cambridge architecture firm that wants to win institutional work (colleges, the university, research buildings) needs a site that reads like a credentials pack: capabilities, team, qualifications and a downloadable capability statement. In 2026, this kind of redesign usually costs £9,000 to £45,000 depending on the local provider (ballpark), against £2,300 (Starter), £3,900 (Growth) or £6,900 (Premium) on Kolonell's fixed grid, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. The main risk is portfolio migration: every indexed project page must be inventoried, 301-redirected and monitored in Search Console for 6 weeks.
Why is a private-house portfolio not enough for institutional work?
Many small practices around Cambridge built their site around private houses: large images, little text, no structure a procurement panel can follow. An institutional buyer looks for three things quickly: what the team can do, who is on it, and how to assess it.
Signals that a redesign is due:
- no capabilities page describing the types of commission (feasibility, design, contract administration) without promising outcomes;
- a team page without clear qualifications: architect is a protected title under the Architects Act 1997 and reserved for people on the ARB register, so it should appear only for them; RIBA Chartered Practice only if the firm holds it;
- no downloadable, accessible capability statement or credentials PDF;
- project pages weighing 6 to 12 MB that load poorly on mobile;
- private houses shown with addresses or without written client approval;
- awards or certifications listed with no evidence supplied.
Planning permission, conservation areas and listed building consent go through the local planning authority: the site can explain your approach, never give regulatory advice.
What budget should you plan, scope by scope?
2026 ballpark figures, based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages in Cambridge and London:
| Redesign scope | Local agency budget | Kolonell tier | Kolonell price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focused 6 to 8 page site, 10 projects | £6,000 to £12,000 | Starter | £2,300 |
| Portfolio of 20 to 40 projects with typology filters | £12,000 to £22,000 | Growth | £3,900 |
| Capabilities, team and credentials pages structured for tenders | £15,000 to £28,000 | Growth | £3,900 |
| Accessible credentials PDF template | £1,500 to £4,000 | Growth or Premium | Included if set in the quote |
| Advanced multi-sector structure, the multilingual tier (languages set in the quote) | £25,000 to £45,000 | Premium | £6,900 |
| Project extranet, BIM viewer, tender document room | £8,000 and up | Outside the grid | On quote |
Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support (see the international offer). A freelancer will often ask £3,000 to £8,000, but rarely covers the redirect map and the copy.
How long does the redesign take?
- Week 1: URL inventory (project pages, news, services), 301 map, structure aimed at institutional buyers.
- Week 2: capabilities and team copy, project selection with photo credits and client approvals.
- Week 3: design, build, images in WebP or AVIF, credentials PDF template.
- Week 4: compliance review, WCAG 2.2 AA tests, go-live, then 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring.
With a local agency, expect 10 to 18 weeks. Either way, the clock starts once photos, credits and approved copy are available.
Which risks, and which safeguards?
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Safeguard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lost visibility of indexed project pages | High without a 301 map | Severe | Full inventory, one-to-one redirects, weekly 404 checks |
| Photos with no credit or usage licence | Medium | Severe | Log of photographer credits and licences before migration |
| Identifiable private house | Medium | Severe | No address, no street view, written client approval |
| Misuse of the architect title | Low | Severe | Check every bio against the ARB register |
| Intrusive enquiry form | Medium | Moderate | Name, contact, project type, location area, rough budget; drawings sent through a separate secure channel, on quote |
| Cookies set without consent | Medium | Moderate | PECR-compliant banner, analytics after consent |
| Email outage at cutover | Low | Severe | DNS TTL lowered 48 hours before, MX records untouched |
Forms and the privacy notice follow UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and ICO guidance. Accessibility targets WCAG 2.2 AA, in line with the Equality Act 2010. This is not legal advice.
On quote: project extranet, BIM viewer, client portal, tender document room and CRM integration. They are linked or embedded, never rebuilt inside a fixed-grid site. A recruitment page for architects and technologists is included.
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Which questions to ask, and when is a local agency better?
Ask every provider: who writes the capabilities pages, how photo credits are handled, who monitors Search Console after go-live, and what sits outside the fixed price. A Cambridge agency remains the better choice if you want in-person workshops with the directors, an on-site coordinated photo shoot or ongoing support on bid responses. For a scoped redesign, written and delivered within a month, the fixed grid is easier to budget.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Tom, director of Hartley Fen Studio, a fictional 4-person practice (two directors on the ARB register) designing high-end private houses and second homes. Goal: present its capabilities to institutional clients. Current site: 60 URLs, including 32 project pages.
- Growth tier: £3,900.
- New photos of 6 projects by a local photographer (third-party cost): £1,200.
- Internal time: 2 directors x 6 hours = 12 hours to approve capabilities and bios.
- Total: £3,900 + £1,200 = £5,100, against £15,000 + £1,200 = £16,200 with the local quote received.
- Gap: £11,100, roughly the cost of preparing several bid submissions in-house.
FAQ
Should we keep every old project page?
No, but every indexed URL must 301-redirect to the migrated project or a typology page. For 32 pages, the inventory takes about 1 day.
Is a credentials PDF really useful?
Yes for institutional buyers, who circulate it internally. It must be accessible (tagged, sufficient contrast) and updated at least twice a year.
Can we show our awards?
Only those you can evidence, with their exact name. An inaccurate claim can cost more in credibility than the £3,900 redesign.
Can the client extranet be part of the fixed price?
No, it stays on quote because it involves security and access rights. The £2,300 or £3,900 site simply links to it securely.
When should we go live?
Avoid the 2 weeks before a major bid deadline. Plan the cutover on a Tuesday or Wednesday, then 6 weeks of monitoring, and request a free quote to fix the calendar.
Let's scope your project. A redesign aimed at institutional clients, with portfolio migration and a 301 map, from £2,300 to £6,900 in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.
