The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture firm in Fribourg, a redesign depends as much on choosing the cutover date as on design: a failed launch in the week of a competition submission or during the holidays costs more than the site itself. A local agency typically quotes CHF 12,000 to 38,000 for a redesign, often more for French and German versions, while the Kolonell fixed grid offers Growth at CHF 4,500 and Premium at CHF 8,200, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. The three things that most often break on launch day are DNS records, email and 301 redirects.
When to switch? Windows to aim for and avoid
Fribourg is a bilingual city, and a practice working for hotels and restaurants has clients whose business follows the seasons. The cutover calendar has to account for both.
| Period | Typical constraint | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| January to mid-February | moderate workload in many practices | good launch window |
| 3 weeks before a competition submission | team fully booked, site sometimes viewed by organisers | freeze the site, no cutover |
| Easter holidays | absences at the firm and at clients | prepare, do not switch |
| July and August | reduced teams, slow replies from registrars and providers | write and shoot photos, switch in September |
| September to November | busy restart, many tenders | switch possible outside deadlines |
| Second half of December | holidays, peak activity for hotel and restaurant clients | avoid |
A clear sign the redesign is due: you no longer dare send the site link with a submission, because project pages are slow, the German version is incomplete or photo credits are missing.
How much does a redesign cost in Fribourg in 2026?
| Option | 2026 ballpark | German version | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fribourg agency, bespoke redesign | CHF 12,000 to 38,000 | often CHF 4,000 to 9,000 extra | 8 to 14 weeks |
| Local agency, theme-based redesign | CHF 7,000 to 14,000 | CHF 2,000 to 5,000 extra | 5 to 8 weeks |
| Freelancer | CHF 5,000 to 14,000 | variable | 6 to 12 weeks |
| Kolonell Starter | CHF 2,700 | no, one language | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | CHF 4,500 | no, one language | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | CHF 8,200 | the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | 3 to 4 weeks |
Local ranges are a ballpark from typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages. German translation, if not included in the Premium quote, is handled by an independent translator, a third-party cost. Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support; maintenance after that is on quote. See the international offer.
These stay on quote as separate lines, linked or embedded: site extranet, BIM viewer, competition document room, CRM and a secure channel for receiving plans.
The cutover plan, from D-30 to D+42
| When | Action | Who |
|---|---|---|
| D-30 | URL inventory, registrar and DNS access, list of mailboxes | firm and Kolonell |
| D-14 | 301 map approved, MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records captured | Kolonell |
| D-7 | compliance review, press kit finalised, photo credits checked | firm |
| D-2 | DNS TTL lowered to 300 seconds | Kolonell |
| D0, a Tuesday morning | switch, test 301s, forms and email sending and receiving | Kolonell |
| D+7 | Search Console: sitemap submitted, 404 errors fixed | Kolonell |
| D+42 | review of the 6 weeks of monitoring | firm and Kolonell |
Email is the classic trap: if your mailboxes are hosted with the same provider as the old site, moving hosting without copying the MX records cuts incoming mail. The press kit (logos, portraits, credited project photos, firm fact sheet) stays at the same address or gets a 301: journalists or hotel clients preparing an opening may use it during the cutover. It lists only real coverage and awards.
Other risks: heavy project pages (WebP or AVIF, responsive sizes, lazy loading), hotel and restaurant clients named only with their consent, titles shown, REG registration or SIA membership only if held. Cantonal rules on who may practise and permit procedures are described in general terms. The form collects the minimum (name, contact, project type, area, rough budget), in line with the nLPD. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask the provider: who captures the DNS records before the switch? On which day and at what time does go-live happen? Who tests email? When a local agency is the better choice: if your visual identity has to be recreated in on-site workshops, or the redesign includes a custom-built competition portal, a Fribourg agency will be more at ease.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Studio Vuistelle, a practice focused on hotel and restaurant interiors and buildings, has a competition submission on 26 March. Content ready on 2 February, 4 weeks of build, cutover on Tuesday 2 March: that leaves a 24-day margin before the submission, beyond the recommended 3-week freeze. Budget: Premium CHF 8,200 for French and German, plus an independent translator (third-party cost) for 20 pages of 350 words, so 7,000 words x CHF 0.30 = CHF 2,100. Total: CHF 10,300, against a hypothetical bilingual local quote of CHF 26,000.
FAQ
Which day should we go live?
A Tuesday or Wednesday morning, never a Friday. That gives the team 2 to 3 working days to fix any issue.
How long does downtime last?
With the TTL lowered to 300 seconds 48 hours ahead, usually a few minutes. Without preparation, propagation can take 24 to 48 hours.
Does the whole site need a German version?
Not necessarily: 15 to 25 key pages are often enough. Premium, at CHF 8,200, is the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote.
What happens to the old press kit?
It keeps its address or gets a 301 redirect. Update the photos and credits, and keep the file under 10 MB.
Can we redesign during an ongoing competition?
Yes, if the cutover happens at least 3 weeks before the submission or after it. Preparation work can run in parallel.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your competition deadlines, languages and number of project pages, and we will price the tier and set a realistic cutover date. 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.
