The verdict in three sentences
A Kuala Lumpur architecture firm can redesign its site for USD 4,900 to 8,900 on the Kolonell grid, against roughly MYR 15,000 to 60,000 (about USD 3,450 to 13,800) in typical local agency quotes. Delivery takes 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, with English, Malay and optional Chinese handled in Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. For firms moving toward sustainability and retrofit work, the redesign is mainly an evidence exercise: every energy, timber or reuse claim must be backed by what the firm has actually delivered.
Does your site still describe the firm you were five years ago?
Signs we see in Kuala Lumpur practices that have shifted toward developer housing or retrofit:
- The home page still leads with private bungalows, while most fee income now comes from multi-unit residential work for developers.
- Retrofit and adaptive reuse projects sit at the bottom of a 40-project grid, with no page explaining the approach.
- Galleries load 25 to 50 uncompressed images per project, so pages take 6 seconds or more on mobile.
- The team page uses the word architect for everyone. Under the Architects Act 1967 the title is regulated and the Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM) keeps the register, so the site should use it only for registered people and a registered firm.
- The contact form invites site plans as attachments.
How do you present sustainability and retrofit expertise without overclaiming?
Developers and their consultants read these pages closely. The safest structure is a method page plus project pages that show what was done, in the firm's own words.
| Claim type | Fine on the site | Avoid | Evidence the firm keeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passive design for a tropical climate | Description of shading, cross-ventilation and orientation strategies used | Promised energy savings in percent | Drawings and design reports |
| Retrofit and adaptive reuse | What was kept, what was changed, why | "Carbon neutral" without a verified basis | Project brief and scope |
| Timber or low-carbon materials | Materials actually specified | Unspecified "green materials" | Specifications |
| Green building certifications | Only ratings the project really obtained, with reference | Any rating not yet awarded | Certificate or official listing |
| Awards and press | Only real ones supplied by the firm | Vague "award-winning" | Award letter, article link |
| Planning approvals | General description of the local authority process | Anything read as advice | Not needed on site |
Planning approval goes through the local authority; describe it as a general step in your process, never as guidance a reader could rely on.
What does it cost, and how long does it take?
Ranges are 2026 ballpark figures from typical agency quotes and public rate pages, converted approximately at 1 MYR to about 0.23 USD.
| Option | MYR ballpark | USD approx. | Typical timeline | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance web designer | 4,000 to 12,000 | 920 to 2,760 | 3 to 6 weeks | Usually English only |
| Small KL agency | 15,000 to 30,000 | 3,450 to 6,900 | 6 to 10 weeks | English, Malay on request |
| Established KL agency | 30,000 to 60,000 | 6,900 to 13,800 | 10 to 16 weeks | English, Malay, Chinese |
| Kolonell Starter | n/a | 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language |
| Kolonell Growth | n/a | 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language |
| Kolonell Premium | n/a | 8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the 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. Native Malay or Chinese reviewers you appoint are third-party costs. Scope details on the international offer page.
Phases once content is ready: URL inventory and structure in days 1 to 3, design in week 1, build and portfolio migration in weeks 2 and 3, translations review and go-live in week 4, then 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring.
Which risks need a plan?
| Risk | Early warning sign | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking loss | Project URLs change with the new categories | URL inventory, 301 map, Search Console checks for 6 weeks |
| Image rights | Developer marketing renders reused without permission | Written permission and credit per image |
| Private homes exposed | Bungalow pages show street views | No addresses, interior views only |
| Unverified sustainability claims | Ratings mentioned without certificates | Partner sign-off on every claim before go-live |
| Broken embeds | BIM viewer or extranet links point to old domain | Linked or embedded, tested on staging |
| Downtime | DNS switched at peak hours | Lowered TTL, quiet weekday switch, under an hour |
| Privacy notice | Form fields changed, notice not updated | Review under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, as amended in 2024. This is not legal advice. |
On quote, outside the fixed grid: BIM viewers, project extranets, client and developer portals, tender document rooms, CRM integration, a secure channel for plans, custom applications and ongoing search work. Ask each provider who builds the 301 map, how three languages are kept in sync, and what the form stores. A KL agency is the better choice if you need in-person workshops with partners, on-site photography across many projects, or a long retainer with a team in the city.
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Mini case study
*Illustrative example.* Mei Ling directs Lantera Housing Studio, a fictional Kuala Lumpur firm whose work is now mostly multi-unit housing for developers. The site has 24 projects in one grid, English only.
- New structure: 3 sections (developer housing, retrofit, private homes), each project tagged once, about 4 hours of her time
- Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, English, Malay and Chinese set in the quote): USD 8,900
- Native Malay and Chinese reviewers she appoints (third-party cost): about MYR 2,500, roughly USD 575
- Hosting and maintenance, months 4 to 36: USD 45 x 33 = USD 1,485 (market assumption; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months on quote)
- Three-year total: 8,900 + 575 + 1,485 = USD 10,960
If she starts with English only on Growth at USD 4,900, the same view comes to 4,900 + 1,485 = USD 6,385. Request a free quote to compare both scopes.
FAQ
What does an architecture firm redesign cost in Kuala Lumpur?
Typical local quotes run from about MYR 15,000 to 60,000, or USD 3,450 to 13,800. Kolonell Growth is USD 4,900 and Premium USD 8,900.
Can we call everyone on the team an architect?
No, only people and firms on the LAM register under the Architects Act 1967. Other staff appear under their actual roles, for example 4 designers and 2 technologists.
Can we show a green building rating?
Only if the project actually obtained it, with the certificate reference. A pending rating stays off the site until it is awarded.
Do we need Malay and Chinese versions?
They sit in Premium at USD 8,900, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. Native review adds about 1 week.
How long until rankings settle after launch?
With a complete 301 map, most project pages are re-indexed within 2 to 6 weeks. Keep Search Console checks running for 6 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Send your project count, languages and launch month, and we will return a fixed-price scope on the USD 2,900 to 8,900 grid. 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.
