The verdict in three sentences
In Port Louis, an architecture firm that wants to bid for public or institutional work needs a site that reads like a submission: capabilities, team, references sorted by building type, and a downloadable PDF. The redesign costs USD 2,900 to 8,900 with Kolonell in 2026, against a ballpark of MUR 150,000 to 500,000 (about USD 3,300 to 11,000) from local agencies. The main risk is breaking project pages that already rank during migration, and it is managed with a URL inventory, a 301 redirect map and six weeks of Search Console monitoring.
Does your current site work against you with an evaluation panel?
An institutional client, a Smart City type developer or an IRS or PDS programme manager often looks at a firm's site before reading its bid. What they look for is factual.
| Signal on the current site | What the evaluator sees | Fix during the redesign |
|---|---|---|
| Single portfolio, no sorting | Comparable references are impossible to find | Projects filtered by type and scale |
| No team page | No idea which profiles can be deployed | Team profiles with roles and real qualifications |
| No capabilities page | The firm seems to design only villas | Capabilities page: services, method, tools |
| No downloadable document | You have to write in to get a pack | Credentials PDF kept up to date from the site |
| Slow on mobile | Impression of a loosely run practice | WebP or AVIF images, lazy loading |
| English only or French only | Part of the panel reads with difficulty | French and English, Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
Procurement rules vary by buyer: the site never replaces the documents a tender requires, it makes them credible. Stay general on these procedures and always follow the official tender documents.
What goes into an online capability kit?
Five pieces of content make the difference, all supplied or validated by the firm:
- A capabilities page: services actually offered, from sketch design to site supervision, with the working method.
- A team page: roles, real qualifications, languages spoken. The title of architect and registration with the Professional Architects' Council appear only if the people concerned hold them.
- References by building type: residential, hospitality, public buildings, with photo credits and written client permission for every project; private houses without addresses.
- A credentials PDF, downloadable and laid out from the site pages so it stays current; its exact format is set in the quote.
- A careers page for architects and technologists, which also shows team capacity.
Awards, competitions, publications and sustainability certifications appear only if real and supplied by the firm.
What does the redesign cost, and how long does it take?
Local ranges are a 2026 ballpark based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages, converted approximately into USD.
| Provider | Redesign (2026 ballpark) | Approximate equivalent | Typical lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mauritius freelancer | MUR 50,000 to 150,000 | USD 1,100 to 3,300 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Local agency, brochure site | MUR 150,000 to 300,000 | USD 3,300 to 6,500 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Local agency, full bilingual site | MUR 300,000 to 500,000 | USD 6,500 to 11,000 | 8 to 14 weeks |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | USD 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | USD 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | USD 8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native French or English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support. See the international offer page.
The typical calendar: week 1 for the URL inventory and the reference structure; weeks 2 and 3 for the build, portfolio migration and image conversion; week 4 for proofreading, 301 redirects and go-live, followed by six weeks of Search Console monitoring. Avoid cutting over while preparing a major bid.
Which risks, and what stays on quote?
Search ranking loss. Every project page already visible is listed, 301-redirected and monitored in Search Console.
References migrated without proof. One sheet per project records the photo credit, the client permission and the firm's exact role.
Broken integrations. Links to the project extranet or drawing storage are tested before cutover.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Email downtime. TTL lowered 48 hours before, midweek cutover.
Unchecked marketing content. Review before go-live: titles, registrations, awards and descriptions of permit procedures with local authorities, presented in general terms, never as advice. The form, subject to the Data Protection Act 2017 and the oversight of the Data Protection Office, collects only name, contact, project type, approximate location and an indicative budget. This is not legal advice.
On quote: BIM viewer, project extranet, client portal, tender document room, CRM and a secure channel for sending drawings, always linked or embedded, never rebuilt.
Questions to ask: who updates the credentials PDF? Who checks the redirects? Who owns the domain? What does maintenance cost after the included period?
When is a Mauritian agency the better choice? If you need in-person workshops with your partners, a photographer sent to your sites by the same provider, or an agency that already supports your bids. For a clear scope, request a free quote.
Mini case study
Studio Morne Clair (illustrative example) is a small Port Louis practice designing high-end private houses and second homes. It wants to answer its first institutional calls for proposals, and its site shows only villas, with no team page.
It chooses Growth at USD 4,900, with a local photographer (third-party cost) at USD 800 for team portraits. Over three years, adding maintenance at USD 70 a month for 33 months (market assumption; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months on quote), or USD 2,310, the total reaches 4,900 + 800 + 2,310 = USD 8,010, about USD 222 a month. Moving to Premium at USD 8,900 only makes sense if the firm wants complete French and English versions. No shortlisting is guaranteed: the site only makes the submission easier to read.
FAQ
Is a credentials PDF really useful?
Yes for buyers who circulate packs internally. It is generated from the site pages and its format is set in the quote, from Growth at USD 4,900.
How long does the redesign take?
Three to four weeks with Kolonell once content is ready, against 6 to 14 weeks for a local agency according to typical quotes.
Can we keep our older projects?
Yes, if each has a photo credit and client permission. Allow 1 to 2 hours per project on the firm's side to check them.
Should the site be bilingual?
For mixed panels, often. Premium at USD 8,900 is the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote.
Let's scope your project. A Port Louis architecture firm redesign aimed at institutional work fits on one page: capability pages, references, a budget of USD 2,900 to 8,900 and go-live 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.
