The verdict in three sentences
For a Valletta architecture firm, a website redesign is above all a portfolio redesign: dozens of restoration, residential and hospitality projects with heavy images, credits to check and pages that already rank. In 2026 a Maltese agency typically quotes EUR 6,000 to 20,000 for a redesign (ballpark), a freelancer EUR 2,500 to 7,000, and Kolonell's grid is fixed: EUR 2,700 (Starter), EUR 4,500 (Growth), EUR 8,200 (Premium). Project extranets, client portals and BIM tools stay on quote.
How do you know a redesign is due?
From Valletta to Sliema and St Julian's, firms work on highly visual projects, often within a historic fabric listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Typical signals:
- Project pages take more than 5 seconds to load on mobile because of 3 to 8 MB photos.
- The portfolio mixes completed projects, competitions and sketches with no distinction.
- The site is in English only, while Maltese and Italian clients also visit.
- The perit or architect title appears next to staff who do not hold it.
- The careers page is several years old.
See our international website offer for tier details.
What budget for which redesign?
A 2026 ballpark based on typical local agency quotes and public studio rate pages.
| Option | Budget | Timeline | Languages | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maltese agency | EUR 6,000 to 20,000 | 8 to 14 weeks | Per quote | Custom, often with photography |
| Freelancer | EUR 2,500 to 7,000 | 6 to 12 weeks | Usually English | Standard gallery template |
| Kolonell Starter | EUR 2,700 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language | Up to about ten projects |
| Kolonell Growth | EUR 4,500 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language | Full filterable portfolio, migration and 301s |
| Kolonell Premium | EUR 8,200 | 3 to 4 weeks | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | Full portfolio, advanced journeys |
| Project extranet, client portal, BIM | On quote | Depends on scope | Depends on scope | Outside the fixed grid |
Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support.
Which risks, and how to reduce them?
| Risk | Likelihood | Consequence | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking project pages deleted | High | Lost traffic and inbound links | URL inventory, 301 map, 6 weeks of Search Console checks |
| Oversized images | High | Slow pages on mobile | WebP or AVIF, lazy loading, several image sizes |
| Missing credits and permissions | Medium | Dispute with a photographer or client | Photo credit and client consent for each project |
| Professional title misused | Medium | Professional conduct issue | "Perit" or "architect" only for those who hold the title, checked by the firm |
| Unverifiable awards or figures | Low | Lost credibility | Only real distinctions, supplied by the firm |
| Downtime at switchover | Low | Site unavailable | DNS switch on a quiet day, rollback ready |
In Malta the perit title is regulated and the Kamra tal-Periti represents the profession: the firm itself checks who may use it. Applications to the Planning Authority are described in general terms, with no promise on approval times. On data, the GDPR applies, supervised by the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC): a contact form limited to what is needed, analytics cookies subject to consent. This is not legal advice.
What should you ask the provider?
- Who writes the 301 map, and who tests it after go-live?
- How are images compressed, and what average weight per project page do you target?
- Are Maltese and Italian written by native speakers, or machine-translated?
- Is the extranet or client portal priced separately?
- What does maintenance cost after delivery?
A Maltese agency is the better choice if you want an architectural photographer on every site, face-to-face meetings in Valletta or a custom project extranet from day one.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Studio Bastjun, a fictional four-partner firm in Valletta specialising in restoration and hospitality. Its site shows 36 projects, 11 of them pages that receive traffic, in English only.
- Premium tier: EUR 8,200, with English, Maltese and Italian set in the quote.
- Local architectural photographer (third-party cost): 6 projects x EUR 200 = EUR 1,200.
- Upfront total: 8,200 + 1,200 = EUR 9,400, in the lower half of a Maltese agency range (EUR 6,000 to 20,000).
- Image weight: 36 projects x 10 photos x 4 MB = 1,440 MB of original JPEGs; as WebP at about 300 KB, 108 MB, a reduction of more than 90%.
- The 11 ranking pages are 301-redirected. Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote.
FAQ
How long does the redesign take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once copy and photos are ready. For 30 to 40 projects, preparing content often takes the firm 2 weeks.
Should the site be in Maltese?
It depends on your clients. Premium at EUR 8,200 is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote; Growth at EUR 4,500 covers one language.
Can we show private projects?
Yes, with the client's written consent. Without it, a general description with no photo or address is safer, which often affects 10 to 20% of a residential portfolio.
Is the project extranet included?
No. Extranets, client portals and BIM integrations are priced on quote, connected to the tool the firm already uses.
What weight should a project page target?
Under 2 MB on first load is realistic with WebP or AVIF and lazy loading.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of projects, your languages and your calendar, and we will price the tier, the migration and the options in one document. 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.
