Website redesign for an architecture firm in Zug: budget, timeline and risks (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Zug, an architecture firm's redesign is judged first on the multilingual journey: a public client reads German, while an international company director or a future second-home owner often looks for English. A local agency typically quotes CHF 15,000 to 50,000 for a bilingual redesign, while Kolonell offers Growth at CHF 4,500 and Premium at CHF 8,200, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Without correct hreflang tags and a 301 map, the English version can compete with the German one instead of complementing it.

Who visits a Zug practice website, and in which language?

Zug is home to many international companies and foreign residents. One site has to serve audiences that need different pages.

Permit procedures are handled by the commune and the canton; the site describes them in general terms, never as advice.

What does the redesign cost, line by line?

Local ranges are a ballpark from typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages. Starter, at CHF 2,700, suits a single-language site and is rarely enough in Zug. Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support (details on the international offer).

How do you structure languages without losing traffic?

• One URL per language (for example /de/ and /en/), never an automatic redirect based on IP address: visitors choose their language.
• Reciprocal hreflang on every page pair, with de-CH, en and an x-default value; a German page with no English equivalent gets no alternate tag.
• Translation reviewed by a native speaker: a machine-translated project page shows, especially to a public client.
• URL inventory and 301 map for every old page, then Search Console monitoring for 6 weeks, language by language.
• Optimised images in WebP or AVIF, responsive sizes, lazy loading; private houses without addresses, photo credits and client permission for every project.
• Compliance review before go-live: titles, REG registration or SIA membership only if held, a minimal form (name, contact, project type, area, rough budget) in line with the nLPD, and the GDPR if you target EU residents. Plans go through a separate secure channel, on quote. This is not legal advice.

Kolonell schedule: week 1, inventory and bilingual structure; week 2, design and copy; week 3, build and migration; week 4, testing, hreflang, 301s and go-live, with an off-peak DNS switch and TTL lowered 48 hours ahead.

When a local agency is the better choice. If you bid on tenders that require in-person meetings in Zug, a custom-built competition document portal or a full visual identity, a regional agency remains the simpler option. In every case, ask: who translates and who reviews? Are hreflang tags tested before go-live? How many pages are migrated within the price?

Mini case study

Illustrative example: Baubüro Steinmatt, a mid-size firm working on schools and public buildings, also wants to reach international residents. Its German site has 70 pages. It has 25 key pages translated into English: 25 x 400 words = 10,000 words, at CHF 0.30 per word with an independent translator (third-party cost), so CHF 3,000. With Premium at CHF 8,200, the total reaches CHF 11,200, against a hypothetical bilingual local quote of CHF 30,000. The 301 map covers 70 URLs and the site has 25 hreflang pairs; the 45 German-only pages have no alternate.

FAQ

Does the whole site need an English version?

No. Translating 20 to 30 key pages is often enough: home, firm, team, services, flagship projects, contact. The rest can stay in German.

De-CH or de in hreflang?

De-CH targets German-speaking Switzerland, de targets all German speakers. Pick one value and apply it to 100% of pairs.

How much does translating a project page cost?

A 400-word page costs roughly CHF 100 to 160 with an independent translator, a third-party cost, as a 2026 ballpark.

Do public clients really look at the website?

Often, to check references and team before reading a submission. An up-to-date team page and 5 to 10 documented references count for more than animations.

What about the old English subdomain?

Redirect each URL with a 301 to its /en/ equivalent and keep those rules for at least 12 months.

Let's scope your project. Tell us your languages, audiences and number of project pages, and we will price the tier, third-party translation and the schedule. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.