The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture practice in London, the website is the permanent portfolio reviewed by clients, competition juries and future hires. A serious 40-project portfolio costs between 10,000 and 20,000 GBP in 2026 (the same scope runs 7,000 to 15,000 EUR excluding VAT in Lyon), depending on filters, competition pages and image work. The real technical challenge is performance: showing high-resolution photos with an LCP under 2 seconds, within 8 weeks of production.
What drives the price of an architect's portfolio
An architecture practice website is judged first on visual quality. But a juror or developer opening the site on a phone between meetings leaves if the first image takes 5 seconds to load. The budget therefore splits between art direction, content structure and media optimization.
| Item | Scope | Share of budget | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art direction | Mockups, grid, typography | 20 to 25 % | 2,500 to 4,800 GBP |
| Project page template | Gallery, plans, data (area, cost, completion) | 15 % | 1,600 to 3,000 GBP |
| Filters and index | Building type, status, client, year | 10 to 15 % | 1,200 to 2,700 GBP |
| Competition pages | Winner, shortlisted, ongoing, team | 10 % | 1,000 to 2,000 GBP |
| Image pipeline | AVIF/WebP conversion, responsive sizes, lazy loading | 15 % | 1,600 to 3,000 GBP |
| Loading 40 projects | Entry, cropping, copy | 15 to 20 % | 1,500 to 3,500 GBP |
| SEO and practice pages | Team, careers, press | 10 % | 1,000 to 2,000 GBP |
Performance: keeping LCP under 2 seconds with heavy visuals
A raw architectural photo often weighs 8 to 15 MB. The site must serve it in AVIF, at the right size for each screen, with a blurred placeholder while it loads. The gains are measurable.
| Format and method | Hero image weight | Mobile 4G LCP | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw JPEG 6000 px | 9 MB | 7 to 10 s | Unacceptable |
| Compressed JPEG 2400 px | 850 KB | 3.2 s | Still too slow |
| Responsive WebP | 280 KB | 2.1 s | Acceptable |
| Responsive AVIF | 160 KB | 1.6 s | Target met |
| AVIF + preload + CDN | 160 KB | 1.2 s | Optimal |
With Next.js and a CDN, this pipeline is automatic: the team uploads the high-resolution photo to the CMS and the site generates every variant. Recurring costs stay low: hosting of 20 to 60 GBP per month and maintenance of 100 to 250 GBP per month.
Competition pages, an underrated business lever
For a practice that relies on public procurement, competition pages showcase references even when the entry did not win. A well-structured page (brief, client, floor area, construction budget, renders) becomes supporting evidence in the next bid. Add a careers page too: London practices struggle to hire Part 3 qualified architects, and the portfolio is often the first touchpoint.
Mini case study
Oliver, partner at a 12-person practice in London, sets a budget of 15,000 GBP for 40 projects, 8 competition pages and an AVIF pipeline. The practice wins an average of 2 competitions per year, each worth 150,000 GBP in fees. If the new portfolio lifts the shortlist rate from 20 to 26 %, the practice can expect roughly one extra win every 2 years, or 75,000 GBP of fees per year on average. The site pays for itself with the first additional win.
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FAQ
How much does a portfolio website for an architecture practice in London cost in 2026?
Expect 10,000 to 20,000 GBP for 30 to 50 projects. The median budget for a 10 to 15 person practice is around 14,000 GBP.
Why AVIF rather than JPEG?
At equal visual quality, an AVIF file is about 50 to 60 % lighter than a JPEG. That is what brings mobile LCP under 2 seconds.
Can we add projects ourselves?
Yes, through the CMS: upload photos and fill in the fields (area, cost, year). Adding a project takes about 15 minutes.
What is the timeline to go live?
About 8 weeks, including 2 weeks to load the 40 projects. Late photos and copy are the main cause of delays.
Does the site help local search?
Yes, with pages by building type ("residential architect London") and an optimized Google Business Profile. Early effects show within 3 to 6 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us how many projects you want to show, your building types and your competition calendar, and we will price a portfolio between 10,000 and 20,000 GBP, deliverable in 8 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
