The verdict in three sentences
For a London architecture practice of 8 to 15 people, a full redesign pays off once the portfolio exceeds 25 projects or project pages weigh more than 5 MB. Below that, a targeted refresh (new project page template, recompressed images, rewritten studio page) costs two to three times less for about 70% of the visible benefit. The real cost driver is not design but content migration: photos, project texts, credits and awards.
What a redesign costs in 2026: the four options
The figures below are a 2026 order of magnitude for the London market, excluding copywriting and photo shoots.
| Option | Budget (excl. VAT) | Timeline | What you get | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium WordPress theme + integrator | 90 EUR + 2,000 EUR | 2 to 3 weeks | Standard portfolio template, 5 to 8 pages | Looks like hundreds of other practices |
| Freelance web designer | 3,500 to 8,000 EUR | 4 to 8 weeks | Custom mock-ups, WordPress or Webflow build | Availability, little post-launch support |
| London design studio | 9,000 to 20,000 EUR | 6 to 10 weeks | Art direction, UX, SEO, training | Budget, longer approval cycles |
| Kolonell Premium (custom, Next.js) | 3,050 to 5,340 EUR (2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA) | 6 to 8 weeks | Custom design, AVIF-optimised galleries, technical SEO | No London office, calls by video |
| Targeted refresh | 2,500 to 5,000 EUR | 2 to 4 weeks | New project pages, compression, studio page | Structure and navigation unchanged |
Add UK or EU hosting, roughly 20 to 50 EUR per month depending on whether you choose a fast shared plan or a VPS with a CDN. A portfolio of 40 projects with 15 photos each means 600 images: without a CDN or modern formats, mobile load time often exceeds 6 seconds.
Full redesign or refresh: the decision grid
The most reliable criterion is the combination of portfolio size and actual page weight. Test a typical project page with PageSpeed Insights before requesting quotes.
| Practice situation | Projects online | Average project page weight | Recommendation | Indicative budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young practice, few references | fewer than 12 | under 3 MB | Refresh | 2,500 to 3,500 EUR |
| Established practice, 2019 to 2021 site | 12 to 25 | 3 to 6 MB | Extended refresh | 3,500 to 5,000 EUR |
| Rich portfolio, outdated CMS | 25 to 50 | 6 to 12 MB | Full redesign | 9,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Several sectors (housing, commercial, heritage) | more than 50 | over 8 MB | Redesign with filters and taxonomy | 13,000 to 20,000 EUR |
| Frequent public competition bids | variable | variable | Redesign with downloadable reference sheets | 11,000 to 16,000 EUR |
| Hard to hire Part 3 architects | variable | variable | Refresh + careers page | 3,000 to 4,500 EUR |
A full redesign usually includes a new sitemap, a project taxonomy (type, client, floor area, year, status), visitor-side filters and a back office that lets a team member add a project in 20 minutes. A refresh keeps the structure and focuses on what the client sees: image quality and clear project pages.
Hidden costs that inflate the quote
Overruns rarely come from development. They come from four items often missing from the first quote.
| Item | 2026 range (excl. VAT) | How to control it |
|---|---|---|
| Rewriting texts for 30 projects | 1,200 to 3,200 EUR | 150-word template, drafted in-house then edited |
| Photo retouching and export | 500 to 2,000 EUR | Ask for 2,400 px exports, let the site generate formats |
| Photographer usage rights | 0 to 2,500 EUR | Check web licences before migrating |
| 301 redirects from the old site | 250 to 800 EUR | Export the list of indexed URLs before starting |
| Team CMS training | 400 to 1,000 EUR | One recorded 2-hour session |
The photo rights point is specific to architects: many practices publish shots by professional photographers whose licence only covers press use. A redesign is the right moment to fix that.
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Mini case study
Olivia, partner at an 11-person practice in London (illustrative persona), runs a 2018 WordPress site with 34 projects and project pages averaging 9 MB. She receives two quotes: a refresh at 4,300 EUR and a full redesign at 12,000 EUR. The practice handles about 12 private enquiries a year, converts 25% of them, and average fees are 60,000 EUR. If the redesign, with project pages filterable by type and load time under 2.5 seconds, lifts inbound enquiries from 12 to 15, that is 0.75 extra commissions a year, about 45,000 EUR in fees. The 7,700 EUR gap between the two options is covered by the first additional commission. Olivia picks the redesign and asks for the rewriting of the 34 texts to be priced separately.
FAQ
How long does an architecture practice website redesign take?
Allow 6 to 10 weeks for a full redesign, including 2 to 3 weeks of content collection. A targeted refresh takes 2 to 4 weeks if photos are ready.
Should we stay on WordPress?
WordPress remains relevant if your team already uses it and you have fewer than 50 projects. Beyond that, a headless CMS with an optimised front end often cuts page weight by a factor of 3 and simplifies gallery management.
What hosting suits an image-heavy portfolio?
Hosting at 20 to 50 EUR per month is enough, provided you add an image CDN and WebP or AVIF formats. That is what brings a 10 MB page down to under 2 MB.
Will the redesign hurt my search rankings?
Not if every old URL is 301-redirected and project titles are kept. Budget 250 to 800 EUR for the redirect plan, the best-value line in the quote.
Can the budget be phased?
Yes: many practices start with a refresh at 3,000 to 4,000 EUR, then add filters and taxonomy 6 months later. The key is choosing a project data structure from day one that supports that evolution.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current site link and the number of projects to publish: we will price a redesign or a refresh, with an indicative budget and a 6 to 10 week schedule. 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.
