The verdict in three sentences
For a building materials manufacturer that sells only through builders' merchants, the website serves three audiences: specifiers (architects, engineers) looking for datasheets and EPDs, contractors who want to know where to buy, and 300 dealers who need point-of-sale material and sales arguments. A realistic 2026 budget is EUR 25,000 to 50,000, plus EUR 6,000 to 15,000 to connect the catalogue to the PIM. Allow 4 to 5 months and EUR 500 to 1,000 a month for maintenance.
The budget, line by line
The difference between a EUR 25,000 industrial site and a EUR 50,000 one comes down to the number of SKUs, languages and the depth of the dealer area.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR, excl. VAT) | Content |
|---|---|---|
| UX, design and build (30 to 60 page templates) | 8,000 to 15,000 | Ranges, solutions by building element, projects, careers |
| Product catalogue and datasheets | 5,000 to 10,000 | 150 to 600 SKUs, filters by thermal or structural performance |
| PIM connection | 6,000 to 15,000 | Automatic sync, single source of product data |
| Document library (EPDs, DoPs, technical approvals) | 2,500 to 5,000 | Search by product, version and validity date |
| Dealer locator | 2,500 to 6,000 | Map, filters by stocked range, directions |
| Secure dealer area | 5,000 to 12,000 | POS material, sales arguments, price lists, display orders |
| SEO and old site migration | 2,000 to 4,000 | Redirect plan, traffic retention |
| Total (excluding PIM) | 25,000 to 50,000 | 4 to 5 months |
| Maintenance | 500 to 1,000 per month | Enhancements, security, support |
If you do not yet have a PIM, licensing a market product is a separate cost (from a few hundred to a few thousand euros a month depending on the vendor), and setting it up adds 2 to 3 months.
What each audience expects
| Audience | Main need | Site function | KPI to track |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architect, engineer | Reliable technical data | Datasheets, EPDs, BIM objects | Downloads per month |
| Contractor, installer | Find stock near the site | Dealer locator | Store searches |
| Builders' merchant | Sell more easily | Dealer area with POS and sales arguments | Login rate across 300 dealers |
| Developer, client | Proof of performance | Projects, labels, energy standards | Time on solution pages |
| Job applicant | Join the plant | Careers pages | Applications received |
| Internal customer service | Fewer repetitive calls | Self-service documentation | "Send me the datasheet" calls avoided |
EPDs have become essential under European sustainability reporting and German building energy rules: an engineer who cannot find the document in 2 clicks often specifies a competitor already listed in the ÖKOBAUDAT database.
Mini case study
Claire, marketing director of a concrete block and insulation manufacturer near Berlin, sees customer service handle 900 requests a month for datasheets, EPDs or "where to buy". Each takes 6 minutes on average. She invests EUR 38,000 in the site, EUR 11,000 in the PIM connection and EUR 750 a month for maintenance.
- Requests avoided through self-service: an estimated 60%, or 540 a month, 54 hours of customer service a month, about 650 hours a year.
- At a fully loaded EUR 40 an hour, savings reach EUR 26,000 a year.
- Year-one cost: 38,000 + 11,000 + 9,000 = EUR 58,000.
2026 order of magnitude: payback in just over 2 years from customer service alone, before counting won specifications and dealer activation.
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FAQ
Do we really need a PIM for this kind of site?
Above 150 SKUs across several languages or channels (website, catalogues, dealers), yes. Without a PIM, double entry quickly costs 10 to 20 person-days a year and creates inconsistent technical data.
How do we keep EPDs up to date?
Attach a validity date to every document and an alert 90 days before expiry. The document library module costs EUR 2,500 to 5,000.
What goes in the dealer area?
Downloadable POS material, sales arguments by range, net price lists, sales training sheets and display ordering. Budget EUR 5,000 to 12,000 depending on access rights per dealer chain.
How do we avoid losing traffic from the old site?
A page-by-page 301 redirect plan and 3 months of monitoring. This costs EUR 2,000 to 4,000 and often protects more than 70% of existing organic traffic.
Why 4 to 5 months?
Collecting and validating technical data, then testing with a dealer panel, takes time. A manufacturer with a clean PIM can aim for three and a half months.
Let's scope your project. Send us your SKU count, PIM status and the size of your dealer network, and we will propose a scope, an indicative budget and a 4 to 5 month plan. 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.
