The verdict in three sentences
An Austin company rebuilding its website for accessibility needs an agency that can deliver WCAG 2.2 AA conformance and document it with audits and an accessibility statement. A realistic budget is 15,000 to 60,000 USD, with the initial audit priced at 3,000 to 8,000 USD on its own line. The safest way to choose is a 100 point scoring grid applied identically to every agency.
What conformance actually requires
| Requirement | Scope | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Initial audit | WCAG 2.2 AA review of a representative page sample | 3,000 to 8,000 USD |
| Accessible design | Contrast, target size, visible focus | 10 to 15 % of budget |
| Accessible development | Semantic HTML, ARIA, keyboard support, forms | 15 to 25 % premium over a standard build |
| Content remediation | Alt text, accessible PDFs, captions | 1,500 to 8,000 USD |
| Final conformance audit | Measured results and report | 2,000 to 5,000 USD |
| Accessibility statement | Published statement and feedback channel | 500 to 2,000 USD |
| Maintenance | Review of new pages, fixes | 150 to 600 USD a month |
US courts and plaintiffs' firms commonly reference WCAG when alleging ADA Title III violations for business websites, and Texas sees a steady flow of demand letters. Settlements and defence costs often reach 10,000 to 50,000 USD, which frames the investment.
The 100 point scoring grid
| Criterion | Points | What earns full marks |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrated accessibility expertise | 20 | Certified accessibility specialist on the team, anonymised audit samples |
| Method and deliverables | 20 | Initial audit, in sprint checks, final audit, statement |
| Assistive technology testing | 15 | Screen reader and keyboard testing, ideally with disabled users |
| Contractual commitment | 15 | Written conformance target, fixes included if missed |
| Team training | 10 | Editor workshop and accessible content guide |
| Price transparency | 10 | Audit costs separated and justified |
| Ongoing monitoring | 10 | New page reviews included in retainer |
| Total | 100 | Shortlist agencies above 70 |
Red flags in pitch meetings
- The agency sells an overlay widget as the solution: overlays do not fix the underlying code and have not stopped lawsuits.
- No conformance target appears in the proposal.
- The developer who built the site also signs the final audit, with no independent check.
- PDFs and videos are silently excluded from scope.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Rachel, marketing director of a 250 employee professional services firm in Austin, receives three proposals: 18,000, 34,000 and 55,000 USD. Scored on the grid, they get 49, 83 and 78 points. The cheapest excludes the final audit and PDFs; adding them brings it to 27,000 USD for lower quality. The 34,000 USD proposal, with a 5,000 USD initial audit and 300 USD monthly monitoring included, costs about 410 USD per point against 705 USD for the most expensive.
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FAQ
Is WCAG 2.2 AA legally required under the ADA?
The ADA does not name a technical standard for private business websites, but WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA is the benchmark used in most demand letters and settlements.
Can a site be 100 % conformant?
Rarely on a living site. Aim for full AA on templates at launch and a documented remediation plan for content, reviewed every 6 to 12 months.
How long does an accessible rebuild take?
Count 12 to 20 weeks for 30 to 80 pages, including the final audit.
Do we need an accessibility statement?
It is not mandated for most private companies, but it shows good faith and gives users a feedback channel, for 500 to 2,000 USD.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current site and scope and we will price the audit, rebuild and statement separately, with a written conformance target. 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.
