The verdict in three sentences
For a 400-employee construction group in London, the corporate website is checked by public sector buyers, framework managers and main contractors before shortlisting: it must prove technical and financial capacity in fewer than three clicks. On the London market, this type of site costs 18,000 to 70,000 EUR in 2026 (about 15,000 to 60,000 GBP, market estimate) over 8 to 12 weeks, with a project gallery and case study sheets. For groups that want to keep the budget tight, Kolonell, a Dakar-based agency, builds the brochure core within its Premium tier at 2,000,000-3,500,000 FCFA (3,050-5,340 EUR), with specific modules (document portal, extra languages) priced separately in the quote.
What buyers and clients look for on your site
A procurement officer receiving 12 bids for a school extension or a highways lot quickly checks whether the company is real, whether its references are credible and whether it meets the Procurement Act 2023 expectations on social value and responsible delivery. A site showing only machinery photos and a slogan does not help. Here is the content that matters, in the order it is checked.
| Expected content | What the evaluator checks | Recommended format |
|---|---|---|
| Comparable project references | Value, client, year, completion | One sheet per project with map, dated photos, client name |
| Certifications | ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Constructionline Gold, CHAS | Dedicated pages with PDF certificates and expiry dates |
| Health, safety and environment | Accident frequency rate, carbon reduction plan | HSE page, RIDDOR-based indicators, Carbon Reduction Plan PDF |
| Social value | Local jobs, apprenticeships, SME spend | Page with yearly figures (apprentices, local spend share) |
| Key people | Experience of directors and project managers | Org chart, short profiles without sensitive data |
| Plant and capacity | Ability to mobilise quickly | Table by category (excavators, cranes, site cabins) |
| Financial strength | Turnover over 3 years | Rounded key figures, annual report PDF |
The site should also meet WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility: many public buyers now check it, and it is mandatory for any portal you build for a public client.
The standard brief and its budget split
A useful brief runs 8 to 12 pages. It describes the sitemap, page templates, content supplied by the group and content to be produced, hosting and responsibilities after launch.
| Module | Pages or features | Priority | Estimated budget share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate core | Home, group, governance, sectors, contact | Essential | 30 to 35% |
| Projects and case studies | Project template, filters by sector, client, region | Essential | 20 to 25% |
| HSE, quality, social value | Policy pages, downloadable certificates | Essential | 10 to 15% |
| Accessibility audit | WCAG 2.2 AA testing and fixes | Strongly advised | 5 to 10% |
| Careers | Vacancies, apprenticeship scheme | Advised | 5 to 10% |
| Partner document portal | Protected access to prequalification files | Optional | 10 to 15% |
| Photo and drone shoot | 2 to 4 live sites | Strongly advised | 5 to 10% |
What a construction corporate site costs in London in 2026
The ranges below are London market estimates, except for the Kolonell line, which reflects our official price grid.
| Provider or item | Estimated 2026 cost | Timeline | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer on a theme | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR | 3 to 5 weeks | No project template, uncertain maintenance |
| Mid-sized London agency | 18,000 to 35,000 EUR | 8 to 10 weeks | Content left to the client |
| Top-tier London agency | 40,000 to 70,000 EUR and more | 10 to 14 weeks | High cost, long sign-off cycles |
| Kolonell, Premium tier (brochure core) | 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (3,050 to 5,340 EUR) | 8 to 12 weeks | Specific modules priced separately |
| Photo and drone shoot (estimate) | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR | 2 to 4 days | CAA permissions and site access inductions |
| Kolonell maintenance | 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (about 50, 110 or 180 EUR) | Ongoing | Updates, security, backups |
The most underestimated item is producing the case study sheets. Plan for a bid manager to spend 2 to 3 days gathering contract values, completion dates and photos: without that, the best design stays empty.
Mini case study
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Illustrative scenario: Helen, managing director of a 400-employee construction group in London, bids for 15 public frameworks and call-offs a year. A mid-sized agency quotes 28,000 EUR for the site, 3,000 EUR for a drone shoot and 400 EUR a month for maintenance, i.e. 35,800 EUR in year one. Her bid team used to spend 6 hours per tender compiling references and certificates; with up-to-date exportable sheets it now takes 2, saving 60 hours a year, about 4,200 EUR at a loaded bid manager rate of 70 EUR an hour. Above all, a single extra 12,000,000 EUR contract at 4% net margin yields 480,000 EUR: the site then represents 7.5% of the margin of one contract.
FAQ
Do public buyers really look at contractors' websites?
Yes, due diligence increasingly includes an online check of the company and its directors. An up-to-date site with 10 to 20 verifiable references reduces clarification questions during evaluation.
Should we publish turnover on the site?
Rounded key figures over 3 years (for example 140 to 160 million GBP) reassure without exposing detailed accounts. Full financial statements stay in the bid pack or a protected area.
How long does a construction corporate site take?
Count on 8 to 12 weeks, including 3 to 4 weeks of content gathering on the group's side. Content collection, not development, causes schedule slippage in around 70% of projects.
Is accessibility compliance really required?
For public sector portals, WCAG 2.2 AA is a legal requirement; for a corporate site it is a strong buyer expectation. An audit and fixes typically add 2,000 to 5,000 EUR to the budget.
Where should a London group host its site?
UK or EU cloud hosting with a CDN keeps load times under 2 seconds and simplifies UK GDPR compliance. Plan daily backups and automatic SSL renewal.
Let's scope your project. Send us your reference list, required features and indicative budget, and we will propose a priced scope on the Premium tier with an 8 to 12 week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h via our free quote form. 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.
