The verdict in three sentences
A corporate website rebuild in Berlin runs €25,000 to €60,000 for a 15-30 page site with a CMS and editorial governance. The two line items that swing the budget are the headless CMS with approval workflow (€8,000-€16,000) and BITV/WCAG AA accessibility (€3,000-€5,000), both routinely missing from low-cost quotes. Plan for 8 to 14 weeks and a dedicated team: this is not a brochure site, it is a corporate communication tool.
The 2026 breakdown grid
A head of communications must be able to read every line. Here are the ranges seen on the Berlin market for a regional group.
| Line item | 2026 range (€) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Art direction | 6,500 – 11,000 | Brand universe, design system |
| Headless CMS + governance | 8,000 – 16,000 | Sanity/Strapi, workflow, roles |
| Front-end build | 6,500 – 13,000 | Next.js, components, integrations |
| Accessibility BITV / WCAG AA | 3,000 – 5,000 | Audit + fixes + statement |
| Multilingual DE/EN | +15% to +20% | i18n structure, hreflang |
| Copywriting & content migration | 2,500 – 5,500 | Rework, SEO, redirects |
A full DE/EN project with accessibility usually reaches €38,000-€50,000, excluding the annual retainer (€4,800-€9,600).
Why do accessibility and the CMS weigh so much?
Since the tightened obligations of 2025-2026, a corporate site must target BITV / WCAG 2.1 AA. The audit and fixes are not optional for an exposed group.
| Option | Proprietary CMS (licence) | Open-source headless CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Licence cost | €5,000 – €18,000 / yr | €0 |
| Integration cost | €4,000 – €8,000 | €8,000 – €16,000 |
| Approval workflow | Vendor-dependent | Custom |
| Technical independence | Low | High |
| 3-year cost | €19,000 – €62,000 | €8,000 – €16,000 |
Over three years, open-source headless is almost always cheaper for a group that publishes regularly, despite the higher upfront integration cost.
Mini case study
Markus, head of communications at a Berlin manufacturing group (180 staff, 4 subsidiaries), leads a rebuild of the 24-page DE/EN corporate site. Winning quote: €44,000 (art direction €9,000, headless CMS €12,500, front €11,000, accessibility €4,200, multilingual +18%, content €4,000). The three-level approval workflow cuts press-release publishing time from 3 days to 4 hours. Across 40 publications a year, the comms team saves the equivalent of 11 person-days annually, roughly €5,700 of internal time recovered each year.
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FAQ
Why does a corporate site cost 3-4x a brochure site?
Because it carries a CMS with an approval workflow, audited accessibility, multilingual support and editorial governance. These are enterprise requirements, not just pages.
Is accessibility mandatory?
For public bodies and large enterprises, yes, with possible penalties under BITV. For a private group it is an expected standard and a reputational risk. Budget €3,000-€5,000.
How long does a corporate rebuild take?
Eight to fourteen weeks depending on languages, CMS complexity and internal approval cycles. The limiting factor is usually client-side content readiness.
Do we need a dedicated project manager?
Yes, at this budget. A single point of contact with weekly reviews prevents scope creep and protects the timeline.
Can multilingual be added later?
Yes, but it costs more. Planning the i18n structure from the start adds 15-20%; bolting it on afterwards often costs 25-30%.
Let's scope your project. Send us your page count, target languages and required accessibility level, and we will quote a clear corporate rebuild, line by line. 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.
