The verdict in three sentences
A bilingual Dutch and English corporate site for a group with several subsidiaries takes 14 weeks in a realistic scenario, within a range of 10 to 20 weeks. The timeline depends less on the agency than on multi-entity sign-off and on content and translation, which together sit on the critical path. Announce a launch date built on the realistic scenario plus two weeks of buffer and you will not have to move it.
The week-by-week plan
This plan fits a 30-page bilingual site for a group of 300 to 1,000 staff with three to five subsidiaries, at 20,000 to 55,000 EUR excluding VAT. Durations are 2026 estimates.
| Weeks | Phase | Deliverable | Who signs off | Minimum / realistic / risky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 to W3 | Discovery: workshops, sitemap, goals | Discovery brief and sitemap | Group comms + board | 2 / 3 / 4 weeks |
| W3 to W5 | Wireframes and user journeys | Wireframes for 6 to 8 templates | Group comms + subsidiary leads | 1 / 2 / 3 weeks |
| W5 to W7 | Visual design | Home page and key templates | Board | 2 / 2 / 4 weeks |
| W4 to W10 | Dutch content writing (parallel) | 30 pages approved | Business units | 3 / 6 / 9 weeks |
| W8 to W11 | English translation and review | 30 pages in English | Group comms | 2 / 2 / 3 weeks |
| W7 to W11 | Build and CMS setup | Staging site | Group comms + IT | 3 / 4 / 5 weeks |
| W12 to W13 | Content entry, redirects, accessibility check | Complete staging site | Group comms | 1 / 1 / 2 weeks |
| W13 to W14 | Acceptance testing and go-live | Sign-off report, editor training | Group comms + IT | 1 / 1 / 2 weeks |
Because several phases overlap, the minimum totals 10 weeks, realistic 14 and risky 20.
The delays that hit most often
| Cause | Typical delay | Frequency | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidiary content arrives late | 2 to 6 weeks | Very common | One content owner per page, shared deadline sheet |
| Board or subsidiary sign-off slips | 1 to 3 weeks | Common | Sign-off slots booked in week 1 |
| Translation started after Dutch is final | 2 to 3 weeks | Common | Translate per page as soon as it is approved |
| Scope added mid-project | 1 to 4 weeks | Common | Phase 2 backlog after launch |
| Cookie and privacy review by legal | 1 to 2 weeks | Occasional | Send to legal in week 9 |
| DNS or hosting access missing | 3 to 10 days | Occasional | Access inventory in week 1 |
Content is the true critical path: 30 pages at 2 hours of writing and 1 hour of review is 90 hours, spread across busy managers in several entities. Dutch rules on cookies, enforced by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, mean consent must be in place before analytics fire, so plan legal review early.
How to hold the date you announce
Appoint an internal project lead with at least 20 % of their time, book sign-off dates in discovery with a maximum of 5 working days per feedback round, and cap approvers at three per deliverable. Treat each subsidiary as a stakeholder with one representative, not as an extra approval layer. Government-related entities should also check the Dutch digital accessibility requirements, based on WCAG 2.1 AA.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Eva, head of communications at an Amsterdam-based logistics and services group with 600 staff and four subsidiaries. The board wants the new site live before a sector event in late June. The project starts on 2 February with a 38,000 EUR budget and 34 pages.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Realistic plan: 14 weeks, launch on 11 May. With two weeks of buffer, Eva announces 25 May. Two subsidiaries hand in copy three weeks late, partly absorbed by translating page by page: the site goes live on 27 May, two days after the announced date and four weeks before the event. Each week of delay avoided saves roughly 1,500 EUR of agency and internal coordination time.
FAQ
How long does a corporate website rebuild take in Amsterdam in 2026?
Ten to 20 weeks, with 14 weeks realistic for a 30-page bilingual site. Groups with more than five subsidiaries or three languages often exceed 18 weeks.
Should translation wait for the final Dutch copy?
No, translate each page once it is approved. This saves 2 to 3 weeks on a 30-page site.
How many approval rounds should we plan?
Two per deliverable, each of 1 to 2 weeks. Beyond three approvers, add a week per round.
What does professional copywriting cost?
In the Netherlands, 200 to 450 EUR per page for Dutch copy, plus 0.12 to 0.20 EUR per word for translation. It shortens the critical path by several weeks.
How long should acceptance testing take?
One week for 30 pages, with a shared issue log. Blocking bugs should be fixed within 48 hours.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your page count, approvers and target date, and we will send back a priced, week-by-week 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.