The verdict in three sentences
In Manama, an engineering and construction firm website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, roughly 1 800 to 7 000 BHD, or 4 800 to 18 500 USD, and more when an Arabic version and a large project gallery are in scope. Kolonell builds the corporate and recruitment site at a fixed price: 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD, in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. The right decision test is the three-year cost and whether the site can serve two audiences: Bahraini project owners and clients in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, across the King Fahd Causeway.
What do a Manama agency, a freelancer and Kolonell cost?
These ranges are cautious and are not official figures. They are based on public price grids from agencies in Bahrain and the wider Gulf, minimum budgets shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by regional agencies and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr for Bahrain-based developers. The Bahraini dinar is pegged to the dollar (1 BHD is about 2.65 USD).
| Comparison point | Manama agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 1 800 to 7 000 BHD (about 4 800 to 18 500 USD) | 400 to 1 500 BHD (about 1 050 to 4 000 USD) | 2 900 USD / 4 900 USD / 8 900 USD, fixed price |
| Hourly change rate | Often 15 to 35 BHD (about 40 to 90 USD) | Often 7 to 18 BHD | Written price before each addition |
| Typical timeline | 8 to 12 weeks | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Arabic version | Often built into the quote | Varies | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| Site photography | Sometimes arranged locally | Rarely | Not included: your photos or a local photographer |
| English copywriting | Often an option | Rarely included | Native English included |
| Site ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
To be frank: a good Manama freelancer can deliver a five-page site for under 2 900 USD. Kolonell adds a project manager, expertise pages written in native English, a written fixed-price scope and full handover of every account. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), three hours behind Manama, so Google Meet calls fit your late morning or afternoon, with a written update every week. Details are on our international websites page.
What does a Manama engineering firm need to show to make the shortlist?
Firms in the kingdom work on residential and office towers, reclaimed-land developments, hospitality projects, industrial zones such as Sitra or the Bahrain International Investment Park, and water and power networks. Many also bid in Saudi Arabia. The site's first job is to reassure a selection committee that does not know you:
- Precisely described expertise: civil, structural, MEP and HVAC, geotechnical, design-build, design supervision or project management, without padding the list.
- Project sheets published with the owner's consent, with NDA projects anonymised ('office building, Seef').
- A dedicated page for Saudi clients if you genuinely work there, with the references you are allowed to show.
- A downloadable capability statement, your health and safety policy, and ISO 9001, 14001 or 45001 certificates only if you hold them.
- A solid careers section: Bahrainisation targets weigh on hiring, and the site has to speak to young Bahraini engineers as well as experienced expatriates.
- An Arabic version with right-to-left layout, expected by many public clients, while English remains the language of technical submissions.
On compliance, Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018) applies to your forms and especially to the CVs you receive. Engineer registration and contractor qualification for public tenders follow Bahraini rules: describe them from your own documents. For accessibility, WCAG 2.1 AA is the technical reference. This is not legal advice.
What budget should you plan over three years?
The build is only one line. Add maintenance, new project sheets as jobs are handed over, Arabic translation and photography. The table uses an identical maintenance assumption on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted separately.
| Item over 36 months | Manama agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 4 000 BHD, about 10 600 USD | 4 900 USD |
| Support after launch | Per contract | 3 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 130 USD per month over 33 months, 4 290 USD | 4 290 USD, quoted separately |
| Twelve project sheets added | 14 hours at 22 BHD, about 816 USD | Priced before work, assumption 750 USD |
| Site photography | 1 100 USD | 1 100 USD, local photographer |
| Arabic translation | Included in the build | Local translator, assumption 1 300 USD |
| Indicative total | 16 806 USD | 12 340 USD |
The gap of about 4 466 USD is real, but a local freelancer would still undercut both. Ask every supplier to fill in this same table.
What does each Kolonell package include for an engineering firm?
| Item | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expertise | Main disciplines | One page per discipline | Full structure, several entities |
| Markets served | Bahrain, one summary page | Bahrain and Saudi Arabia separated | Country pages linked to projects |
| Project sheets | Up to 6 | Up to 20, filterable | Full library with filters |
| Prequalification | Capability statement PDF | Statement, HSE policy, certificates held | Area organised by client and market |
| Careers | Recruitment page | Detailed openings and online application | Journeys by profile (graduates, seniors) |
| Languages | English | English | English and French included; Arabic supplied or quoted separately |
| Timeline and support | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | Written plan, usually 4 to 6 weeks, 6 months |
A client portal, site extranet, project tracking or ERP or BIM integration is a custom application, quoted separately. Ongoing SEO is also quoted separately.
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Which questions should you ask before signing?
- Who reviews the technical Arabic? A translation without review by an Arabic-speaking engineer produces mistranslations.
- Whose name is the domain registered in? It must be your company's.
- What does one extra project sheet cost? Ask for a written unit price.
- Are public-sector client logos authorised? Without written consent, remove them.
- Are galleries compressed? 200 unoptimised photos make the page unusable on mobile.
- Does the maintenance contract allow an exit? Be wary of a 36-month commitment with no termination clause.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Fatima K., HR director of a 90-person MEP contractor in Manama, needs to fill eight engineering roles and notices that candidates find the site dated. A local agency quotes 3 600 BHD (about 9 540 USD), Arabic included, in 10 weeks, plus a photographer day at 250 BHD (about 660 USD). Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 900 USD in 4 weeks with detailed openings and online applications; Fatima hands the Arabic to a translator for 450 BHD (about 1 190 USD) and books the same photographer.
Agency total: 10 200 USD. Kolonell total: 4 900 + 1 190 + 660, or 6 750 USD, a gap of about 3 450 USD, with the careers section live six weeks earlier. If the company also wanted local recruitment campaigns run through in-person meetings, the Manama agency would keep the edge.
FAQ
How much does an engineering firm website cost in Manama in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, 1 800 to 7 000 BHD (about 4 800 to 18 500 USD) with an agency and 400 to 1 500 BHD with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD.
Can the site also target Saudi clients?
Yes, Growth at 4 900 USD includes separate pages by market. We only publish the Saudi references you are allowed to show.
Does Kolonell write the Arabic version?
No, Arabic is supplied by your team or quoted separately; Kolonell integrates it with right-to-left layout. A review by an Arabic-speaking engineer often takes 1 to 2 days.
How are CVs received through the site handled?
The form collects the minimum, with a privacy notice aligned with Law No. 30 of 2018 drafted with your adviser. CVs land in an inbox you control, never with Kolonell.
Who looks after the site after launch?
Kolonell provides 3 months of support (6 months in Premium at 8 900 USD). Maintenance after that is quoted separately, and you keep every access so you can hand it to anyone.
Let's scope your project. Send us your disciplines, five flagship projects and your open roles, and we will come back with a fixed-price package and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
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.
