The verdict in three sentences
In Neuchâtel, a website for an engineering and construction firm built by an agency from the Jura Arc costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 9 000 and 30 000 CHF, and freelancers based just across the French border sometimes quote less, in euros. Kolonell delivers the marketing and recruitment site (disciplines, anonymised or approved references, careers, prequalification documents) at a fixed price: 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF, in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. For a Neuchâtel firm the useful comparison covers the three-year cost, the way you present industrial projects that are often confidential, and who handles photography, which Kolonell does not do.
This version is written for the English-speaking partners and managers of engineering and construction firms in Neuchâtel, with the same figures as the French edition.
What price range should you expect in Neuchâtel?
The amounts below are cautious orders of magnitude. They draw on the public price lists of agencies in French-speaking Switzerland, on minimum project sizes visible on Clutch.co, on hourly rates published by Swiss digital agencies and on rates shown on Malt and Upwork, including by freelancers in Franche-Comté. Neuchâtel prices usually sit slightly below those of Geneva or Lausanne.
| Criterion | Neuchâtel agency | Freelancer (Switzerland or nearby France) | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 9 000 to 30 000 CHF and more | 2 500 to 9 000 CHF | 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF, fixed price |
| Hourly rate for changes | Often 110 to 170 CHF | Often 60 to 120 CHF | Changes quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Copywriting | Often extra | Rarely included | Native French or English included |
| Photos of buildings and installations | Can be organised locally | Rarely | Not included: your photos or a local photographer |
| Support after launch | Separate contract | Case by case | 3 months, 6 in Premium |
| Ownership | Check | Check | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. A project manager answers in your time zone, through Google Meet calls set at your hours, with a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one hour behind Neuchâtel in winter, two in summer. Details are in our international website offer.
What does the site really cost over three years?
The scenario is a firm born from a merger, which must combine two former websites and redirect their addresses. The site is in French, on the Growth plan. The same maintenance assumption applies to both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted separately.
| Item over 36 months | Neuchâtel agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| French-language site build | 15 000 CHF | 4 500 CHF |
| Migrating the two old sites and redirects | 8 hours at 150 CHF, so 1 200 CHF | Quoted beforehand, assumption 800 CHF |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 140 CHF per month over 33 months, so 4 620 CHF | 4 620 CHF, quoted separately |
| Photographer, 1 day | Organised by the agency, 1 600 CHF | Booked by you, 1 600 CHF |
| Support after launch | Depends on contract | 3 months included |
| Indicative total | 22 420 CHF | 11 520 CHF |
Ask each provider to fill in the same table: a quote that says nothing about redirecting the old sites often forgets the visibility you have built in Google.
What does each plan include for a Neuchâtel engineering firm?
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disciplines | Summary of capabilities | One page per discipline (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, structural...) | Disciplines cross-linked with sectors |
| References | Gallery | Project sheets, including anonymised ones | Detailed sheets by sector and canton |
| Industry and cleanrooms | Mentioned among sectors | Dedicated sector page | Sector page with a qualified enquiry path |
| Prequalification | Capability statement | Downloadable files | Document area by contract type |
| Bilingual FR/EN version | No | No | Included |
| Timeline and support | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | Usually 4 to 6 weeks, 6 months |
A client extranet, maintenance tracking for installations, or a connection to a CMMS or ERP is a custom application, quoted separately, as is ongoing SEO.
Which needs are specific to the canton of Neuchâtel?
The canton runs on microtechnology and watchmaking, from the lakeshore to the mountains, with demanding industrial sites (precision workshops, cleanrooms, laboratories) and an older building stock that needs renovation. La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their watchmaking town planning, add heritage constraints. Clients include discreet manufacturers, municipalities, the canton and institutional owners. French dominates, German serves mandates in Bern or German-speaking Switzerland, English serves international groups.
- References that respect industrial confidentiality: many watchmaking clients refuse any public mention. Anonymised sheets (type of installation, floor area, services) still speak clearly.
- Precise disciplines: building services, energy retrofits, remediation, structural work, site supervision, SIA phases covered.
- Accurate qualifications: REG listing, SIA membership where relevant, ISO 9001, 14001 or 45001 only if the firm holds them, Minergie only for certified projects.
- A careers page that speaks to cross-border engineers and technicians as well as graduates of the region's universities.
- A qualified project enquiry: type of structure, location, phase, deadline.
On compliance, let us stay factual. Public procurement in Neuchâtel follows cantonal law within the intercantonal agreement on public procurement, with notices on simap.ch. Contact and application forms fall under the Swiss nFADP (nLPD), in force since 1 September 2023; if you target clients in France, the GDPR may also apply, which you should check with your adviser. WCAG 2.1 AA serves as the technical accessibility reference. This is not legal advice.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Which questions should you ask each provider?
- How do you present a confidential project with no client name and no interior photo?
- Are redirects from the old sites priced in the quote?
- Who writes the discipline pages, and how many review rounds are included?
- Are the domain and hosting in our name?
- Which licence covers the photos taken by the photographer?
- What will one extra reference sheet cost in two years?
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Nicolas P. and Sophie G. have just merged their two building services firms into an 18-person practice in Neuchâtel, under a new name. A local agency quotes 17 500 CHF, delivered in 12 weeks. Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 500 CHF, plus 800 CHF to migrate the two former sites and set up redirects; a Neuchâtel photographer is booked for 1 600 CHF.
Agency route: 17 500 + 1 600 = 19 100 CHF. Kolonell route: 4 500 + 800 + 1 600 = 6 900 CHF. The gap reaches 12 200 CHF, and the new name is online before the merged firm's first public tender submission. If a German version becomes necessary for clients in Bern, they will move to Premium with copy supplied by a translator.
FAQ
How much does an engineering firm website cost in Neuchâtel in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, 9 000 to 30 000 CHF with a local agency and 2 500 to 9 000 CHF with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF.
How can we show confidential watchmaking projects?
Through anonymised sheets: type of installation, floor area, services, duration. With written consent, the client's name can be added later, as a change quoted before any work.
Isn't a freelancer from nearby France cheaper?
Sometimes, by 1 000 to 3 000 CHF for a comparable scope. Compare copywriting, timeline, domain ownership and support, which is 3 months included with Kolonell.
Can Kolonell photograph our installations?
No, Kolonell does not shoot on location. A local photographer often charges 1 200 to 1 800 CHF per day according to published rates.
Can the site be in French and English?
Yes, in the Premium plan at 8 200 CHF. A German version is supplied by your firm or quoted separately.
Let's scope your project. Send us your disciplines, your publishable or anonymised references and the addresses of your old sites, and we will reply with a fixed-price plan 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.
