The verdict in three sentences
For an engineering consultancy with 35 engineers in Dubai, a premium corporate website costs between 15,000 and 40,000 AED with a freelancer and between 45,000 and 120,000 AED with an agency in 2026, over 6 to 10 weeks, plus 600 to 1,500 AED of hosting per year. What makes the difference with a government client, a master developer or an international lender comes down to three blocks: detailed project references, verifiable ISO certifications and one page per area of expertise. The Kolonell Premium grid (2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA, i.e. 3,050 to 5,340 EUR) covers this scope with a fast, bilingual site built for tenders.
What a client looks for on your website
A project manager at a government entity, a master developer or a development bank visits an engineering firm's website for one reason: to check that it can be shortlisted without risk. They look for proof, not slogans.
| Website block | What the buyer checks | Content to prepare | Effect on enquiries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project references | Comparable projects, values, clients | 20 to 40 case pages: client, location, construction value, scope, year, photos | Main source of credibility in tenders |
| Areas of expertise | Precise technical coverage | 1 page per discipline: infrastructure, structures, MEP, water, project management | Captures specialised Google searches |
| Certifications | ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, Dubai Municipality classification | Numbers, certification body, validity date, PDF | Clears a frequent knock-out criterion |
| Team | Number of engineers, key profiles, years of experience | 6 to 10 senior profiles, simplified org chart | Reassures on capacity to mobilise a team |
| Languages | International lenders, regional partners | Full EN version, AR for government pages | Opens government and regional tenders |
| Qualifying contact | Type of assignment, emirate or country, deadline | Form with industry fields, document upload | Sorted enquiries, faster response |
Project references are the heart of the site. An effective case page runs 250 to 400 words, with a summary table (client, value, duration, scope) and 4 to 8 visuals. Filters by discipline, region and client type let visitors find a project similar to theirs in 2 clicks.
Price in AED: freelancer, agency and Kolonell grid
The table separates market estimates in the UAE from the Kolonell grid, which is an agency price.
| Option | Budget | Timeline | Hosting and maintenance | Strengths and limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer (market estimate) | 15,000 to 40,000 AED | 4 to 8 weeks | 600 to 1,000 AED per year, ad hoc maintenance | Contained price, single-person dependency |
| Dubai agency (market estimate) | 45,000 to 120,000 AED | 6 to 10 weeks | 1,000 to 1,500 AED per year + 750 to 2,500 AED per month | Full team, higher cost and longer delivery |
| International agency (market estimate) | 130,000 to 260,000 AED | 10 to 14 weeks | Separate annual contract | Strong art direction, little proximity |
| Kolonell Growth | 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA (1,830 to 3,050 EUR) | 4 to 6 weeks | 35,000 to 75,000 FCFA per month (50 to 110 EUR) | Fast site, blog, analytics, filterable references |
| Kolonell Premium | 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (3,050 to 5,340 EUR) | 6 to 8 weeks | 75,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month (110 to 180 EUR) | Expertise pages, in-depth SEO, animations, bilingual |
For a UAE reader, the Premium grid is roughly 12,000 to 21,000 AED at the indicative October 2026 rate, to be confirmed at quote stage. Budget varies mostly with the number of reference pages, copywriting (about 300 to 700 AED per case page if outsourced) and the Arabic version.
Mini case study
Omar, managing director of a 35-engineer consultancy in Dubai, answers about 40 tenders per year and wins 6, with average fees of 450,000 AED per contract. The current website shows only 8 references, without values.
Illustrative scenario: with 30 detailed case pages and certifications verifiable online, Omar aims to win one extra contract per year, for example by clearing more prequalification stages where the panel checks the website. That is about 450,000 AED of fees. Against a Premium site of about 21,000 AED and 750 AED of monthly maintenance (about 30,000 AED in year one), a single contract repays the investment many times over. This is a simulation: the technical proposal and price remain decisive in awards.
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FAQ
Should reference project values be published?
Yes when the client allows it, at least as a range (for example 40 to 90 million AED of construction value). A panel compares project size first: a case page without value loses half its weight as proof.
Does the site need to be in Arabic?
For UAE government clients, an Arabic version of the main pages is a plus, about 8 to 12 pages. For international lenders and private developers, English is enough in most cases.
How long does it take to launch the site?
Allow 6 to 10 weeks with an agency, including 2 to 3 weeks to collect references. That step delays projects most often, so start it at signature.
How do we display ISO certifications credibly?
Show the certificate number, the certification body, the scope and the validity date, with a downloadable PDF. Update the page after each surveillance audit, at least once a year.
Can the site generate enquiries outside tenders?
Yes, through expertise pages ranking on searches like "MEP consultant Dubai". Monthly SEO follow-up at 100,000 to 350,000 FCFA per month speeds up that channel.
Let's scope your project. Send us your areas of expertise, the number of references to publish and the languages you need, and we will price your site within the Premium grid of 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA. 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.
