The verdict in three sentences
Three quotes of EUR 4,900, 11,500 and 19,800 excl. VAT (roughly GBP 4,200, 9,900 and 17,000) for an engineering consultancy website almost never describe the same product. The gaps come from four lines: number of pages actually produced, copywriting, SEO and code ownership. Compare the 3-year total cost, which ranges from EUR 8,000 to 26,000, not the first invoice.
What the three quotes really contain
The case is classic: a building services consultancy in Bristol (HVAC, plumbing, solar PV, energy audits) sends the same two-page brief to three suppliers. It receives a freelance quote built on a WordPress theme, a local agency quote and a specialist B2B agency quote. Side by side, line by line, here is what they cover.
| Quote line | Quote A: EUR 4,900 | Quote B: EUR 11,500 | Quote C: EUR 19,800 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pages produced | 8 pages on a bought theme | 18 pages, custom design | 30 pages incl. 12 project case studies |
| Copywriting | Supplied by client | 6 pages written | All pages, engineer interviews |
| SEO | Plugin installed | Tags, sitemap, 10 keywords | 40-keyword strategy, page per expertise |
| Design | Adapted theme | Custom mock-ups, 2 rounds | Mock-ups, motion, on-site photos |
| Code and account ownership | Not specified | Code handed over, agency hosting | Code and accounts in client's name |
| Training and documentation | None | 2 h | Half day + editorial guide |
| Maintenance included | None | 3 months | 12 months |
| Stated timeline | 6 weeks | 8 to 10 weeks | 12 weeks |
Quote A looks cheaper, but it assumes your engineers write 8 pages, choose photos and handle SEO themselves. Quote C includes that work, which explains part of the gap.
Total cost over 3 years
| 3-year item | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | EUR 4,900 | EUR 11,500 | EUR 19,800 |
| Hosting and domain | EUR 450 | EUR 1,080 | EUR 1,440 |
| Maintenance and security updates | EUR 1,800 (on demand) | EUR 2,880 | EUR 2,400 (after 12 months) |
| Copywriting or SEO catch-up | EUR 1,500 | EUR 1,200 | EUR 0 |
| Engineers' internal time (content) | 3 days, about EUR 1,800 | 1 day, about EUR 600 | 0.5 day, about EUR 300 |
| Estimated total cost | about EUR 10,450 | about EUR 17,260 | about EUR 23,940 |
The initial 1-to-4 gap narrows to 1-to-2.3 over 3 years. The real question becomes: how many qualified enquiries will each site generate? For a consultancy billing EUR 25,000 to 80,000 per design commission, two extra commissions a year change the whole calculation.
Five questions to ask before signing
- Who owns the code, the domain name and the hosting accounts? Get it in writing. A site you cannot recover costs a full rebuild at the first disagreement.
- How many pages are delivered with content, not just as templates? An empty page is not a page.
- What SEO strategy, on which keywords? Terms like « building services engineers Bristol » or « commercial energy audit South West » are worked page by page.
- What happens after launch? Updates, backups, response time if the site goes down.
- How many design revision rounds are included? Beyond that, each change is often billed EUR 400 to 800.
Mini case study
Julian, director of a 22-person engineering consultancy in Bristol, hesitates between quotes A and B. His internal day rate is EUR 600. Quote A requires about 3 days of writing and EUR 1,500 of SEO catch-up the following year. He picks quote B, negotiating account ownership in his name and 4 extra case studies for EUR 1,200, i.e. EUR 12,700 excl. VAT. If the new site brings just one extra EUR 18,000 energy audit commission a year at a 30% margin, the EUR 7,800 premium over quote A is covered in under 18 months.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Why do three website quotes vary from 1 to 4?
Because they do not price the same work: 8 pages on a theme versus 30 written pages, basic SEO versus 40 worked keywords. Compared line by line, most of the gap is justified.
What is a reasonable budget for an engineering consultancy in 2026?
EUR 9,000 to 15,000 excl. VAT for 15 to 25 custom pages with partial copywriting and local SEO. Below EUR 6,000, expect significant internal time.
Does code ownership really matter?
Yes. Without it, switching supplier often means a full rebuild, i.e. EUR 8,000 to 15,000 lost.
How long does a B2B brochure website take?
6 to 12 weeks depending on copywriting. Partner sign-off on content is the main cause of delay, allow 2 weeks.
Should we include project case studies?
Yes, it is the content clients read most. Each case study costs EUR 150 to 400 to produce and boosts local SEO.
Let's scope your project. Send us the quotes you received or your brief: we will return a proposal comparable line by line, with scope, 3-year budget and timeline. 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.
