The verdict in three sentences
For an integrated facility services provider in Berlin (HVAC, electrical, cleaning) operating 50 to 300 client sites, custom facility management software costs 40,000 to 110,000 EUR excluding VAT in 2026 (about $43,000 to $120,000), delivered in 4 to 7 months. It handles contracts and maintenance routines, field work orders and automatic client reporting, whereas market licenses cost 40 to 80 EUR per user per month. With 60 or more users, custom software becomes cheaper than the subscription from year three and matches your contractual commitments.
What the operations director must control
Each facility services contract defines a scope (assets, areas), preventive maintenance routines (monthly, quarterly, annual, statutory), reactive response times and KPIs reported to the client every month. Statutory inspections (electrical installations, lifts, fire safety systems, air conditioning checks) require dated evidence. A missed statutory visit can trigger a contractual penalty of 1,000 to 5,000 EUR and, worse, cost the contract renewal.
| Module | Function | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR) | Measured effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contracts and assets | Sites, buildings, equipment, scopes | 6,000 - 15,000 | Up-to-date asset register |
| Maintenance routines | Preventive and statutory, frequencies, checklists | 7,000 - 18,000 | 98 % of statutory visits on time |
| Requests and reactive | Client portal, priorities, contractual times | 7,000 - 20,000 | Average response time cut by 30 % |
| Technician app | Schedule, reports, photos, signature, offline | 8,000 - 22,000 | Report sent before leaving site |
| Client reporting | Monthly KPIs, automatic PDF | 5,000 - 15,000 | Monthly report in 10 min instead of a day |
| Purchasing and rebilling | Parts, subcontracting, out-of-scope work | 7,000 - 20,000 | Out-of-scope work billed at 100 % |
A core of contracts, routines and technician app starts around 40,000 EUR. The full version with client portal, reporting and rebilling reaches 90,000 to 110,000 EUR.
Total cost: market licenses or custom
| Criterion | Market CMMS / CAFM | Custom by Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 10,000 - 30,000 EUR setup | 40,000 - 110,000 EUR |
| Licenses (80 users) | 38,400 - 76,800 EUR a year | 0 EUR |
| Maintenance and hosting | Included | 6,000 - 12,000 EUR a year |
| Reporting in each client's format | Limited, Excel exports | Templates per contract |
| 5-year total cost | 202,000 - 414,000 EUR | 70,000 - 170,000 EUR |
| Data and code ownership | No | Yes |
| Go-live time | 2 - 5 months | 4 - 7 months |
The math flips for a small team of 10 users: the license then stays cheaper. Above 40 to 50 users, the gap becomes decisive.
Client reporting as a sales argument
Clients (landlords, office portfolio managers, hospitals, public bodies) compare providers on transparency. A portal where the client tracks requests, reads intervention reports and downloads the monthly dashboard (preventive completion rate, reactive times, consumption) weighs in tenders. Several buyers now require it in the specification, with a technical score often worth 40 to 60 % of the evaluation.
Mini case study
Julian, operations director of a 110-employee facility services provider in Berlin, runs 180 client sites with 85 users. His CAFM cost 58 EUR per user per month, or 59,160 EUR a year. Monthly client reports took two assistants 3 days, about 14,000 EUR a year, and 6 % of out-of-scope work was never rebilled, 21,000 EUR out of 350,000 EUR a year. Custom software, delivered in 6 months for 96,000 EUR plus 9,000 EUR yearly maintenance, removes the license, automates reporting and brings missed rebilling down to 1 %. Estimated annual gain: 59,160 + 12,000 + 17,500 - 9,000 = 79,660 EUR. Payback in about 15 months.
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FAQ
How much does custom facility management software cost in 2026?
Between 40,000 and 110,000 EUR depending on modules and contract count. Maintenance and hosting add 6,000 to 12,000 EUR a year.
From how many users does custom pay off?
Usually above 40 to 50 users. With 80 users at 40-80 EUR a month, licenses reach 38,000 to 77,000 EUR a year.
Does the software handle statutory inspections?
Yes, each asset carries its statutory due dates with a 30-day alert, and the inspector's report is attached to the asset.
Can we migrate data from our current CMMS?
Yes, sites, assets and history are migrated, usually 4,000 to 8,000 EUR depending on volume and data quality.
How long until go-live?
Allow 4 to 7 months. Rollout happens in contract batches, starting with 10 to 20 pilot sites.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of sites, users and trades: we price a scope between 40,000 and 110,000 EUR with a 4 to 7 month rollout. 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.
