The verdict in three sentences
For a company running 22 office sites in New York, custom facility management software typically costs 80,000 to 200,000 USD with a local agency (2026 market estimate), while an off-the-shelf CAFM / IWMS platform runs about 20,000 to 50,000 USD a year. The real trigger in 2026 is regulation: Local Law 97 caps emissions for buildings over 25,000 square feet, and Local Law 84 requires annual energy benchmarking by May 1. A tool that centralises work orders, contracts and meters turns that obligation into management, rather than a scramble for utility bills every spring.
The three workstreams the tool must cover
The facilities director currently tracks 22 sites through email, a contracts spreadsheet and utility portals. The typical result: auto-renewed maintenance contracts, work orders with no measured response time and benchmarking assembled by hand.
| Module | Function | Share of budget | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work requests | QR code per room, photo, ticket tracking for occupants | 15 to 20 % | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Preventive maintenance | Plans per asset, mandatory inspections (elevators, fire alarm, boilers) | 20 to 25 % | 3 weeks |
| Contracts and vendors | Renewal dates, notice periods, SLA penalties, budgets per site | 10 to 15 % | 2 weeks |
| Energy and compliance | Meter readings, utility data import, Portfolio Manager export, LL97 trajectory | 20 to 25 % | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Portfolio and space | Sites, buildings, floors, square footage, uses | 10 to 15 % | 2 weeks |
| Dashboards | Response times, cost per square foot, gap to emissions limit | 5 to 10 % | 1 to 2 weeks |
The energy module deserves special attention: LL84 requires annual consumption per building in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and LL97 penalties reach 268 USD per metric ton of CO2 equivalent above the building's limit. Missing a benchmarking filing also triggers quarterly fines.
Custom or off-the-shelf CAFM: the numbers
| Option | Upfront cost | Recurring cost | 5-year cost (estimate) | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level CAFM SaaS | 5,000 to 12,000 USD setup | 20,000 USD a year | 105,000 to 112,000 USD | Energy module often an add-on |
| Enterprise IWMS (major vendors) | 20,000 to 40,000 USD | 40,000 to 50,000 USD a year | 220,000 to 290,000 USD | Pricing per site and per user |
| Custom build, New York agency | 80,000 to 200,000 USD | 12,000 to 25,000 USD a year | 140,000 to 325,000 USD | Rates of 150 to 225 USD per hour |
| Kolonell complex application | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870 EUR) | maintenance 120,000 FCFA a month (180 EUR) | about 21,470 to 33,670 EUR | Remote team, video workshops |
| Spreadsheets and email | 0 | staff time | 0 excluding time | No reliable history |
Vendor and agency figures are market estimates to confirm through an RFP. Five-year cost includes licences or maintenance, excluding hardware. Custom software becomes relevant once the portfolio passes 15 to 20 sites, or when your processes (chargebacks to subsidiaries, multi-site contracts) do not fit the vendor's model.
A 14 to 20 week project timeline
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio and contract audit | 2 to 3 weeks | Register of 22 sites, floor areas, assets |
| Journey design | 2 weeks | Mock-ups for occupants, technicians, vendors |
| Work orders and preventive build | 5 to 6 weeks | QR code tickets live |
| Energy module and benchmarking export | 3 to 4 weeks | LL84 data generated, LL97 trajectory |
| Rollout in waves | 2 to 5 weeks | Pilot sites, then full portfolio |
Mini case study
Laura, facilities director at a professional services group in New York (illustrative scenario), manages 22 sites and 31 maintenance contracts. She finds 4 contracts auto-renewed without renegotiation, worth 60,000 USD a year, and spends 15 days each spring preparing benchmarking filings.
- 10 % renegotiation thanks to renewal alerts: 6,000 USD a year.
- Benchmarking time cut from 15 to 3 days, valued at 700 USD a day: 8,400 USD a year.
- Kolonell investment: 12,000,000 FCFA (18,290 EUR, about 19,800 USD) plus 2,160 EUR (about 2,300 USD) of annual maintenance.
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Payback comes in about 20 months on these items alone, before the energy savings LL97 requires anyway.
FAQ
Which buildings fall under Local Law 97?
Mostly buildings over 25,000 gross square feet, plus groups of buildings on the same tax lot. Limits tightened in 2024 and drop sharply again in 2030.
Can consumption data be pulled automatically?
Yes, through utility data access programmes such as Con Edison's, or by importing bills. Automation cuts manual entry by more than 80 % across 22 sites.
Do maintenance vendors need to use the tool?
Ideally yes, through a simple portal or mobile app. They close tickets with a photo, which lets you measure SLA compliance, for example a response within 4 hours.
Are IoT sensors required?
Not at the start. Connected submeters, at 400 to 1,000 USD each, become useful on the most energy-intensive sites.
What does maintenance of the tool cost?
At Kolonell, 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month depending on service level, or 50, 110 or 180 EUR. For 22 sites, the Premium level is recommended.
Learn about our approach to custom web applications.
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of sites, floor areas and contracts: we will price your facility management tool in our complex application range, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870 EUR), over 14 to 20 weeks. 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.
