The verdict in three sentences
In Zurich, a local agency charges roughly 10 000 to 40 000 CHF as a 2026 order of magnitude for an interior design studio website, often more if it also signs the visual identity. Kolonell builds a fast, polished portfolio at a fixed price: 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, with native English copy and a dedicated project manager, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. The item that weighs most over three years is not the site: it is interior photography and its licences, which you manage with your photographer, as Kolonell does no on-site shoots.
What do Zurich agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
Cautious orders of magnitude, drawn from public price grids of Zurich agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by German-speaking Swiss agencies (often 140 to 220 CHF per hour) and freelance rates visible on Malt and Upwork. A studio site is short in pages but demanding in images: every gallery must stay light on mobile.
| Criterion | Zurich agency | Zurich freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 10 000 to 40 000 CHF | 4 000 to 14 000 CHF | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 CHF, fixed price |
| Adding a project to the portfolio | Often 1 to 2 billed hours | Hourly | Done by your team from Growth |
| Timeline | 6 to 12 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| German copy | Native | Native | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| English copy | Variable | Variable | Native English or French included |
| Interior photography | Sometimes coordinated | Rarely | No: local photographer chosen by you |
| Ownership | Check | Check | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
The Zurich agency has the edge if you are also redoing your identity, stationery and client presentations with the same team. Kolonell fits when your brand exists and you want a portfolio that loads fast, clear copy for an international clientele and a price known from the start. Google Meet calls at your hours and a written update every week; the team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Zurich. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff, 50 % on delivery. See our international website offer.
What does the site cost over three years, photos included?
A studio publishes a few projects a year on average. The table uses the same assumptions on both sides for maintenance (quoted by Kolonell after the included support) and for photography.
| Item over 36 months | Zurich agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 20 000 CHF | 4 500 CHF |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 120 CHF per month over 33 months, 3 960 CHF | 3 960 CHF, quoted |
| Adding 18 projects | 27 hours at 170 CHF, 4 590 CHF | Done in-house, assumed 900 CHF of help |
| Photography (6 projects, 1 500 CHF each) | 9 000 CHF | 9 000 CHF |
| German version | Included | Translator of your choice, 1 600 CHF |
| Indicative total | 37 550 CHF | 19 960 CHF |
Photography is nearly half of the Kolonell budget: negotiate a licence that covers the site, social media and press kits, so you do not pay again for each use.
What does each package include for an interior studio?
| Element | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 6 projects in galleries | Unlimited projects, filters for residential, hospitality, offices | Detailed case studies with plans and materials |
| Services | One page | Page per service (design, site supervision, furniture) | Journeys by client type |
| Brief form | Simple contact | Brief with floor area, indicative budget, timing | Detailed brief with file upload |
| Press and publications | Short section | Press page | Press page and downloads |
| Studio and team | Studio page | Team and method | Story, collaborators, craft partners |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Support | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
A private client area to share plans and moodboards is an application quoted separately. Ongoing SEO is also quoted separately.
What does a Zurich interior studio need online?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Typical projects range from apartments renovated on the Zürichberg or in Seefeld to villas on the Goldküste, through offices in Zurich West, restaurants and hotels in the centre and shops around Bahnhofstrasse. The clientele mixes Zurich homeowners, expatriate managers from banking, insurance and tech, and developers looking for a studio for show flats. The site must:
- Sort projects by type (residential, hospitality, offices) so a developer finds references fast.
- Show the method and scope: design only, site supervision, furniture selection.
- Qualify inquiries with floor area, schedule and budget range.
- Speak German to Zurich locals and English to expatriates.
- Load galleries quickly on mobile, with compressed, correctly sized images.
Compliance, facts only. In Switzerland, regulation of the architecture professions varies by canton, and there is a professional register (REG) as well as trade associations: present your degrees, registrations and memberships exactly, with no title you do not hold. Photos belong to the photographer unless rights are assigned in writing; for private homes, also get the owners' written consent before publishing and avoid any identifiable address. Form data falls under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP), in force since 1 September 2023. WCAG 2.1 AA remains a sound accessibility benchmark. This is not legal advice.
What red flags should you spot in a portfolio quote?
- Heavy galleries with no image optimisation, slowing the site on mobile.
- Every new project billed by the hour with no cap.
- No mention of photo licences in the brief.
- A generic theme that buries your images under effects.
- The domain in the agency's name.
- German or English missing from the quote.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Nadia K., founder of a four-person studio in Kreis 7 specialising in residential renovations on the Goldküste, receives an agency quote of 26 000 CHF, German included. She picks Kolonell Premium at 8 200 CHF for detailed case studies, adds 1 800 CHF for German translation and 600 CHF to extend the licence of her existing photos to the web. Total: 10 600 CHF, or 15 400 CHF less, and she adds new projects herself.
FAQ
Can Kolonell photograph our projects? No, Kolonell does no on-site shoots. A Zurich interior photographer often charges 1 200 to 2 500 CHF per project, with or without the licence depending on the contract.
How many projects can we publish? Six in Starter at 2 700 CHF, unlimited from Growth at 4 500 CHF. Your team adds a project in 20 to 30 minutes.
Will the site be in German? Kolonell writes in native English or French. German is supplied by you or quoted separately, often 1 200 to 2 000 CHF for a portfolio.
Can we share plans with clients on the site? A private client area is an application quoted separately. To start, many studios use an existing file sharing tool linked from the site.
How is the project paid? By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery, so 4 100 CHF at each step for Premium.
Let's scope your project. Send us three projects you want to showcase, the photos you have and your target languages, and we will propose a fixed-price package delivered in 3 to 6 weeks. 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.
