The verdict in three sentences
For an interior design studio in Amsterdam, a redesign with a local agency costs a 2026 ballpark of EUR 15,000 to 35,000 and takes 10 to 14 weeks, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from EUR 2,700 (Starter) to EUR 8,200 (Premium) with delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. The most serious budget risk sits in the search traffic and enquiries your existing project pages already earn, far more than in the build itself. Write the redirect map, image weight and enquiry forms into the contract as deliverables, and keep the Dutch and English versions aligned from day one.
Which signs show a redesign is due?
For a studio working on canal apartments in the Jordaan, family homes in Zuid, restaurants in De Pijp or offices in Amsterdam-Noord, the website is first and foremost a portfolio. Typical signals:
- project pages weighing 6 to 10 MB on mobile because photos were never converted to WebP or AVIF;
- projects that cannot be browsed by neighbourhood or type (residential, hospitality, office);
- an enquiry form landing in one partner's personal inbox, with no log and no defined retention period;
- an English version that was machine translated, while much of the expat clientele reads English first;
- a cookie banner that loads trackers before consent;
- a CMS only the former freelancer knows how to edit.
One wording point matters during the redesign: in the Netherlands the title of architect is protected by law. Copy should present the team as interior designers unless individuals are actually registered. Have that wording reviewed before go-live.
What budget should you plan in 2026?
The ranges below are 2026 ballparks based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages, not a market survey.
| Option | 2026 redesign budget | Typical timeline | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Amsterdam creative agency | EUR 15,000 to 35,000 | 10 to 14 weeks | on-site workshops, custom design, Dutch copy |
| Mid-size digital agency | EUR 30,000 to 60,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | brand strategy, integrations, dedicated team |
| Freelance designer + developer | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 | 6 to 12 weeks | variable result, maintenance depends on one person |
| Kolonell Starter | EUR 2,700 | 3 to 4 weeks | compact portfolio site, one language |
| Kolonell Growth | EUR 4,500 | 3 to 4 weeks | filterable portfolio, journal, consent-based analytics |
| Kolonell Premium | EUR 8,200 | 3 to 4 weeks | the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, advanced animation |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. A native Dutch review is done by a freelance translator (third-party cost, often EUR 400 to 900 for a portfolio site). Tier details are on the international offer page.
What timeline and which risks?
| Phase | Kolonell | Typical local agency |
|---|---|---|
| URL inventory and content audit | week 1 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Photos and copy ready on the studio side | before kickoff | often in parallel, which stretches the project |
| Portfolio template design | weeks 1 to 2 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Build and migration | weeks 2 to 3 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Testing: redirects, forms, consent | weeks 3 to 4 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Go-live and monitoring | week 4 then 30 days | 2 to 4 weeks |
Risks to address in writing:
| Risk | What goes wrong | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic loss | old project URLs return a 404 | full inventory, 301 redirect map, Google Search Console monitoring for 30 days |
| Image weight | the new portfolio looks better but loads slower | WebP/AVIF, lazy loading, target under 2.5 s on mobile |
| Content migration | photo credits, descriptions and captions get lost | migration spreadsheet signed off page by page |
| Enquiry forms | leads lost during the switch | send tests the day before and on launch day, backup copy |
| Downtime | site unavailable during the DNS change | switch on a quiet day, TTL lowered 48 hours before |
| Compliance | trackers before consent, missing notices | review of the cookie banner and privacy notice before go-live |
On data, the GDPR (AVG in Dutch) applies and the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens is the supervisory authority. Only ask in the form for what qualifies the project: property type, neighbourhood, approximate floor area, timing. This is not legal advice.
On quote: a client area for sharing mood boards, an integration with project management software, a furniture catalogue, ongoing SEO work after delivery and maintenance after the 3 included months.
When is a local agency the better choice?
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To be honest: if your redesign comes with a full brand repositioning, in-person workshops, a new identity and shoots coordinated across several sites, an Amsterdam agency that can visit the studio every week has a real advantage. The same applies if the site must be written in Dutch first by a local copywriter. If your identity already works and the job is speed, portfolio structure and a clean migration, a remote studio on a fixed grid is enough. Questions to ask both: who owns the code and the domain, who produces the redirect map, which mobile speed target is contractual, and who reviews the Dutch copy.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Sanne runs a four-person interior design studio in De Pijp with 60 project pages in English and Dutch. Chosen option: Premium at EUR 8,200, plus a local photographer for six new projects (third-party cost, about EUR 1,800) and a native Dutch review (third-party cost, about EUR 600). Total: 8,200 + 1,800 + 600 = EUR 10,600, against a local agency quote of EUR 24,000. If her site brings 6 qualified enquiries a month and a botched migration cut that by 40% for 3 months, she would lose about 7 enquiries: that is why the 60 redirects are listed as a deliverable in her quote.
FAQ
How long does a portfolio site redesign take?
With Kolonell, 3 to 4 weeks once photos and copy are ready. Local agencies usually quote 10 to 14 weeks including workshops.
Will I lose my search rankings?
Not if every old URL gets a 301 redirect to its equivalent page. For a 60-project portfolio this map is roughly one day of work and should be checked in Search Console for 30 days.
Can the site be in Dutch and English?
Yes, with Premium at EUR 8,200, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. The native Dutch review remains a third-party cost.
Do I need to reshoot every project?
No, reuse your best existing images if you hold the rights and reshoot only key projects. Budget EUR 250 to 400 per project with a local photographer, a third-party cost.
What does maintenance cost after delivery?
The first 3 months of support are included in the EUR 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200 tiers. After that, maintenance is on quote.
For a precise estimate of your portfolio, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of project pages, languages and target date, and we will price the redesign between EUR 2,700 and 8,200 with the redirect map included. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.
