The verdict in three sentences
When your portfolio takes more than six seconds to load on a phone, your latest Plateau or Griffintown projects are missing and the English version never got finished, the redesign pays for itself before it even looks better. In Montreal, typical agency quotes for redesigning an interior design studio's website run roughly CAD 15,000 to 45,000 (about USD 10,800 to 32,400), versus Kolonell's fixed grid of USD 2,900, 4,900 or 8,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is gathered. The real dangers are losing the project URLs that bring you enquiries, oversized images and forms that collect too much, and all of them can be handled before launch.
How does a Montreal studio know its redesign is due?
A studio designing residential renovations in Outremont, retail spaces on Saint-Laurent or offices in Old Montreal sells through images first. The site stops selling long before it looks dated:
- project photos weigh 5 to 10 MB each and the portfolio page drives mobile visitors away;
- the last three or four completed projects were never added because there is no simple template;
- the English version, useful for Westmount clients and English-speaking companies, is partial or machine-translated;
- the contact form asks for a full address, an exact budget and plans in the first message;
- the About page uses professional titles nobody has checked.
That last point matters. In Quebec, the title of architect is reserved, so an interior design studio should not use it for its team. The interior designer profession is also overseen by a professional association, and the site should reflect the titles people actually hold. Have those mentions reviewed by the person responsible before launch.
How much does a redesign cost in Montreal in 2026?
2026 ballpark, based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages in Montreal, converted at roughly 0.72 USD per CAD.
| Provider | What is often included | 2026 ballpark | Stated timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal creative agency | Art direction, CMS, bilingual site, discovery session | CAD 15,000 to 45,000 (about USD 10,800 to 32,400) | 3 to 5 months |
| Small local web studio | Custom template, portfolio, one or two languages | CAD 8,000 to 20,000 (about USD 5,800 to 14,400) | 2 to 3 months |
| Freelancer | Adapted theme, simple migration | CAD 4,000 to 10,000 (about USD 2,900 to 7,200) | 1 to 3 months |
| Kolonell Starter | Compact site, one language | USD 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | Full redesign, project-by-project portfolio, migration | USD 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | USD 8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
For a Montreal studio that wants French and English, Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) applies. Every tier includes a project manager reachable in Eastern time, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support. Maintenance and hosting after those 3 months are on quote. Details are on the international offer page.
Still on quote: a connection to project management or quoting software, a client area to follow a renovation, a materials configurator, or booking synced with a team calendar.
What timeline should you plan, week by week?
| Week | Deliverable | What the studio provides |
|---|---|---|
| Before kickoff | URL inventory, project selection | List of projects to keep, high-resolution photos |
| Week 1 | Site map, project template, mockups | Approval within 3 business days |
| Week 2 | Build, image compression | Project texts (location, type, area, year) |
| Week 3 | French version, forms, legal notices | Review of professional titles and copy |
| Week 4 | 301 redirects, launch, Search Console | One person available on launch day |
| Months 1 to 3 | Included support | Reporting issues |
The bottleneck is almost always choosing photos and writing project sheets. Allow 2 to 3 weeks to gather them before starting the clock.
Which risks should you watch, and how do you neutralize them?
| Risk | Severity for a studio | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Lost project URLs | High: these pages often attract searches such as kitchen renovation Plateau | Inventory of every indexed URL, 301 redirect map, 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring |
| Oversized images | High on mobile | WebP or AVIF conversion, several sizes, lazy loading |
| Over-collecting forms | Medium | Name, email, project type, neighborhood, optional budget range |
| Titles and claims | Medium | Review of every professional mention before launch |
| Photo credits | Medium | Check usage rights granted by photographers |
| Downtime | Low if prepared | Lower DNS TTL 48 hours ahead, switch on a quiet day |
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
On data, Quebec's Law 25 governs how businesses in Quebec collect personal information: a clear privacy policy, cookie consent and a designated person in charge. Newsletters must comply with Canada's anti-spam law (CASL). The Charter of the French language requires French to be available; English complements it for your English-speaking clients. This is not legal advice.
When is a Montreal agency still the better choice?
If you want full art direction with photo shoots coordinated on your job sites, weekly in-person meetings at your studio, or a complete rebrand (logo, stationery, signage) alongside the site, a local agency is better placed. A fixed grid fits better when the identity already exists and the need is a fast, bilingual, well-indexed portfolio.
Questions to ask every provider: who produces the redirect map and in what format, how many projects are migrated in the price, what maximum page weight is targeted, who owns the domain and hosting, and who reviews the French version.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Camille Bérubé founded a three-person interior design studio in Mile End. The site has 40 pages, including 35 project sheets of about 12 photos each, at roughly 7 MB per image.
- Current image weight: 35 × 12 × 7 MB, about 2.9 GB.
- After conversion to about 300 KB per image: 420 × 0.3 MB, about 126 MB.
- Quote received from a local agency: CAD 28,000, about USD 20,200.
- Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, French and English set in the quote): USD 8,900.
- Freelance photographer for 4 recent projects: about CAD 3,200, roughly USD 2,300 (third-party cost).
- Total: USD 11,200, about USD 9,000 less than the local quote.
The 35 old project URLs are redirected one by one to the new sheets, with no exceptions.
FAQ
How much does an interior design studio website redesign cost in Montreal? Typical local agency quotes range from about CAD 15,000 to 45,000, or USD 10,800 to 32,400. Kolonell's fixed grid is USD 2,900, 4,900 or 8,900 depending on the tier.
How long does it take? 3 to 4 weeks of production once photos and project sheets are ready. Plan 2 to 3 weeks of preparation on the studio side.
Does the site have to be in French? Yes, the Charter of the French language requires French to be available in Quebec. A full second language falls under Premium at USD 8,900, languages set in the quote.
How do we keep rankings for old projects? Inventory every indexed URL and 301-redirect it to the new sheet. Six weeks of Search Console monitoring lets you fix remaining errors.
Can we write architects on the site? No, unless team members actually hold that reserved title. Say interior designers and check every mention before launch.
Let's scope your project. Send us the number of projects to migrate, the languages you need and your calendar constraints, and we will confirm the tier, budget and 3 to 4 week timeline. 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.
