The verdict in three sentences
A website for a Berlin studio creating bespoke fragrances and scent branding for hotels, retailers and brands costs 10,000 to 35,000 EUR excluding VAT as a 2026 market ballpark. Two lines drive most of the gap: art direction (3,000 to 8,000 EUR) and hotel and retail case studies (1,800 to 4,500 EUR), because you are selling an experience no photo conveys on its own. Comparing quotes line by line, in days of work, stops you paying twice for the same thing or forgetting the brief form that qualifies leads.
The itemised quote
A hotel group's brand manager or a retail design agency does not want a catalogue. They want to understand your process, see comparable projects, and submit a brief: venue size, brand world, budget, timeline. Berlin buyers often work in English first, but German pages matter for Mittelstand brands and public venues. German law also requires an Impressum and a GDPR compliant privacy notice, which belong in the quote.
| Line item | Scope | Days of work | 2026 market ballpark (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and sitemap | workshops, audiences, enquiry journey | 2 to 4 days | 1,200 to 2,800 EUR |
| Art direction and design | visual world, typography, page templates | 5 to 12 days | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| Build of 15 to 30 pages | front end, light motion, CMS | 6 to 18 days | 1,700 to 12,000 EUR |
| Case studies | 6 to 12 hotel, retail and brand projects | 3 to 7 days | 1,800 to 4,500 EUR |
| Second language (German or English) | professional translation and setup | 2 to 5 days | 900 to 3,200 EUR |
| Project brief form | conditional questions, file upload, alerts | 1 to 3 days | 700 to 2,200 EUR |
| Legal pages, consent and launch | Impressum, privacy notice, cookie consent, redirects | 1 to 3 days | 700 to 2,300 EUR |
| Total | 20 to 52 days | 10,000 to 35,000 EUR |
A useful case study shows the brief, the olfactory approach, how the scent is diffused in the venue and a qualitative outcome the client has approved for publication in writing.
Running costs and options
| Running cost or option | 2026 market ballpark | What to check in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and maintenance | 90 to 380 EUR per month | response time, backups, EU hosting |
| Additional case study | 300 to 700 EUR per project | writing and translation included |
| Photo shoot of creations and venues | 1,300 to 3,800 EUR per day | usage rights transferred |
| Short ambience video | 1,800 to 5,500 EUR | mobile friendly format |
| Third language (French or Italian) | 900 to 2,800 EUR | human translation |
| Journal or news section | 900 to 2,200 EUR | your team can publish |
Over three years, a 20,000 EUR site with 220 EUR monthly maintenance costs 27,920 EUR, before any new content.
How to read and compare three quotes
Map every quote onto the same lines and days. A single lump sum, or art direction under 2 days, almost always means a bought template lightly adapted. Check who writes the copy: with no copywriting line, your team will write 15 to 30 pages in two languages. Ask where the site is hosted and whether a GDPR data processing agreement is included.
As a nearshore benchmark, Kolonell's prices: a Growth site at 1,830 to 3,050 EUR (1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA), 8 to 12 pages with a built in blog, delivered in 14 to 21 business days; a Premium site at 3,050 to 5,340 EUR; 110 EUR per extra language, 40 EUR per extra page, 90 EUR per page of copywriting, and maintenance from 53 to 183 EUR a month.
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Illustrative example, fictional company: Lena, founder of a Berlin scent design studio, currently receives 5 qualified enquiries a month and wins 1 in 5, at an average first year value of 16,000 EUR (creation plus diffusers). She signs a 21,000 EUR quote with 10 case studies and a brief form. If qualified enquiries rise to 7 a month at the same win rate, she gains about 5 extra projects a year, or 80,000 EUR in revenue. Even at a 35% margin, the site pays back in about 9 months.
FAQ
Why is art direction so expensive?
It turns a sensory world into images, colour and type over 5 to 12 days of work. For a studio pitching luxury hotels, a stock template often costs more in credibility than it saves.
How many case studies should we launch with?
Six to eight is enough, spread across hotels, retail and brands. Each additional one costs 300 to 700 EUR.
Is a 700 to 2,200 EUR brief form worth it?
Yes, if it filters enquiries on budget, venue size, timeline and brand world from the first contact. It saves 30 minute qualification calls on projects that were never in budget.
Do we need both German and English?
For a Berlin studio serving international hotel groups and German brands, yes, at least for the process, portfolio and brief pages. Budget 900 to 3,200 EUR depending on page count.
How long does it take?
As a 2026 estimate, 6 to 12 weeks, including 2 to 3 weeks of art direction. Case studies needing client sign off are often the critical path.
Let's scope your project. Send us your references, languages and target page count, and we will build an itemised quote with budget and timeline. 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.
