The verdict in three sentences
In Fribourg, the question is the true cost of a bilingual French and German site as much as the price of the redesign itself: design, legal translation, photos and partners' time. As a 2026 ballpark, a full project run by a Fribourg agency comes to CHF 16,800 to 34,500, against CHF 10,500 to 12,700 with Kolonell Premium at CHF 8,200 and third-party providers for German and portraits. The critical point is an exact match between French and German pages, without which a whole language version can vanish from search results.
Which signals justify a redesign, and what does a bilingual site really cost?
This guide is written for English-speaking partners and firm owners in Fribourg. Firms in Pérolles, the Bourg or Bulle advising SMEs, farms, families or public bodies often notice the same things: the German version covers only half the pages, lawyer profiles do not state court languages, public law pages refer to cantonal texts revised since, and the form exists only in French.
The table below shows the overall budget, beyond the web provider's invoice. Figures are ballpark ranges drawn from public rate pages of local agencies and typical quotes.
| Item | Fribourg agency | With Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Bilingual design and build | CHF 16,000 to 30,000 | CHF 8,200 (Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) |
| German legal translation | often included, otherwise up to CHF 3,000 | CHF 1,500 to 3,000, independent translator (third-party cost) |
| Lawyer portraits | CHF 800 to 1,500 | CHF 800 to 1,500, local photographer (third-party cost) |
| Project total | CHF 16,800 to 34,500 | CHF 10,500 to 12,700 |
| Partners' review time | 15 to 25 hours | 10 to 15 hours |
| Hosting and maintenance after delivery | CHF 600 to 1,800 a year (market assumption) | on quote after the 3 included months |
For a firm staying French-only, Kolonell Starter at CHF 2,700 or Growth at CHF 4,500 is often enough. Every 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: see the international offer. German is not written natively by Kolonell, hence the independent translator. Online booking, secure document exchange, integrations with the firm's software and search work after launch stay on quote.
How do the two language versions run in parallel?
Once the French copy is approved, translation starts straight away, which keeps both languages within 4 weeks.
| Week | French version | German version |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | URL inventory, site structure | Translator receives approved copy |
| 2 | Mock-ups, partner sign-off | Translation of practice areas and profiles |
| 3 | Build, publications migration | Translated copy built in, German URLs |
| 4 | Testing, 301 redirect map, professional conduct review | Review by a German-speaking partner, hreflang tags |
| Go-live | DNS switch, sitemap submitted | Check of every page pair |
A local agency usually plans 10 to 16 weeks, with translation often starting only after development ends.
Which risks should you watch, and when is a Fribourg agency the better choice?
- Pages without a counterpart. Every French page needs its German twin and reciprocal hreflang tags; otherwise Google shows the wrong language or ignores one version.
- Incomplete redirects. The inventory covers both languages; each old URL gets a single 301 redirect, followed by 4 weeks of Search Console monitoring.
- Two locations. Fribourg and Bulle each get their own page, with details identical to the Google Business Profile.
- Bilingual forms. The same notice in both languages: submitting does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Minimal collection, an opposing-parties field for conflict checks, limited retention.
- Promotional copy. Professional rules and the practices of the Fribourg Bar Association govern advertising: sobriety, no case outcomes, partner review in each language.
- Downtime. TTL lowered 48 hours before, switch outside office hours.
The nLPD (revFADP) has been in force since 1 September 2023, supervised by the FDPIC; the GDPR may also apply if you target EU residents. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask: who translates and who reviews the German; how many URLs are redirected per language; where form data passes through; who owns the domain and the content.
A Fribourg agency remains the better choice if you want native German copy produced by the provider, in-person meetings in Pérolles, or a tool built for your public law files. If your copy is ready and the need is the bilingual structure and migration, the budget gap favours a remote studio.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Nicolas Bapst is a partner in a six-lawyer firm in Pérolles, with a satellite office in Bulle, working in SME, agricultural and family law. The old site has 46 French URLs and 20 German URLs, 66 redirects to plan; the new site will have 46 pages in each language.
- Fribourg agency quote, translation included: CHF 28,000.
- Kolonell Premium: CHF 8,200, plus an independent translator at CHF 2,400 and a local photographer at CHF 1,000 (third-party costs), for CHF 11,600.
- Difference: 28,000 minus 11,600 = CHF 16,400.
- Timeline: 2 weeks to approve the French copy, then 4 weeks of production for both languages.
FAQ
How much does a bilingual law firm website redesign cost in Fribourg?
As a 2026 ballpark, CHF 16,800 to 34,500 with a local agency, translation and photos included. With Kolonell Premium at CHF 8,200 plus third-party costs, expect CHF 10,500 to 12,700.
Should the whole site be translated into German?
Ideally yes, so every page has a counterpart. In the case above, the German version grows from 20 to 46 pages.
Does Kolonell write in German?
No, native copywriting is in English or French. The German version comes from an independent translator, CHF 1,500 to 3,000 depending on volume.
How long should we plan?
3 to 4 weeks of production for both languages once the French copy is approved, against 10 to 16 weeks with a typical local agency.
Does a French-only firm need the Premium tier?
No. For a French-only site, Starter at CHF 2,700 or Growth at CHF 4,500 is enough in most cases.
Let's scope your project. A redesign for a Fribourg firm, from CHF 4,500 in one language to CHF 8,200 for the multilingual tier, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once copy is ready. 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.
