The verdict in three sentences
A Montreal law firm that asks for quotes without a requirements checklist gets proposals it cannot compare, often from USD 8,000 to 40,000 for the same need. Two or three pages of specification are enough: pages and templates, languages, compliance (Quebec Law 25, the Charter of the French language, Barreau du Québec professional conduct rules), integrations listed one by one and acceptance criteria. With that document, Kolonell's fixed grid (USD 2,900, USD 4,900, USD 8,900) can be compared line by line with local agency quotes.
What should the checklist contain?
Here is the list to copy into an internal document; the partner in charge of marketing can complete it in half a day.
- Goals and audiences: business clients, employers, individuals in real estate or family law; what a visitor must be able to do in 2 clicks (find a lawyer, understand a practice area, get in touch).
- Pages and templates: home, one page per practice area, one profile per lawyer, team, careers, insights, contact. Give exact numbers, for example 6 practice areas and 11 profiles.
- Content ownership: who writes, who approves, who signs off on professional conduct compliance. No case results, rankings or client names without written authorization.
- Languages: French is required and must be available under the Charter of the French language; English as an option, priced separately.
- Integrations, one per line: link to the client portal, document exchange, CRM, booking, newsletter. Complex integrations stay on quote.
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA target, checked at acceptance.
- Forms: a clear notice that submitting does not create a lawyer-client relationship, minimum fields for conflict checks (name, contact details, opposing party if known, practice area), no details of the matter.
- Data protection: privacy policy, contact details of the person in charge of the protection of personal information, tracking cookies off by default, express consent for the newsletter (CASL).
- Hosting and domain in the firm's name, admin access handed over at delivery.
- SEO migration if a site exists: URL inventory, 301 redirect map, Search Console access.
- Acceptance criteria, timeline and budget range.
This is not legal advice: have the compliance requirements reviewed by your ethics or privacy lead; the Commission d'accès à l'information also publishes useful guidance.
How does a precise brief change the quotes?
A 2026 ballpark based on typical Montreal agency quotes, converted approximately from CAD into USD.
| Item | Vague brief | Precise brief | Spread of quotes received |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pages | 'A modern website' | 24 pages, 4 templates | USD 6,000 to 35,000 versus USD 9,000 to 15,000 |
| Languages | 'Bilingual if possible' | French, English as a priced option | English option from 0 to USD 8,000 versus a fixed line |
| Copywriting | Not specified | 6 practice areas written by the provider, profiles supplied | 1 to 4 spread |
| Integrations | 'A client portal' | Link to the existing portal, document exchange on quote | USD 20,000 quote avoided |
| SEO migration | Not mentioned | 140 URLs inventoried, 301 map required | Traffic risk priced in |
| Acceptance | Not planned | 12 written criteria | Clear project end |
The lesson: half the gap between quotes comes from questions you have not answered yet.
How do you compare three quotes with a scoring grid?
Score each quote from 1 to 5 per criterion, then multiply by the weight divided by 5. Example with three fictional quotes.
| Criterion | Weight | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding of the brief | 25 | 4 (20) | 5 (25) | 3 (15) |
| Compliance and accessibility | 20 | 3 (12) | 4 (16) | 5 (20) |
| SEO migration | 15 | 2 (6) | 4 (12) | 3 (9) |
| Price and clarity of options | 20 | 3 (12) | 2 (8) | 4 (16) |
| Ownership, hosting, access | 10 | 5 (10) | 4 (8) | 3 (6) |
| Timeline and method | 10 | 3 (6) | 3 (6) | 4 (8) |
| Total out of 100 | 100 | 66 | 75 | 74 |
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B and C are nearly tied: ask both for a clarification call on the points scored 2 or 3.
How does Kolonell's fixed grid map to the checklist?
| Checklist item | Starter, USD 2,900 | Growth, USD 4,900 | Premium, USD 8,900 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pages and templates | Core pages | Practice areas, profiles, insights | Full structure, advanced SEO |
| Languages | French | French | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
| Copywriting | Native French or English | Native French or English | Native French or English |
| Integrations | On quote | On quote | On quote |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Support | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months |
A project manager reachable in Eastern time runs the project. Kolonell built the website of TR Signing Group (trsigninggroup.com), a signing services company in New Jersey. Tier details are on the international offer page.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Hélène Dufresne, a partner at Dufresne Lachance Lawyers, a fictional 9-lawyer firm in Ville-Marie, spends 6 hours writing the checklist. She gets three quotes: CAD 34,000 (about USD 24,500), CAD 18,000 (about USD 13,000) and Kolonell Premium at USD 8,900 for French and English, languages set in the quote. Document exchange stays on quote with all three. On a previous project last year, a vague brief led to 3 change orders of USD 1,500 each, USD 4,500 over budget. Assumption: if the checklist avoids those change orders, the 6 hours of writing pay for themselves many times over.
FAQ
How long should the checklist be? Two or three pages are enough for a site of 20 to 30 pages. Beyond that, you are writing technical specifications the provider should produce.
Does the site have to be in French? In Quebec, the Charter of the French language requires French to be available, on terms at least equivalent to other languages. An English version is added, usually on the Premium tier at USD 8,900 with Kolonell.
What goes in the contact form? Five or six fields at most, a notice that submitting creates no lawyer-client relationship and no free-text field inviting people to describe their matter. Details come after the conflict check.
How many quotes should we request? Three quotes are enough, scored on the same 100-point grid. Beyond 4, comparison time usually outweighs the benefit.
Is the client portal included? No, a portal or secure document exchange is always a separate line on quote. The site can simply link to the tool the firm already uses.
Let's scope your project. Send us your checklist and we will price it line by line, from USD 2,900 to 8,900 depending on the tier, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. 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.
