The verdict in three sentences
For most Edinburgh architecture practices of 3 to 25 people, a remote studio with a project manager reachable during UK hours can deliver a strong portfolio site for £3,900 to £6,900, provided photography stays local and the contract puts domain, code and content in your name. A local Edinburgh agency remains the better call when you need repeated in-person workshops, a brand identity rebuilt alongside the site, or shoots coordinated across live construction sites. The decision should rest on who produces the images, who owns what and who maintains the site in years two and three, far more than on the headline quote.
What actually differs between a local agency and a remote studio?
An architect's website is judged first on its images and on how clearly each project is told. Where the developers sit matters less than how they coordinate with your photographer, how well the project copy is written and who owns the files. These are the criteria we suggest scoring from 1 to 5 before you sign.
| Criterion | Local Edinburgh agency | Remote studio (e.g. Kolonell) | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time-zone overlap | Full (GMT/BST) | Project manager reachable in UK hours | Meeting slots written into the contract |
| Meetings | Workshops at your studio possible | Video calls, screen sharing, async reviews | Number of included reviews (usually 3 to 5) |
| Copywriting | Native English, sometimes subcontracted | Native English or French copywriting included | Who writes project pages and bios |
| Photo and video | Often a network of local photographers | Local photographer hired by you, brief supplied | Image usage rights in your name |
| Ownership | Varies, sometimes a proprietary CMS | Domain, code and content in your name | Transfer clause and admin access |
| Maintenance | £80 to £250 per month retainer | 3 months included, then on quote | Response time and updates |
| 2026 price (ballpark) | £9,000 to £22,000 | £2,300 / £3,900 / £6,900 | What each tier includes |
| Timeline | 8 to 16 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Sign-off schedule on your side |
The local ranges are a 2026 ballpark drawn from typical agency quotes and public rate pages of Scottish agencies; an experienced freelancer usually charges £3,000 to £7,000 for a portfolio. The Kolonell tiers are detailed on the international website offer page.
When is a local Edinburgh agency clearly the better choice?
To be fair, proximity is sometimes worth paying for.
- Full rebrand: if the practice's logo, typography and tone change at the same time as the site, in-person workshops with the partners save weeks.
- Competitions and exhibitions: a practice preparing a competition entry or a Festival-season exhibition needs a partner who can also produce print material locally.
- Shoots on live sites: if photography must follow progress on several sites every month, an agency with its own photographer simplifies logistics.
- Heavy governance: beyond 5 partners signing off every page collectively, face-to-face meetings cut the back and forth.
A remote studio is enough in the other cases: a portfolio of 10 to 40 projects, service pages (residential, heritage, education, retrofit), team bios, news and awards, a qualified enquiry form. That describes most practices in the city.
What does an Edinburgh architecture site need, and which rules apply?
Project pages must carry heavy imagery without slowing the site: AVIF or WebP formats, hero images under 300 KB, galleries loaded on demand. A city whose Old and New Towns are a UNESCO World Heritage Site pushes many practices towards conservation work: a dedicated page with listed-building examples reassures private clients and public commissioners alike. Awards (for example the RIAS Awards) and publications deserve a dated, sourced page.
On the rules side, the title "architect" is protected in the UK by the Architects Act 1997: only people on the ARB register may use it in business, so bios should clearly separate registered architects from other staff. The ARB Code of Conduct expects honest communication about competence and experience. Form data falls under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and non-essential cookies under PECR, which calls for a genuine consent banner. Aim for WCAG 2.2 level AA: the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers not to exclude disabled people, and an accessible website is the simplest way to show it. This is not legal advice.
| 3-year item (2026) | Local agency | Freelancer | Kolonell Growth / Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and build | £9,000 to £22,000 | £3,000 to £7,000 | £3,900 or £6,900 |
| Photography of 10 to 15 projects | £1,500 to £4,000 | £1,500 to £4,000 | £1,500 to £4,000 (local photographer) |
| Maintenance and hosting | £2,900 to £9,000 | £1,400 to £4,300 | 3 months included, then on quote |
| Project page copywriting | Often extra | Rarely included | Included |
| Time to launch | 8 to 16 weeks | 6 to 12 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Total excluding Kolonell maintenance | £13,400 to £35,000 | £5,900 to £15,300 | £5,400 to £10,900 |
Which questions should you ask both types of provider?
- Will the domain, hosting and code repository be registered in our name from day one?
- Who writes the project copy, and how many review rounds are included?
- How are images optimised, and what maximum page weight do you commit to?
- How many reviews are included, and at what hours can we reach the project manager?
- If we change provider in two years, which files do we receive?
- Will the site be tested against WCAG 2.2 AA, with a written report?
- What is the response time if the site goes down, and is it contractual?
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Isla, partner at a 9-person practice in Leith specialising in housing and listed-building refurbishment. A local agency quotes her £16,500 plus £150 per month for maintenance. Over three years, with £2,800 of photography for 12 projects, the total reaches 16,500 + 2,800 + 5,400 = £24,700.
With a remote studio's Growth tier at £3,900, the same photographer at £2,800 and an assumed maintenance cost of £120 per month after the 3 included months (actual price on quote), the total is 3,900 + 2,800 + 3,960 = £10,660. The gap of roughly £14,000 pays for several years of new shoots. Isla still keeps the local agency for her printed practice brochure, where being in the room genuinely matters.
FAQ
Can a remote studio organise photography of our Edinburgh projects?
Yes, usually by helping you hire a local photographer and supplying a precise brief (angles, formats, images per project). Budget £1,500 to £4,000 for 10 to 15 projects. Usage rights should be assigned to the practice, not to the web provider.
How long does it take to launch a portfolio site?
A remote studio delivers in 3 to 4 weeks if images and core copy are ready. A local agency more often quotes 8 to 16 weeks, brand workshops included. The main cause of delay remains internal sign-off by the partners.
Should the site show the ARB registration of our architects?
It is good practice, since the title is protected by the Architects Act 1997 and clients increasingly check the register. One line per bio is enough, with the registration number if you wish. For the 2 or 3 unregistered staff, use a title such as "architectural designer".
Which tier suits a practice of 5 to 15 people?
The Growth tier at £3,900 usually covers 20 to 30 projects, service pages, the team and a qualified form. The Premium tier at £6,900 fits if you want advanced filters, animated project pages or a bilingual version. A custom application, such as a client extranet, is priced on quote.
Is search optimisation included?
The technical basics (tags, speed, structured data) are in place at launch. Ongoing search work on queries such as "conservation architect Edinburgh" is priced on quote. It rarely shows visible results before 4 to 6 months.
To compare like for like, request a free quote with your project list and timeline.
Let's scope your project. Send the number of projects to showcase, your indicative budget and your target launch date. 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.