Local agency or remote studio for an architecture firm website in London: how to choose (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For an architecture firm website in London, a local agency remains the better choice if you want in-person creative workshops, ambitious art direction with interactive maps or 3D models, and a team that coordinates your photographers and filmmakers on site. A remote studio like Kolonell fits when you want a fast, well-written, easy-to-update portfolio site at a fixed price of 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP. The time zone is no issue: our team in Senegal is on London time in winter and one hour behind in summer.

Which criteria should you compare between a London agency and a remote studio?

London prices are prudent ballparks, based on public agency rate cards, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, published hourly rates (often 75 to 150 GBP per hour) and freelancer rates on Upwork or PeoplePerHour, usually 2 500 to 9 000 GBP for a portfolio site. A few London agencies specialising in architecture charge beyond 50 000 GBP for highly experimental sites.

When is the London agency the better choice?

To be frank, a London agency wins in several cases:

• The site is a design project in its own right: experimental navigation, an interactive map of completed work, 3D models in the browser.
• You want in-person brand workshops with every partner, followed by a visual identity overhaul.
• You are preparing a practice film and site shoots coordinated by the same team.
• Your practice has several offices and needs complex editorial governance with an intranet.

In those situations, the 25 000 to 45 000 GBP of a specialist agency can be justified.

When does a remote studio like Kolonell fit?

Most practices of 3 to 30 people mainly need to show projects with strong images, explain their sectors (housing, retrofit, education, workplace) and receive enquiries from clients or candidates.

Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. A project manager sends you a written update every week. A custom interactive map, a client extranet or an intranet is a custom application, quoted on request, and so is ongoing search work. Tier details are on our international website offer.

What does London specifically require of an architecture website?

In London, your visitors are developers, housing associations, schools, private clients in Hampstead or Islington and candidates comparing practices. Points to respect:

• The title architect is protected by the Architects Act 1997: only people on the Architects Registration Board (ARB) register may use it. The site presents each qualification exactly, and RIBA membership or Chartered Practice status only if real.
• Photo rights: your architectural photographer's licence sometimes covers print but not web. Check it before launch and credit the photographer.
• Data protection: UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 for forms and job applications, PECR for consent to non-essential cookies.
• Accessibility: the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments; WCAG 2.2 AA is the technical reference (alt text on photos, contrast, keyboard navigation).
• Light images: high-definition visuals must be compressed to stay fast on mobile.

This is not legal advice.

Which questions should you ask before signing?

• Can I add a project myself without paying for an intervention? The back office must allow it.
• Are the domain, hosting and accounts in our name? Ask for it in writing.
• Who writes the project pages? Vague text about the harmony of volumes helps neither clients nor candidates.
• How are photos handled? Modern formats, file weight, credits.
• What does a change cost after delivery? Ask for a written rate.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Priya S., founding director of a 12-person practice in Clerkenwell focused on housing retrofit and school buildings, compares two offers. A London agency proposes 32 000 GBP, delivered in 12 weeks, with a new visual identity. Kolonell proposes Growth at 3 900 GBP, delivered in 4 weeks, using her existing photos; she pays her photographer 600 GBP to extend the licence to the web.

Total: 32 000 GBP versus 4 500 GBP, a 27 500 GBP gap. Priya keeps her current identity, picks Kolonell and reserves the local agency for a future brand overhaul if the practice opens a second office.

FAQ

How much does an architecture firm website cost in London in 2026?

With a local agency, expect a ballpark of 10 000 to 45 000 GBP, and 2 500 to 9 000 GBP with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP.

Do you photograph our buildings?

No. You supply licensed photos or book your architectural photographer, often 800 to 2 000 GBP per day based on published rates. A local agency can coordinate those shoots on site.

Does the time difference complicate the project?

No: our team is on GMT, the same time as London in winter and one hour apart in summer. Google Meet calls fit your schedule and a written update arrives every week.

Can the site be in English and French?

Yes, the bilingual FR/EN site is included in Premium at 6 900 GBP. Other languages are supplied by the practice or quoted separately.

How does payment work?

By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. On Growth, that means two payments of 1 950 GBP.

Let's scope your project. Send us your flagship projects, your sectors and the status of your photo licences, and we come back with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.