The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture firm in Lucerne, a local agency earns its fee when the site needs regular on-site shoots, in-person workshops with several partners and native German copywriting. If your project photography already exists and the brief is a filterable, fast portfolio that is easy to update, a fixed-price remote studio delivers an equivalent result for a fraction of the budget. The deciding factor is content logistics: who produces the images and the text, how often and in which language.
Which criteria really matter for a Lucerne practice?
In Lucerne, much of the work of architecture practices involves existing buildings: Old Town houses, buildings along the Reuss, lakeside villas, properties on the cantonal heritage inventory. The site therefore has to show before and after images, explain a conservation approach and reassure clients who are mostly German-speaking and sometimes foreign owners of a second home. This is the grid we suggest using before you request proposals.
| Criterion | Local agency (Lucerne, Zug, Zurich) | Remote studio (Kolonell) | Weight for a heritage practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | Same hours, same-day meetings | Project manager reachable during your office hours | Medium |
| In-person meetings | Workshops on site, agency visit | 4 to 6 scheduled video calls | High with 3 or more partners |
| Languages | Native German, English sometimes outsourced | Native English and French, German to be reviewed by a Swiss translator | High |
| On-site photo and drone | Partner photographer, CHF 1,500 to 4,000 per day | Your existing images, local photographer hired separately | High |
| Domain, hosting, code | Varies, theme sometimes retained by the agency | In the firm's name, code handed over at the end | High |
| Build price (2026 ballpark) | CHF 18,000 to 45,000 | CHF 2,700 to 8,200 | Medium |
| Maintenance | Contract of CHF 150 to 450 per month | 3 months included, then optional | Medium |
The agency ranges come from typical agency quotes and public rate pages of agencies in central Switzerland: they are ballpark figures, not contractual prices.
What does each option cost over three years?
The build price on its own tells you very little. Over three years, photography, translation and maintenance often weigh as much as the site itself.
| Item (CHF, 2026 ballpark) | Lucerne agency | Local freelancer | Remote studio (Growth) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website build | 18,000 to 45,000 | 6,000 to 15,000 | 4,500 |
| Photo and drone shoot (2 days) | 3,000 to 8,000 | 3,000 to 8,000 | 3,000 to 8,000 |
| German and English translation | 0 to 3,000 | 1,500 to 3,000 | 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Maintenance over 33 months | 5,000 to 15,000 | 3,000 to 8,000 | 2,000 to 6,000 |
| Hosting over 3 years | 600 to 1,800 | 600 to 1,800 | 600 to 1,800 |
| Three-year total | 26,600 to 72,800 | 14,100 to 35,800 | 11,600 to 23,300 |
The Kolonell international offer uses a fixed grid: Starter CHF 2,700, Growth CHF 4,500, Premium CHF 8,200. It 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. Custom applications and search optimisation work are priced on quote.
When is a local agency clearly the better choice?
To be honest, a Lucerne or Zug agency is worth its price in several situations. Your firm has five or more partners and each one wants to sign off the art direction around a table. Nobody in-house can write or proofread German, and 90% of your clients are German-speaking. You want one provider to photograph your sites every quarter, redo your printed brochures and handle your competition boards. In those cases, proximity cuts back-and-forth, and the extra cost buys coordination.
A remote studio is enough when one or two people make the decision, your project images are already cleared for web use, the site must be bilingual German and English with a polished English version, and you want to be live within a month.
Questions to ask both types of provider
- Will the domain and hosting be registered in the firm's name, and will the source code be handed over at the end?
- How do we add a project ourselves, filters included (restoration, conversion, new build, municipality)?
- What page weight and load time do you target on mobile for galleries of 30 images in AVIF or WebP?
- Who checks that the photographer's licence covers the web, social media and competition entries?
- What does the enquiry form ask: budget, plot, deadline, listed status of the building?
Which local rules frame the website?
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Switzerland has the REG register for architecture professionals, and some cantons regulate the practice of the profession: check the rule that applies to you before writing your About page and describing your titles. If you are a member of the SIA or the BSA, their codes of conduct also apply to your communications. The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP), in force since 1 September 2023, requires a clear privacy notice, in particular for the data collected through your contact form. For aerial views, drone flights follow the federal rules of FOCA. For accessibility, target WCAG 2.2 level AA: contrast, alt text on images and keyboard navigation. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Andrea Bucher runs a six-person practice in Lucerne that specialises in restoring listed buildings. A local agency quotes CHF 32,000, shoot included, then CHF 250 a month for maintenance. Over three years: 32,000 + 250 x 33 = CHF 40,250, plus CHF 1,200 of hosting, so CHF 41,450. With the remote Growth tier: CHF 4,500, plus CHF 2,200 for German translation and proofreading, CHF 5,000 for two days with a Lucerne photographer, CHF 120 a month of maintenance after the 3 included months (CHF 3,960) and CHF 1,200 of hosting, so CHF 16,860. The CHF 24,590 gap pays for a second shoot and a year of new project pages.
FAQ
Can a remote studio write the site in German?
The included native copywriting is in English or French. For a Lucerne site, plan a translation or proofread by a Swiss translator, usually CHF 1,500 to 3,000 for 10 to 15 pages.
How many projects do we need to launch the portfolio?
Eight to twelve well-documented projects are enough at launch. Each project page works best with 6 to 15 images, a short note on the approach and key data (floor area, year, client if permitted).
Will the site slow down with so many photos?
Not if images are served in AVIF or WebP with lazy loading. A realistic target is a main render under 2.5 seconds on mobile, even with galleries of 30 images.
Who owns the rights to the site photos?
The photographer, unless rights are assigned in writing. Negotiate a licence covering the web, social media and competitions for at least 10 years.
How long does it take to go live?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks with a remote studio if images and copy are ready, against 8 to 16 weeks on average for a local agency running workshops.
Let's scope your project. A filterable portfolio, German and English versions, a budget of CHF 2,700 to 8,200 and launch 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.