The verdict in three sentences
For an engineering and construction firm in Brussels, choosing between a local agency and a remote studio depends less on price than on three realities of the sector: site photography that must be produced on location, a trilingual French, Dutch and English website, and ownership of the domain and code to be locked down in the contract. A Brussels agency is the right call if you need regular coverage of your sites and in-person workshops; a remote studio such as Kolonell is enough for a strong project references site, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for €4,500 or €8,200 depending on the tier. Over three years the total gap remains large, but it should not hide the governance question.
What does a Brussels engineering firm's website really need?
A structural engineering office, a building services firm (HVAC, electrical, plumbing) or a general contractor does not buy a website to look pretty. The site does three jobs first. It carries the project references: project sheets with client, scope, floor areas, phases and heavy visuals (photos, drawings, renders), which must stay fast on mobile. It supports public procurement bids: buyers check the site to verify experience, teams and the certifications you actually hold, although the site never replaces the documents in the tender file (procurement rules should be checked tender by tender). Finally, it feeds recruitment: with the shortage of technical profiles in Brussels (structural engineers, HVAC technicians, site managers), the careers page is often the most profitable page on the site.
On top of this comes the energy performance of buildings in the Brussels-Capital Region, which many firms highlight in their services: stay factual and general, without promising a certification level. On data, the GDPR applies, supervised by the Belgian Data Protection Authority: CVs received through the careers page are personal data and need a clear notice and a retention period. For accessibility, targeting WCAG 2.1 AA is a reasonable working standard, all the more as some public buyers ask for it. This is not legal advice.
How do you compare a local agency and a remote studio, criterion by criterion?
| Criterion | Brussels agency | Remote studio (Kolonell) | Check in both cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time zone and responsiveness | Same time zone, on-site meetings possible | Project manager reachable on Brussels time | Response time written into the contract |
| Meetings and site visits | Easy on-site visits | Video calls, no site visits | Number of meetings planned |
| FR, NL, EN languages | Often bilingual FR/NL in-house | Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) | Native review of technical Dutch |
| Site photo and video | Often included or coordinated by the agency | Local photographer hired by you, third-party cost | Image usage rights |
| Domain and code ownership | Varies between agencies | Domain and hosting in the client's name, code handed over | Ownership and exit clause |
| Price and timeline | €18,000 to €45,000, 10 to 16 weeks | €2,700 to €8,200, 3 to 4 weeks | What stays on quote |
| Maintenance | Local contract, contact on site | 3 months included, then on quote | Scope and response time |
What is the three-year budget for a trilingual site?
The market figures below are a 2026 ballpark based on typical Brussels agency quotes and public agency rate pages. They are not a survey. The scenario is a trilingual site of about thirty pages with 15 project reference sheets.
| 3-year cost item (EUR) | Brussels agency | Independent Brussels studio | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site build (FR, NL, EN) | 32,000 | 14,000 | 8,200 |
| Site photography | included | 2,500 (local photographer) | 2,500 (local photographer, third-party cost) |
| Native Dutch review | included | 900 (independent reviewer) | 900 (independent reviewer, third-party cost) |
| Maintenance over 3 years, market assumption at €150 per month | 5,400 | 5,400 | 5,400 |
| Estimated total | 37,400 | 22,800 | 17,000 |
The maintenance line is a market assumption applied in the same way to every option to compare like with like: beyond the 3 months of included support, maintenance from Kolonell is on quote. For a French-only site, the Growth tier at €4,500 or Starter at €2,700 is often enough. Configurators, client extranets and integrations with an ERP or project management tool stay on quote. Tier details are on our international offer page.
When is the local agency clearly the better choice?
Let's be honest: the Brussels agency wins in several cases. If you want photo and video coverage of your sites every quarter, a team that can be on site within half a day makes all the difference. If your management wants in-person workshops with the partners, the bids team and HR, proximity cuts the back-and-forth. If the project includes a full brand identity overhaul, a printed annual report and site hoardings, an integrated agency coordinates the whole better. Finally, if your site must connect to a custom client extranet, favour the team that will maintain that system over the long term.
A remote studio is enough when the identity exists, photos can be commissioned from a local photographer on two or three sites, copy can be approved online and the main goal is a fast, trilingual, clear references site for buyers and candidates.
Questions to ask both types of provider:
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- Are the domain, hosting and accounts in our name?
- Are the code and source files handed over at delivery?
- Who writes and who reviews the technical Dutch?
- How many project sheets are included, and what do additional ones cost?
- What is the response time for an outage after the support period?
- How are CVs stored and deleted?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Thomas Verhaegen runs a 28-person building services engineering firm in Etterbeek. He is weighing a Brussels agency at €32,000 against Kolonell Premium at €8,200 for a site in French, Dutch and English. He decides to hire a local photographer himself for €2,500 and an independent Dutch reviewer for €900, so €11,600 in total. The €20,400 gap with the agency could fund, for example, two recruitment campaigns. If the careers page fills a single engineering role without a recruitment firm, whose fees commonly range from 15 to 25 % of gross annual salary, the saving on a €60,000 salary would be €9,000 to €15,000.
FAQ
Can a remote studio handle a site in French, Dutch and English?
Yes, through the Premium tier at €8,200 (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote). Plan a native review of the technical Dutch, about €900 with an independent reviewer in our scenario.
How much does an engineering firm website cost in Brussels in 2026?
As a ballpark, €18,000 to €45,000 with a full-service agency, €8,000 to €18,000 with an independent studio and €2,700 to €8,200 with Kolonell's grid, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks.
Who should own the domain and the code?
Your firm, in 100 % of cases: require the domain and hosting to be in your name and the code to be handed over at delivery, with an exit clause.
How should CVs received through the site be handled?
Provide a separate notice, a secure upload and deletion after a defined period, for example 12 months, in line with the GDPR. Have the period validated by your adviser.
How much time should the firm set aside?
Allow 6 to 10 hours to supply the project sheets and approve the copy, plus half a day of photographer time per site.
Let's scope your project. Tell us how many references, which languages, your photo needs and your recruitment or tender deadlines, and we will return a fixed EUR budget and a 3 to 4 week plan. 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.
