The verdict in three sentences
In Montreux, an engineering office specialising in renovation and older buildings finds few web agencies on the Riviera itself and usually ends up comparing Lausanne quotes with freelancers. A local agency remains the right choice if you want frequent meetings and a supplier who photographs your sites every season; a remote studio is enough if your files are ready, you hire a photographer yourself and you want a fixed price: CHF 2,700 (Starter), CHF 4,500 (Growth) or CHF 8,200 (Premium) at Kolonell. Price is rarely the deciding factor: ownership of photos and domain, the quality of technical copy and your ability to supply content usually are.
This guide is written for English-speaking owners and partners running engineering practices in Montreux, where clients and authorities mostly work in French.
Small market, small pool: what is really available on the Riviera?
To be honest, between Vevey, Montreux and Villeneuve the number of web agencies able to handle an engineering site with references, careers and prequalification documents is limited. Most firms therefore also ask Lausanne agencies, about twenty minutes away by train, or freelancers in the canton of Vaud. 2026 ballpark, based on public rate pages of local agencies and typical quotes:
| Provider type | Build (2026 ballpark) | Quoted timeline | Face-to-face meetings | Native languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riviera agency | CHF 15,000 to 30,000 | 8 to 12 weeks | Easy, on request | French, sometimes English |
| Lausanne agency | CHF 18,000 to 38,000 | 10 to 16 weeks | Scheduled workshops | French, English, often German |
| Vaud freelancer | CHF 5,000 to 12,000 | 6 to 10 weeks | Varies | French |
| Remote studio (Kolonell) | CHF 2,700 to 8,200 | 3 to 4 weeks | Video calls, in your time zone | French and English |
| Self-service platform | Subscription, no support | Up to you | None | Up to you |
The small pool has a practical consequence: if the one agency you like is fully booked in spring, your schedule slips. A remote studio does not replace proximity, but it widens your options.
Which choice fits your situation?
| Your situation | Suggested choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You renovate Belle Epoque hotels and lakeside villas, with photos to redo every year | Local agency or a regular local photographer | Shoot logistics dominate the project |
| Your texts already exist in a brochure and tender files | Remote studio | The work is mostly structure, copywriting and launch |
| You target English-speaking owners and international hotel groups | Remote studio, Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) | Native French and English copywriting included |
| Your partners want to approve each page around a table | Local agency | In-person workshops are part of your governance |
| You must answer a prequalification within a month | Remote studio | Delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is supplied |
| You want the site linked to an internal recruitment tool | Lausanne agency | On-site technical follow-up is simpler |
Whatever the provider, the site needs project references in large images with the owner's written approval before publication (essential for private villas), service pages (structural surveys, strengthening, conversions, adding storeys), a careers page for scarce technical profiles, a prequalification document library, a health and safety page described in general terms, a team page with titles stated as they are, and light pages for job-site tablets.
On the legal side, the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD/revFADP), in force since 1 September 2023 and supervised by the FDPIC, applies to your forms; the GDPR becomes relevant if you target clients or candidates living in the EU, for instance across the lake. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA. This is not legal advice.
What does each option cost over three years?
Maintenance for market options is a market assumption. At Kolonell, 3 months of support are included, then maintenance is on quote.
| Option | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lausanne or Riviera agency (build + maintenance CHF 1,800 to 4,200/year, assumption) | CHF 19,800 to 42,200 | CHF 1,800 to 4,200 | CHF 1,800 to 4,200 | CHF 23,400 to 50,600 |
| Vaud freelancer (build + maintenance CHF 900 to 2,400/year, assumption) | CHF 5,900 to 14,400 | CHF 900 to 2,400 | CHF 900 to 2,400 | CHF 7,700 to 19,200 |
| Kolonell Starter | CHF 2,700, 3 months of support included | On quote | On quote | CHF 2,700 + maintenance on quote |
| Kolonell Growth | CHF 4,500, 3 months of support included | On quote | On quote | CHF 4,500 + maintenance on quote |
| Kolonell Premium | CHF 8,200, 3 months of support included | On quote | On quote | CHF 8,200 + maintenance on quote |
| Local photographer, third-party cost for any option (one day a year) | CHF 1,200 to 2,400 | CHF 1,200 to 2,400 | CHF 1,200 to 2,400 | CHF 3,600 to 7,200 |
Tier details are on the international offer page.
Questions to ask both types of provider
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- Are the domain and hosting registered in the firm's name?
- Are photo rights for private villas assigned for both the website and tender files?
- Who checks the technical vocabulary (underpinning, floor strengthening, building remediation)?
- What happens if we switch provider: content export, access, timeline?
- How much does adding a reference after launch cost?
Mini case study
*Illustrative example.* Isabelle is a partner in a 6-person office in Montreux that specialises in renovating older buildings. A Lausanne agency offers her a French and English site for CHF 24,000. She compares it with Kolonell Premium at CHF 8,200, the multilingual tier with French and English set in the quote, and adds one day with a local photographer at CHF 1,800, a third-party cost: CHF 10,000 in total. The CHF 14,000 gap comfortably covers several years of maintenance on quote. She still keeps one deal-breaker: a written assignment of photo rights, because two villa owners insist on anonymity.
FAQ
Why are there so few agencies in Montreux itself?
The Riviera market is small and many agencies are based in Lausanne or Vevey. Expect CHF 15,000 to 38,000 for a full engineering site from a regional agency, as a 2026 ballpark.
Can we publish photos of a renovated private villa?
Only with the owner's written consent, and often without address or name. A day with a local photographer costs about CHF 1,200 to 2,400, paid directly to the photographer.
Will a remote studio write good technical French?
At Kolonell, native French and English copywriting is included in every tier from CHF 2,700. Your engineers then validate the trade vocabulary in one or two review rounds.
How fast can a site be ready before a prequalification?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content is supplied, against the 8 to 16 weeks local agencies often quote. Add a week if photos still need to be taken.
Do we need a German version?
Only if you target Swiss German owners. Premium at CHF 8,200 is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote.
Let's scope your project. Heritage references, careers and prequalification in French and English, for CHF 4,500 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.