The verdict in three sentences
In Galway, a studio furnishing second homes and holiday lets turnkey often works for owners who do not live locally: the website has to explain the process end to end and reassure without a visit. A Galway agency is preferable if you need a partner who travels to properties and produces content regularly; a remote studio is enough if your visuals exist and you want a fixed budget. At Kolonell, allow €2,700 for Starter, €4,500 for Growth and €8,200 for Premium, with 3 months of support included.
Which client scenario is yours?
Before comparing providers, work out who the site is talking to. The profiles below come up often in property furnishing in and around Galway.
| Scenario | Typical client | Main job of the site | Best-fit provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Owner based in Dublin, London or the US, cottage in Connemara | detailed process, video walkthrough, staged quote | remote studio, if the videos exist |
| B | Local investor, flats in Knocknacarra or Salthill let year-round | speed, clear packages, short form | remote studio |
| C | Seller wanting staging before going to market in Oranmore or near the Claddagh | before and after, short timelines, frequent photos | local agency or a regular local photographer |
| D | A mix of all three, 20 or more projects a year | content refreshed every month | local agency |
| E | Gaeltacht clients who would like a page in Irish | quality Irish-language copy | independent translator, whichever provider |
For scenarios A and B, the web provider's distance is not a problem: your clients do not come to the studio either. For C and D, how often you need new photography becomes the deciding factor.
Where a Galway agency clearly earns its fee
An agency in the Latin Quarter or nearby has a real edge if you want someone to drop by a property between furniture deliveries, film an installation and update the site straight away. It is also more comfortable if you have no copy, photos or project list yet: face-to-face workshops save time for a founder who dislikes writing. Finally, if local partners (joiners, upholsterers, linen suppliers) need to approve how they appear on the site, one physical meeting settles it in an hour.
A remote studio stays relevant when you already know what you sell and the main gap is a fast, convincing website. See the Kolonell international offer for what each tier includes.
The decision checklist
| Question | If yes | If no |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have professional photos with a web licence? | remote studio works | plan a local photographer, third-party cost |
| Should the web provider visit properties? | local agency | remote studio |
| Does one person sign off the pages? | remote studio | local agency if more than three approvers |
| Is the build budget capped below €6,000? | remote studio or freelancer | both remain open |
| Must the site be live before the summer season? | 3 to 4 weeks, remote studio | local agency, 8 to 12 weeks |
| Is the domain already in your name? | keep it, write it into the contract | register it in your name first |
| Do you plan several languages? | Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) | Starter or Growth |
What the site must do, and what it costs over three years
A turnkey furnishing site has to show a portfolio by property type (cottage, buy-to-let flat, family home, staged property), served in WebP or AVIF with lazy loading, because buyers often browse on a phone on the move. Each published project requires the owner's consent, no precise address and accurate photo credits. The inquiry form sticks to property type, number of bedrooms, budget band and target date. Add a method and fees page in general terms, a press page only if there is real coverage, and links to Instagram, Pinterest or Houzz.
Cumulative cost, 2026 ballpark from typical quotes; market maintenance is an assumption.
| Period | Galway agency | Local freelancer | Remote studio (Kolonell) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | €4,500 to €12,000 | €1,800 to €5,000 | €4,500 (Growth) |
| Monthly maintenance (market assumption) | €90 to €200 | €40 to €100 | on quote after the 3 included months |
| Year 1 (build + months 4 to 12) | €5,310 to €13,800 | €2,160 to €5,900 | €4,500 + maintenance on quote |
| Year 2 | €1,080 to €2,400 | €480 to €1,200 | on quote |
| Year 3 | €1,080 to €2,400 | €480 to €1,200 | on quote |
| 3-year total | €7,470 to €18,600 | €3,120 to €8,300 | €4,500 + maintenance on quote |
Before signing, ask each one: who holds the domain and hosting, which files are handed over at the end of the contract, how many revision rounds are included and who manages the image licences.
The Irish frame to respect
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
No regulation protects the interior design profession in Ireland, but the title architect is reserved by the Building Control Act 2007, with the RIAI keeping the register. So speak of an interior design studio, never of architects. For older houses listed as protected structures, works affecting their character need planning consent: stay careful in project descriptions.
GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data Protection Commission govern the data your forms collect. On accessibility, the European Accessibility Act points towards WCAG 2.2 AA, a sensible target for any new site. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Ciarán runs a turnkey furnishing studio in Galway and mostly works for owners living abroad. Each prospect needs, on average, three one-hour calls to understand the process. With a detailed process page, an FAQ and a video walkthrough per project, he aims for a single call: across 20 prospects a year, 40 hours saved.
He compares a €9,500 Galway agency quote with Growth at €4,500 plus two days from an independent local photographer at €850, i.e. €1,700 of third-party cost: €6,200, a €3,300 gap. With his content ready, he picks the remote studio.
FAQ
My clients are abroad: is a remote studio a problem?
No, since your clients do not come on site either; what matters is how clear the process is online. A process page and an FAQ of 8 to 10 questions often replace two calls per prospect.
Do I need a page in Irish?
It is a positioning choice for Gaeltacht clients. Have it written by an independent translator, a third-party cost of roughly €0.12 to €0.20 per word.
What timeline before the summer season?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content is in. A local agency usually quotes 8 to 12 weeks: start before March for a site ready in June.
Starter or Growth?
Starter at €2,700 is enough for a short site with a few projects. Growth at €4,500 suits a portfolio filterable by property type and a qualifying form.
For tailored pricing, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. A portfolio by property type, a process page for remote clients and a qualifying form, from €2,700 to €8,200, delivered 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.