The verdict in three sentences
For an interior design studio specialising in heritage and period interiors in Lucerne, the choice mostly turns on two things: who photographs the projects and who writes the German copy. A local agency is worth it if you want on-site meetings, a coordinated shoot and a native German-speaking contact for the whole project. A remote studio such as Kolonell is enough if you already work with a photographer, are happy with video calls in the same time zone and plan a German proofread by a third party.
Which criteria really matter for a period property studio?
A studio restoring Altstadt apartments, Tribschen villas or lakeside manor houses does not need what a furniture shop needs. Its site has to show projects by type (period apartment, manor house, listed building), explain coordination with the cantonal heritage office in general terms, and filter inquiries before the first meeting. Here is a grid weighted out of 100; adjust it to your own situation.
| Criterion | Weight | Local agency (score /5) | Remote studio (score /5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings and site visits | 20 | 5 | 2 |
| Time-zone overlap with your clients | 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Native copywriting (German, English) | 20 | 5 | 4 |
| On-site photo and video | 15 | 4 | 2 |
| Ownership of domain and code | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Total cost over 3 years | 20 | 2 | 5 |
| Weighted score | 100 | 79 | 70 |
Method: each score is divided by 5 and multiplied by the weight (agency: 20 + 10 + 20 + 12 + 9 + 8 = 79; remote: 8 + 8 + 16 + 6 + 12 + 20 = 70). With these weights the local agency wins. If your clients prefer video calls and you already use an architectural photographer, cut the site-visit weight to 5 and raise cost to 35: the remote studio moves ahead. Ownership of the domain and code does not depend on the provider type but on the contract, so insist that the domain name and hosting are registered in your name.
What does each option cost over three years?
The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark based on public agency rate pages and typical agency quotes in Central Switzerland. They are not a market survey.
| Item (CHF, 2026 ballpark) | Central Swiss agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell (remote studio) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio site build | 12,000 to 25,000 | 4,000 to 9,000 | 4,500 (Growth) |
| Native German copy | included | often included | freelance proofreader, 600 to 1,200 (third-party cost) |
| Architectural photographer | 2,000 to 5,000 (third-party cost) | 2,000 to 5,000 (third-party cost) | 2,000 to 5,000 (local photographer, third-party cost) |
| Initial support | varies | varies | 3 months included |
| Maintenance over 36 months | 3,600 to 9,000 (market assumption) | 1,800 to 5,400 (market assumption) | on quote |
| Total excluding Kolonell maintenance | 17,600 to 39,000 | 7,800 to 19,400 | 7,100 to 10,700 |
The Kolonell grid is fixed: Starter CHF 2,700, Growth CHF 4,500, Premium CHF 8,200. Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) suits a studio wanting German, English and a third language for international clients. Tier details are on the international offer page. Delivery takes 3 to 4 weeks, with a project manager reachable in your time zone and native English or French copywriting.
When is the local agency clearly the better choice?
To be honest, in three situations a Lucerne or Zurich agency earns its fee.
- You want a native German-speaking contact who writes every page and joins meetings with your craftspeople and suppliers.
- Your projects need a coordinated shoot across several sites in one day, with styling, and you do not want to manage the photographer yourself.
- Your site must connect to an existing local tool (project management software, a calendar shared with an engineering office) that the agency already knows.
A remote studio is enough when the site is a portfolio with an inquiry form, you supply the photos and you want to keep launch spend under CHF 10,000.
What the site must include, whoever builds it
- Portfolio by project type, images in WebP or AVIF, lazy loading, light mobile pages despite large visuals.
- Photo rights: a contract with the photographer, a visible credit under each series, web and social usage rights.
- Discretion: never a private address, written owner consent before publishing a lived-in home.
- Inquiry form with budget range, timeline and property type, and no unnecessary fields (data minimisation).
- Process and fees page described in general terms, with no invented figures.
- Press only with real coverage; links to Instagram, Pinterest or Houzz.
- Partners (joiners, restorers, suppliers) described generally and with their agreement.
On the legal side, the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD/revFADP), in force since 1 September 2023, covers your forms and cookies under the supervision of the FDPIC; the GDPR also applies if you target clients living in the EU. The interior designer title is not protected at federal level; the REG register and professional associations are the usual references, and some cantons regulate who may sign building permit plans. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility. This is not legal advice.
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Questions to ask both types of provider
- Will the domain, hosting and code be in my name from launch?
- Who writes the German copy, and is it checked by a native speaker?
- What average mobile page weight do you target for a portfolio page?
- How do you handle photo credits and removing a project if a client asks?
- What is the monthly cost after the support period, and what does it cover?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Annina, founder of an interior design studio renovating period apartments in the Altstadt and Wesemlin, receives a local agency quote of CHF 18,000. She already has 14 projects shot by a freelance photographer. Remote option: Growth at CHF 4,500, plus a German proofread by a freelance proofreader at CHF 900, so CHF 5,400. The CHF 12,600 gap easily covers a new shoot of two projects (about CHF 3,000, third-party cost) and leaves CHF 9,600. In exchange, Annina swaps three 2-hour on-site meetings for four 1-hour video calls.
FAQ
Can a remote studio write my German copy?
Kolonell writes natively in English and French. For German, plan a native freelance proofreader, roughly CHF 600 to 1,200 depending on volume, as a third-party cost.
How long does a portfolio site with 15 projects take?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks with Kolonell once photos and copy are approved. Local agencies often quote 6 to 12 weeks.
Do I need Premium for a German and English site?
Premium at CHF 8,200 is the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. A Growth site at CHF 4,500 already covers a full portfolio with a qualified inquiry form.
Can I publish a listed apartment without the owner's consent?
No: always get written consent and never publish the address. Also set a removal window, for example within 7 days, in case the owner changes their mind.
Is maintenance included?
Three months of support are included. After that, maintenance is on quote; on the local market the usual assumption is CHF 100 to 250 per month.
Let's scope your project. A German and English heritage portfolio, budget CHF 4,500 to 8,200, live 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.