The verdict in three sentences
For a British-curriculum school in San Francisco (prep and senior, Reception to Year 13), the website mainly has to translate the English system for American families and reassure expat families arriving from the UK on tech contracts. A Bay Area agency is the right call if you are also buying ongoing video production and in-person support; for a clear admissions site delivered fast, a remote studio on a fixed price covers the need. The real difference between the two is less about price than about the staff time tied up in meetings.
What changes from one project phase to the next?
Comparing "local" and "remote" as a block is not useful. It is better to look at each phase and see where physical presence actually adds something.
| Phase | Bay Area agency | Remote studio | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping with leadership | On-site workshops, 2 to 4 half days | Video calls of 60 to 90 minutes | Who signs off: head, bursar, board? |
| Structure and content | Local copywriter, often billed extra | Native English copywriting included at Kolonell | Consistent Year/grade wording throughout |
| Photo and video | In-house crew or partner | Local photographer booked by the day | Parental consent before the shoot |
| Build | 8 to 14 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks at Kolonell | Fall admissions calendar |
| Launch and training | Session on campus | Recorded video session | Admin access handed to the school |
| Ongoing support | Monthly retainer | 3 months included at Kolonell, then on quote | Response time written into the contract |
A remote studio is not automatically less available: at Kolonell, the project manager is reachable on Pacific time. It will not, however, come and film your netball match.
What budget should you plan over three years in San Francisco?
2026 ballpark figures from typical Bay Area agency and freelancer quotes, among the highest in the US. Maintenance is a market assumption.
| Item (USD) | Bay Area agency | Bay Area freelancer | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and build | 30,000 to 70,000 | 8,000 to 18,000 | 4,900 (fixed grid) |
| Photo and video day | 2,500 to 6,000 | 2,500 to 6,000 | 2,500 to 6,000 (local photographer) |
| Maintenance over 36 months (market assumption) | 21,600 to 72,000 | 7,200 to 18,000 | 3 months included, then on quote |
| Link to SIS, admissions or parent portal | on quote | on quote | on quote |
| Pages for French or Spanish-speaking families | +3,000 to 8,000 | +1,500 to 4,000 | Premium 8,900, languages set in the quote |
| Total (English version, excluding Kolonell maintenance) | 54,100 to 148,000 | 17,700 to 42,000 | 7,400 to 10,900 |
Kolonell's grid is fixed: Starter $2,900, Growth $4,900, Premium $8,900, with native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Details are on the international offer page.
When is the local agency clearly better?
- Your school is planning a multi-month awareness campaign, with events in Marin or on the Peninsula, and wants one provider for everything.
- The board requires someone to attend quarterly meetings in person.
- You need video every month (sport, drama, A level results) and a crew that can show up within 48 hours.
- Your marketing team is one person who would rather delegate everything, budget included.
Outside those situations, paying a Bay Area agency $30,000 or more for an admissions site often means paying for meetings.
What a British school website has to show
- Year/grade conversion table (Year 7 roughly matches grade 6), GCSE or IGCSE and A levels explained for American parents, and what those qualifications mean for US college admissions.
- Admissions funnel: enquiry, tour booking, application, interview, re-enrollment. Links to your SIS or admissions software are an integration on quote.
- Fees: indicative range or a link to the official schedule, plus the financial aid policy.
- Safeguarding: a child protection policy page, written consent for every identifiable student photo.
- Data: CalOPPA requires a privacy policy on commercial websites that collect personal information from California residents. COPPA targets services directed at children under 13; FERPA only applies to schools receiving federal education funds. Have your situation checked.
- Accessibility: target WCAG 2.2 AA; ADA Title III covers private schools, except religious institutions.
This is not legal advice.
Ask both providers: are the domain and hosting in our name? How many hours of our staff time will the project need? Who writes the Year/grade table? Who manages photo consents? What does it cost after the warranty?
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Mini case study
Fiona Marsh, head of marketing at a fictional British school in San Francisco (Reception to Year 13, 410 students), compares two proposals. The local agency asks $52,000 and plans 8 workshops of 3 hours with 5 staff members: 120 staff hours. The remote studio proposes 6 one-hour video calls with 3 people, so 18 hours, plus a local photographer day at $4,000.
The math: 120 minus 18 is 102 hours saved, roughly two and a half weeks of an administrative role. On budget, Growth at $4,900 plus $4,000 of photography comes to $8,900 versus $52,000, a $43,100 gap. Fiona picks the remote studio and puts part of the gap into a yearly photography package with a photographer from the city. Illustrative example.
FAQ
Does a remote studio understand the English school system?
It has to prove it: ask for a draft of the Year/grade page at scoping. At Kolonell, native English copywriting is included from Starter at $2,900, but your teachers sign off on the equivalences.
Do we need a bilingual site for French-speaking families?
Only if they make up a real share of enquiries, say more than 15%. Premium, at $8,900, is the multilingual tier; languages are set in the quote.
How much lead time before the fall application peak?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks of production at Kolonell after content approval, and 10 to 14 weeks with a local agency. Launch by August at the latest for a season starting in September.
Who owns the photographer's images?
The photographer usually keeps copyright unless it is assigned in writing. Ask for an unlimited web usage license for the school, typically included in a $2,500 to $6,000 day rate.
What happens after the 3 months of support?
Maintenance continues on quote at Kolonell. Compare that with Bay Area agency retainers, often $600 to $2,000 a month.
To compare quotes on the same scope, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. An admissions site for a British school delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, $4,900 to $8,900 depending on languages. 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.