The verdict in three sentences
For a New York marine surveying firm, the website has one job at 2 a.m.: let a claims handler or a P&I correspondent find you, trust you and instruct you in minutes. The 2026 market ballpark runs from 8,000 to 35,000 USD, and a complete itemised quote for a focused 12 to 15 page site lands around 19,250 USD. The lines that matter are the secure claim intake form, the 24/7 call out page and credentials shown in a way an underwriter can verify.
The itemised quote, line by line
Assumptions: 12 to 15 pages, survey service pages (cargo, hull and machinery, pre purchase, on and off hire), a 24/7 call out page, a claim intake form with secure uploads and a credentials section. Day rate used: 1,100 USD, a 2026 market ballpark for a New York agency.
| Line item | Days | Amount | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and sitemap | 1.5 | 1,650 USD | Insurer journey, owner journey, P&I correspondent journey |
| UX and design | 3 | 3,300 USD | Home, service, call out, credentials, intake templates |
| CMS build | 6 | 6,600 USD | 15 pages, service library, news |
| Secure claim intake form | 3 | 3,300 USD | Vessel, IMO, cargo, port, loss date, uploads up to 50 MB, encrypted storage |
| 24/7 call out page | 1 | 1,100 USD | Click to call, after hours routing, response time statement |
| Credentials and references | 1 | 1,100 USD | Accreditations, P&I and underwriter panels, anonymised case list |
| Accessibility check | 1 | 1,100 USD | WCAG 2.1 AA review to reduce ADA complaint risk |
| Launch SEO and Google Business Profile | 1 | 1,100 USD | Local pages for the Port of New York and New Jersey area |
| Total | 17.5 days | 19,250 USD | 6 to 8 weeks |
On credentials, list only club appointments, underwriter panels and professional memberships you can document, worded exactly as the organisation does. A claims handler will check, and an overstated panel listing does more damage than an empty section.
Recurring costs
| Item | 2026 market ballpark | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Domain and business email | 150 to 400 USD | Per year |
| Secure hosting with backups | 40 to 150 USD | Per month |
| Maintenance and security updates | 150 to 450 USD | Per month |
| Encrypted file storage for claims | 20 to 100 USD | Per month |
| New case studies or pages | 300 to 800 USD each | On demand |
Over three years recurring costs add roughly 8,000 to 26,000 USD. Do not let the agency store claim documents in a generic form plugin's database: route them to encrypted storage your firm controls.
Three budget tiers
| Tier | Scope | Build budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential (market) | 8 pages, phone and email call out, simple form | 8,000 to 12,000 USD | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Standard (market) | 12 to 15 pages, secure intake, credentials, accessibility check | 17,000 to 23,000 USD | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Complete (market) | 20 pages, client portal to download reports, technical blog | 28,000 to 35,000 USD | 9 to 12 weeks |
| Kolonell's prices (nearshore, Growth) | 8 to 12 pages with blog | 1,830 to 3,050 EUR, plus 230 EUR for a client area | 14 to 21 working days |
Mini case study
Illustrative example, fictional persona: Daniel is principal of a 6 surveyor firm working the New York and New Jersey terminals. He picks the Standard tier at 19,250 USD plus 300 USD monthly maintenance, 22,850 USD in year one. Assuming an average survey fee of 3,500 USD, two extra instructions a month from insurers who found and verified him online bring 84,000 USD a year. The site pays back in just over 3 months.
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FAQ
How much does a marine surveyor website cost in New York?
The 2026 market ballpark is 8,000 to 35,000 USD. A focused 12 to 15 page site with secure claim intake and a call out page lands around 19,000 to 23,000 USD.
What should a claim intake form collect?
Vessel name, IMO number, cargo, port, date of loss, policy reference and uploads such as photos and bills of lading. Allow at least 50 MB per submission and encrypt storage; budget around 3,300 USD.
How should we present P&I club appointments?
List only appointments you can document, with the club's own wording and a contact route for verification. A credentials page costs about 1,100 USD and is often the second most visited page.
Do we need an accessibility review?
It is strongly recommended for US businesses because ADA complaints target inaccessible sites. A WCAG 2.1 AA review typically costs 1,000 to 3,000 USD as a 2026 ballpark.
What maintenance should we budget?
Between 150 and 450 USD per month for updates and monitoring, plus 20 to 100 USD for encrypted claim storage. Kolonell's Standard maintenance is 114 EUR per month.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your survey services, ports covered and how claims reach you today, and we will itemise the scope, an indicative budget and a timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
