The verdict in three sentences
For a New York MEP engineering consultancy with 45 engineers, a website that showcases commercial project references, reassures architects and attracts engineers costs between 12,000 and 24,000 USD in 2026, delivered in 8 to 10 weeks. The two modules that pay are project pages filterable by use (office, healthcare, education, logistics) and the careers area, since a recruiter hire costs 15 to 20 % of annual salary. One or two direct hires per year are enough to pay for the site.
What architects, owners and candidates look for
An architect assembling a design team for an office retrofit wants to check in two minutes that the firm has handled comparable floor areas, with what performance. A 30-year-old HVAC engineer weighing three firms looks at the projects, the tools (BIM, Revit, energy modeling) and the culture.
| Module | Audience | 2026 budget (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Filterable project pages (use, area, scope, certification) | Architects, owners | 2,700 to 5,500 |
| Local Law 97 and energy audit expertise page | Property managers | 900 to 1,600 |
| Discipline pages (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection) | All | 1,300 to 2,700 |
| Careers area with openings and online application | Engineers, designers | 2,000 to 4,400 |
| Team and BIM methods pages | Candidates, architects | 900 to 1,600 |
| Custom design and restrained animation | Brand image | 2,700 to 5,500 |
| Local SEO and structured data | New York metro visibility | 1,100 to 2,700 |
Project pages: the commercial core of the site
Each page should hold what a selection panel or architect wants to read: owner, architect, floor area, MEP construction value, scope (schematic design to construction administration), target certification (LEED, WELL, Passive House) and measured energy savings. Filtering by use and scope beats a 40-page PDF sent by e-mail.
| Reference format | Architect search time | 2026 cost (USD) | Updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF brochure | 5 to 10 min | 1,600 to 3,300 per edition | Yearly |
| Simple list page | 3 to 5 min | 900 to 1,300 | By the developer |
| Filterable pages via CMS | Under 1 min | 2,700 to 5,500 | By the team, in 10 min |
| Filterable pages plus PDF proposal export | Under 1 min | 4,400 to 7,000 | By the team |
| Map of New York projects | Instant visual | +900 to 1,600 | Automatic |
PDF export of selected pages is a real time saver: the proposal manager builds a 6-project reference package in 5 minutes instead of half a day.
Hiring: the careers page that saves fees
An experienced HVAC engineer in New York is hired at around 95,000 to 115,000 USD per year in 2026. A recruiter charges 15 to 20 %, or 14,000 to 23,000 USD per hire. A credible careers page, with real projects, an onboarding path and a three-field form, attracts direct applications and makes job board ads more effective.
Mini case study
David, principal of a 45-person MEP firm in Manhattan, hires 6 engineers per year, 4 of them through recruiters at about 19,000 USD each. He invests 17,500 USD in a site with filterable project pages and a careers area, plus 100 USD per month for hosting and maintenance. If 2 hires per year go direct, he saves 38,000 USD. On the business side, the proposal manager saves 3 hours per proposal across 40 proposals per year, or 120 hours, about 7,200 USD of valued time. The site pays back within the first year.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Can we publish construction values for our projects?
Yes if the owner agrees, and a range can be shown (for example 2 to 5 M USD for MEP scope). Pages can also hide the client name while keeping area, use and performance.
How many references do we need at launch?
Twenty to thirty well-documented pages are enough to cover the main uses. Entry takes about 20 minutes per page with a template, so 10 hours for 30 projects.
Does a Local Law 97 page really bring in leads?
Emissions caps for large buildings generate steady searches from property managers. A dedicated page and a technical article can produce 3 to 8 qualified requests per quarter.
Do we need an ATS for applications?
Not below 10 hires per year. The site form can feed a shared sheet or a light ATS at 50 to 150 USD per month if volume grows.
What timeline should we plan?
Eight to ten weeks, including 2 weeks of reference collection that is often underestimated. Preparing photos and project data during scoping avoids a 3 to 4 week slip.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current brochure, the number of references to publish and your hiring needs, and we will price a site with an 8 to 10 week schedule. 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.
