The verdict in three sentences
For a 20-staff notarial and conveyancing practice in London, the drafting and case management software should stay in place, and what it needs is a client case-tracking portal on top of it. At Kolonell, that portal costs 3,810 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT (about 3,200 to 9,000 GBP) depending on scope, delivered in 8 to 12 weeks, while vendor licences already run 150 to 300 EUR per seat per month. The measurable goal is simple: remove around 30 % of client calls asking "where is my file?".
What a practice's tooling really costs in 2026
The drafting software concentrates the professional compliance: deed templates, client account rules, links to land registry and identity checks. Rebuilding it would make no sense. What is almost always missing is the client layer: a secure space where buyers, sellers or heirs follow each stage, upload documents and see their appointments.
| Item | 2026 range | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Legal practice software licence | 150 to 300 EUR per seat per month | That is 3,000 to 6,000 EUR per month for 20 seats |
| Vendor client portal module (if offered) | 300 to 900 EUR per month | Limited customisation, market estimate |
| Kolonell custom portal, simple scope | 3,810 to 6,100 EUR excl. VAT | Stage tracking, document upload, messaging |
| Kolonell custom portal, extended scope | 6,100 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT | Appointment booking, SMS notifications, dashboard |
| Kolonell maintenance | 50, 110 or 180 EUR per month | Basic, Standard or Premium |
| UK or EU hosting | 40 to 150 EUR per month | 2026 order of magnitude |
| Delivery time | 8 to 12 weeks | Acceptance testing with 3 to 5 pilot staff |
A custom portal pays back over time: no per-user subscription on the client side, and the practice owns both the code and the data.
Integration, security, retention: the three points that set the price
A notarial portal is not a basic extranet. It handles passports, bank statements and probate documents. The price depends mostly on how it connects to existing systems and how it protects that data.
| Criterion | Budget option | Recommended option | Budget impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integration with practice software | Staff update stages manually | Sync via vendor API or scheduled export | +1,500 to 3,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Client authentication | Login and password | Magic link plus SMS code (two-factor) | +500 to 1,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Document storage | Single server | Encryption at rest, UK or EU hosting, access log | +800 to 1,500 EUR excl. VAT |
| Data retention | Manual deletion | Automatic rules per matter type, UK GDPR aligned | +600 to 1,200 EUR excl. VAT |
| Original deeds and notarial acts | Outside the portal | Stay in the practice software and official registers | None |
| Audit trail | None | Timestamped history of every view and upload | +400 to 800 EUR excl. VAT |
Key point: the portal never holds the original deeds. Originals stay in the professional circuit; the portal only handles tracking, document exchange and communication. That keeps compliance simpler and lowers risk.
Mini case study
James, partner at a 20-staff notarial and conveyancing practice in London, handles around 1,200 matters a year. His team receives an average of 40 calls a day about file progress, at 6 minutes per call, which is 4 hours daily.
- Calls avoided at 30 %: 1.2 hours a day, about 264 hours over 220 working days.
- At a loaded cost of 35 EUR per staff hour: roughly 9,240 EUR a year freed for drafting.
- Investment: extended-scope portal at 7,000 EUR excl. VAT, plus Standard maintenance at 110 EUR per month, or 1,320 EUR a year.
- Payback: about 10 months, then close to 7,900 EUR a year of recovered time.
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This is an estimate: the real gain depends on client adoption, which should be pushed from the moment instructions are signed.
FAQ
Do we need to replace our practice software to get a portal?
No. The portal connects to the existing system through an API or scheduled export, and the practice software remains the source of truth. In 80 % of cases the practice keeps its vendor and its 150 to 300 EUR licence per seat.
How much does a client portal for a notary office cost?
At Kolonell, budget 3,810 to 6,100 EUR excl. VAT for a simple scope and up to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT for a portal with SMS notifications, sync and a dashboard. Maintenance starts at 50 EUR per month.
Where is the data hosted?
We recommend UK or EU hosting, at 40 to 150 EUR per month, with encrypted documents and an access log. Retention rules are set per matter type to stay aligned with UK GDPR and ICO guidance.
How long until the portal goes live?
Between 8 and 12 weeks, including 2 weeks of acceptance testing with a few staff and about ten pilot clients. A phased rollout, residential conveyancing first for example, keeps training effort low.
Will older clients really use the portal?
A passwordless SMS login link removes most of the friction. Even at 50 % adoption, the practice already recovers a large share of progress calls.
Let's scope your project. Send us your practice software, matter volume and the stages your clients need to follow: we will price a portal between 3,810 and 10,670 EUR excl. VAT, delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h via our quote form. 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.
