The verdict in three sentences
For a manufacturer with 30 to 80 employees, a premium redesign in 2026 costs between EUR 9,000 and 22,000 with an agency in Berlin, depending on page count, editorial depth and technical stack. A senior freelancer delivers a solid equivalent for EUR 4,000 to 7,000, but without a design/SEO team or a maintenance commitment. The real question is not the sticker price but the cost per generated lead: a well-executed redesign typically brings +20 to +45 % more quote requests over twelve months.
What you actually pay in 2026
A redesign is not a single package: it is the sum of lots you can arbitrate. Here are the orders of magnitude observed on the Berlin market in 2026.
| Line item | Senior freelancer | Premium agency | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit + strategy | EUR 800 - 1,500 | EUR 1,800 - 3,500 | Competitor analysis, personas, sitemap |
| UX/UI design (Figma) | EUR 1,200 - 2,500 | EUR 3,000 - 6,000 | Reusable design system at agency |
| Integration / dev | EUR 1,500 - 2,800 | EUR 3,500 - 8,000 | Depends on CMS and animations |
| Content + on-page SEO | EUR 500 - 1,200 | EUR 1,500 - 3,500 | 8-15 pages copywriting |
| QA + go-live | EUR 300 - 600 | EUR 800 - 1,500 | Cross-device tests, GDPR |
| Total | EUR 4,300 - 8,600 | EUR 10,600 - 22,500 | Net of VAT |
Timelines mirror the gap: 6 to 9 weeks freelance, 8 to 14 weeks agency with validation cycles. Maintenance ranges from EUR 150 to 400/month depending on security, backup and uptime requirements.
WordPress vs headless Next.js: the real technical trade-off
The stack drives both the initial budget and the three-year cost of ownership. For an industrial showcase site with a product catalogue and spec sheets, here is the 2026 comparison.
| Criterion | Premium WordPress | Headless Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build cost | EUR 6,000 - 12,000 | EUR 12,000 - 22,000 |
| Performance (Core Web Vitals) | Good if optimised | Excellent by default |
| CWV audit cost | EUR 900 - 1,800 | EUR 1,200 - 2,500 |
| Hosting / month | EUR 25 - 80 | EUR 40 - 150 |
| Editorial autonomy | Very high | High (headless CMS) |
| Security / maintenance | Plugin vigilance | Reduced attack surface |
| Monthly maintenance | EUR 150 - 300 | EUR 250 - 400 |
For most manufacturers, premium WordPress remains the best value. Headless Next.js becomes worthwhile when performance, international reach or ERP integration turn strategic.
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Mini case study
Bruno, MD of a 55-person precision engineering SME in the Berlin area. His 2020 website drew 900 visits/month and generated 3 to 4 quote requests. He invests EUR 14,500 in an agency redesign (premium WordPress, 12 pages, 6 product sheets, a EUR 1,400 CWV audit) plus EUR 220/month maintenance.
After eight months, traffic climbs to 2,100 visits/month and qualified requests rise to 9 per month (+140 %). With an average deal of EUR 18,000 and a 22 % close rate, that means roughly one extra won deal per month, or about EUR 216,000 of additional annual revenue. The redesign pays for itself in under two months of margin.
FAQ
How long does a premium redesign take in 2026? Plan for 8 to 14 weeks with an agency, from audit to launch, with two or three validation cycles. A freelance project wraps in 6 to 9 weeks but demands more of your internal time.
Should content be rewritten or reused? Reusing 100 % of old content is the number-one cause of SEO failure. Budget EUR 1,500 to 3,500 for on-page rewriting across 8 to 15 pages: that is what turns traffic into leads.
What maintenance budget should I plan? Between EUR 150 and 400/month depending on the stack. It covers security updates, backups, fixes and small changes. Below EUR 100/month you only have hosting, not real maintenance.
Does a redesign really improve SEO? Yes if migration is controlled: 301 redirect map, preserving high-performing URLs, improving Core Web Vitals. Poorly handled, a redesign can instead lose 10 to 25 % of traffic in the first months.
Freelancer or agency for a manufacturer? Freelancer if your need is simple and your timeline flexible. Agency as soon as you want a design system, continuous SEO support and an uptime guarantee.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your current site, your target page count and an indicative budget (EUR 9,000 to 22,000 by scope). 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.
