The verdict in three sentences
In Dubai, two clinics asking for 'a new website' can receive quotes from USD 2,000 to USD 40,000, because each supplier imagines a different number of pages, languages and integrations. A requirements checklist that fixes the page templates, the English and Arabic scope, the approval path for medical advertising content, the form rules and each integration on its own line turns that into three comparable offers. Allow about 20 internal hours to write it, and score every quote on the same weighted grid.
Which requirements must be written down, and by whom?
Treat the table below as your template. Each row needs an owner inside the clinic, because the supplier cannot decide these for you.
| Requirement | What to write | Example for a Dubai clinic | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals and audiences | Who the site serves, one measurable goal | Residents of Jumeirah and Dubai Marina, patients travelling for treatment; appointment requests per month | Managing director |
| Pages and templates | Full page list, number of templates | 28 pages from 6 templates: home, specialty, doctor profile, patient guide, location, contact | Marketing lead |
| Content and sign-off | Who writes, who checks medical accuracy, who handles advertising approval | Medical director checks; marketing submits content for any approval the clinic's licensing authority requires | Medical director |
| Languages | Languages and pages per language | English 28 pages, Arabic 28 pages (RTL), Russian 6 pages optional | Marketing lead |
| Integrations | One line per integration | Booking link, patient portal link, form routing to CRM, Google Business Profile, careers feed | Operations |
| Accessibility | Target and test owner | WCAG 2.2 AA, tested before go-live | Supplier, checked by clinic |
| Forms and data | Fields, storage, retention, consent text | Name, phone, email, specialty of interest; no medical history; retention set | Privacy or compliance officer |
| Licensing details | What appears on each doctor page | Licence details per practitioner, supplied and verified by the clinic | Medical director |
| Ownership | Domain, hosting, analytics accounts | All in the clinic's legal name, admin access handed over | Managing director |
| Migration | Existing URLs and redirects | URL inventory, 301 map, Search Console access | Supplier |
| Acceptance | What 'done' means | Forms tested in each language, RTL layout checked on mobile, all 301s verified | Operations |
| Timeline and budget | Launch date and budget band | Launch before the summer slowdown, band USD 8,000 to 15,000 | Managing director |
Health facilities in Dubai are licensed by the Dubai Health Authority, or by the Dubai Healthcare City Authority inside Dubai Healthcare City, and their rules require approval of medical advertisements. Check with your licensing contact which pages count as advertising and build that time into the plan. Personal data falls under the UAE framework, including Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021, with specific rules for health data. This is not legal advice.
How does a precise brief change the quotes?
Ranges are a 2026 ballpark from typical Dubai agency quotes and public rate pages, converted from AED at the fixed rate of about AED 3.67 to USD 1. They are not a survey.
| Topic | Vague brief | Precise brief | Effect on quotes (USD, 2026 ballpark) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | 'Premium clinic website' | 28 pages, 6 templates | Spread falls from 2,000 to 40,000 to roughly 6,000 to 28,000 |
| Arabic | 'Arabic version' | 28 pages, RTL layout, translation by clinic's translator | RTL work priced explicitly instead of hidden |
| Booking | 'Online appointments' | Link to existing booking system on 5 pages | Avoids 6,000 to 20,000 for custom booking |
| Patient portal | 'Patient login' | Link only, portal stays with its vendor | Removes a large unpriced item |
| Advertising approval | Not mentioned | Two weeks reserved for content approval | Timeline becomes realistic |
| Forms | 'Contact form' | 2 forms, minimum fields, consent wording | Data protection work is quoted |
| Redirects | Not mentioned | 95 existing URLs, 301 map | Prevents traffic loss at launch |
How do you score three quotes?
Weights are fixed before reading the offers. Each criterion is scored 1 to 5; weighted points equal weight multiplied by score divided by 5.
| Criterion (weight) | A: Dubai agency, USD 28,000 | B: freelancer, USD 5,500 | C: remote studio fixed grid, USD 8,900 plus RTL on quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope match (25) | 5 → 25 | 3 → 15 | 4 → 20 |
| Arabic and RTL handling (15) | 5 → 15 | 2 → 6 | 3 → 9 |
| Forms and data (20) | 4 → 16 | 2 → 8 | 4 → 16 |
| Approval workflow in plan (10) | 4 → 8 | 2 → 4 | 4 → 8 |
| Price clarity (15) | 3 → 9 | 4 → 12 | 5 → 15 |
| Ownership and support (15) | 4 → 12 | 2 → 6 | 4 → 12 |
| Total (100) | 85 | 51 | 80 |
Illustrative scores only. Here the local agency leads by 5 points, mostly on Arabic; whether that is worth USD 19,100 more is the clinic's call.
Where does the Kolonell fixed grid fit?
Kolonell's international grid is Starter USD 2,900, Growth USD 4,900 and Premium USD 8,900, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support; maintenance afterwards is on quote.
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Against the checklist: pages, templates, English copy, accessibility target, forms, ownership, migration and acceptance testing sit inside the tier. Arabic RTL scope is set in the quote, and Arabic text comes from the clinic's translator. Booking embeds, patient portal work and CRM connections are each separate lines on quote. Tier details are on the international websites page.
Mini case study
Illustrative example, fictional clinic. Marina Crescent Medical Centre is a multi-specialty outpatient clinic in Dubai Marina with 8 practitioners and a 95-URL English site.
- Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote): USD 8,900.
- Arabic RTL scope and booking link upgrade to an embed: on quote, two separate lines.
- Third-party cost: a freelance Arabic medical translator, 28 pages at USD 70 per page (market assumption) = USD 1,960.
- Total before the on-quote lines: 8,900 + 1,960 = USD 10,860, compared with USD 28,000 from a Dubai agency on the same checklist.
Monthly care: market assumption of USD 120 per month for comparison only; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote.
FAQ
Does Arabic double the price?
Not necessarily. Layout work for RTL is a defined task, often USD 1,000 to 4,000 in local quotes, while translation is priced per page by a translator.
Should Russian or Hindi be in the first release?
Only if patient data shows demand. Many clinics start with 5 to 8 key pages in a third language and extend within 6 months.
How long should we reserve for advertising approval?
It depends on the authority and the content. Reserve at least 2 weeks in the plan and ask your licensing contact early.
Can the website hold patient records?
It should not. Keep records in the clinic system or patient portal and link to it; the public site collects 4 or 5 contact fields only.
Let's scope your project. Send us your checklist, languages and integration lines, and we will map them to a tier, list what stays on quote and propose a launch date. 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.
