The verdict in three sentences
In Basel, a redesign of a private or international school website costs between CHF 12,000 and 65,000 with an agency or studio in 2026, while the Kolonell grid is fixed at CHF 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200. What decides success is often the cutover date: going live in the middle of admissions or the day before an open day costs more than any gap between quotes. Pick a quiet window, protect email and DNS, and have the 301 map ready three weeks ahead.
What does a redesign cost in Basel in 2026?
A 2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes and public rate pages in the Basel region, not a survey.
| Option | 2026 price | German, English, French | Flexibility on cutover date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service Basel agency | CHF 25,000 to 65,000 | Often included, translation billed | Agency schedule, slots fixed early |
| Regional studio | CHF 12,000 to 28,000 | Depends on quote | Medium |
| Freelancer | CHF 5,000 to 14,000 | Rarely | Depends on one person |
| Kolonell Starter | CHF 2,700 | One language | Cutover set around your calendar |
| Kolonell Growth | CHF 4,500 | One language | Same |
| Kolonell Premium | CHF 8,200 | Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) | Same, hreflang per language |
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. German copy comes from the school or an independent translator (third-party cost). On quote, as separate lines: admissions portal, fee payment, school management system, parent app and calendar feeds, kept and linked, never rebuilt. Maintenance after 3 months: on quote. See the international websites offer.
When should you switch? A Basel school calendar
Pharma and life sciences families, cross-border families from France and Germany: in Basel, Riehen, Reinach or Arlesheim, many look for a place months before the school year starts. The site must be stable during those periods.
| Period | Typical activity | Cutover? |
|---|---|---|
| September to October | Start of year, first open days | Avoid |
| Autumn holidays | Quiet school | Possible for a small site |
| November to February | Peak of enquiries for next year, visits | Avoid |
| March to June | Confirmations, exams for older pupils | Avoid |
| Early July to mid August | Summer holidays (check the cantonal calendar) | Recommended window |
| Late August | Back-to-school preparation | Fixes only |
In practice, content is approved in May and June, cutover happens in the first week of the summer holidays and Search Console monitoring runs for 6 weeks, up to the start of term.
How do you keep DNS, email and links intact?
The most underestimated risk is email: changing DNS can cut staff and family email if MX or SPF records are altered by mistake.
- DNS inventory: export of the current zone, MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC recorded, nothing changed outside the website records.
- TTL lowered to 300 seconds 48 hours before cutover, so you can roll back in minutes if needed.
- 301 map: every page with clicks (admissions, curriculum, open days, transport, term dates, fees if published) redirected to its new page, checked in Search Console for 6 weeks.
- Links to tools: admissions portal, parent app and school management system tested on staging and again after go-live.
- Compliance review: marketing copy, accreditations and programmes (IB or bilingual) mentioned only if actually held, safeguarding policies published as the school's own documents, photos of children only with documented parental consent and a removal procedure, cookie banner wired to the tags.
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA, accessible PDFs, captions on videos.
The nLPD, in force since 1 September 2023, applies, with the FDPIC as authority; the GDPR may also concern families living in France or Germany. The open form collects the parent's name, contact details, age group and start date, with no health data or reports. This is not legal advice.
When is a Basel agency the better choice?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
When you want on-site workshops with leadership and parents, trilingual copywriting in one contract or a new identity with photo shoots at each site. Kolonell fits when the scope is clear, the school supplies or approves its texts and wants a fixed price. Questions to ask: who touches the DNS, and who guarantees email? Which cutover window is booked, and what happens if it slips? Who monitors Search Console after the start of term?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Rheinbogen Kinderhaus (an invented name), a nursery and pre-school group with three sites under one brand, in Basel, Riehen and Reinach. Each site currently has its own domain.
- Consolidation: 3 domains and 85 indexed URLs into a single domain with one page per site; 85 301 redirects at about 1 minute each, just under 1.5 hours of work.
- Basel agency quote: CHF 34,000.
- Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, here German, English and French): CHF 8,200, plus CHF 900 for review by an independent translator (third-party cost). Total CHF 9,100, a gap of CHF 24,900.
- Email: the 22 staff mailboxes stay with the current provider, MX unchanged. Cutover in the first week of July.
FAQ
How much does a school website redesign cost in Basel in 2026?
About CHF 12,000 to 65,000 with a local agency or studio. With Kolonell, CHF 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200, integrations on quote.
What is the best time to switch?
The start of the summer holidays, followed by 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring up to the start of term. Avoid November to February.
Could email be cut off?
Not if MX, SPF and DKIM records are noted beforehand and left untouched. A TTL of 300 seconds lets you roll back within minutes.
Do we need one website per site?
Not necessarily: a single domain with one page per site is simpler to manage, provided every old URL gets a 301.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your languages, number of sites and preferred cutover window, and we will return a fixed price and a cutover plan. 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.
