The verdict in three sentences
A Rotterdam commercial moving firm with 35 movers, 12 trucks and 250 to 600 office relocations a year across the Randstad can choose a market SaaS at EUR 300 to 1,500 a month or a custom build at EUR 30,000 to 95,000, as 2026 ballparks. The right choice is made in vendor meetings, provided you ask precise questions and recognise a weak answer. Three topics sink most of these projects: on-site surveys, last-minute rescheduling and data ownership.
Questions about operations in the field
Moving a 150-desk office from a tower near Rotterdam Centraal to a business park in Zoetermeer, with archives and a server room, is a different job from a household move. The software must reflect that.
| Question to ask | Good answer | Bad answer |
|---|---|---|
| How does the surveyor capture volumes on site? | offline tablet app, room by room inventory with photos, automatic m3 calculation | they fill in a web form back at the office |
| How do you handle access constraints (goods lifts, building time slots, loading bays, city centre permits)? | dedicated fields, planning alerts, permit attachments | you can add a comment |
| What happens when a job slips by one day? | drag and drop rescheduling of crews and trucks, conflicts flagged | you recreate the job |
| How do you track archives and IT equipment? | barcode or QR labels scanned at loading and unloading | not supported |
| Is the interface available in Dutch and English? | both, switchable per user, including crew mobile screens | English only, Dutch planned |
| Do crew leaders get their run sheet on mobile? | yes, with addresses, contacts, floor plans and instructions | they receive a PDF by email |
If a vendor asks you nothing about your surveys in the first meeting, treat it as a warning sign.
Questions about budget, timeline and contract
| Question to ask | Good answer | Bad answer |
|---|---|---|
| What is the five year total cost? | itemised table: build or subscription, hosting, maintenance, changes | a single entry price |
| What is a realistic timeline for 35 movers and 12 trucks? | 4 to 9 months custom, 1 to 3 months SaaS setup, phase by phase plan | six weeks, all included |
| What does maintenance cost? | EUR 400 to 1,800 a month for custom, written service levels | we will see after delivery |
| Who owns the code and the data? | IP assignment on custom code, full data export at any time | data stays on our platform |
| How do you protect client and employee data in inventories? | EU hosting, GDPR data processing agreement, role based access, retention rules | vague answer on hosting |
| Can you connect to our accounting software? | export or connector to the existing tool, priced in the quote | anything is possible, no price |
Inventories often list staff names, desk numbers and sometimes badge data from your clients: under the GDPR you act as their processor, so your software vendor becomes a sub-processor and must sign accordingly.
Ballparks to frame the discussion
| Item | Market SaaS | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 0 to 5,000 of setup | EUR 30,000 to 95,000 |
| Recurring | EUR 300 to 1,500 a month | EUR 400 to 1,800 a month of maintenance |
| Timeline | 1 to 3 months | 4 to 9 months |
| Five year cost (median scenario) | EUR 54,000 to 60,000 | EUR 115,000 to 135,000 |
| Fit for office relocations | partial | complete |
| Reversibility | depends on export features | full if code is assigned |
Kolonell is one nearshore option for a custom build: its prices are 6,100 to 10,670 EUR for a medium application and 10,670 to 22,870 EUR and up for a complex one, maintenance extra. These are Kolonell's prices, not a market average.
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Illustrative example: Pieter, operations director of a commercial moving firm in Rotterdam, handles 350 relocations a year. Surveyors spend 1 hour re-typing each survey, 350 hours at EUR 50, EUR 17,500 a year. Volume errors force an extra truck and two movers on 8% of jobs, 28 times at EUR 700, EUR 19,600. Software that removes re-typing and halves the errors saves EUR 27,300 a year. With a SaaS at EUR 900 a month, EUR 10,800 a year, the net gain exceeds EUR 16,000. A custom build at EUR 65,000 plus EUR 1,000 a month of maintenance becomes relevant if archive transfers require barcode tracking the SaaS cannot handle.
FAQ
SaaS or custom for 350 relocations a year?
A SaaS is enough if your jobs follow the standard model, at EUR 300 to 1,500 a month. Custom, at EUR 30,000 to 95,000, makes sense for complex relocations with tracked archives and server rooms.
How many vendors should we consult?
Three or four, sending each the same question list and two sample jobs. Compare written answers rather than demos.
Do surveys need an offline app?
Yes, basements, archive rooms and plant rooms often have no signal. Offline mode adds 3 to 6 weeks of development but prevents lost surveys.
When should we switch systems?
Allow 1 to 3 months for a SaaS and 4 to 9 months for custom, including 3 to 4 weeks of live testing. Avoid switching during the summer peak of office moves.
How do we check a vendor's references?
Ask to speak to 2 clients running field crews and check how long their software has been in production. A system live for more than 12 months is worth more than a prototype.
Let's scope your project. Send us two sample jobs and your current setup, and we will reply with a scope, an indicative budget and a realistic timeline. 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.
