The verdict in three sentences
When 70 % of pages on a SharePoint intranet are never opened, the tool is rarely the only issue: the real gap is the lack of business journeys (requests, approvals, targeted news). A custom intranet web app for a 2,300-employee mid-sized company costs, as a 2026 ballpark, GBP 70,000 to 140,000, including migration of 5,000 documents and 6 request workflows, over 5 to 7 months. It makes sense against Viva add-ons and Power Platform builds at about GBP 3.50 to 7 per user per month, as long as you keep Microsoft 365 for email and identity.
Diagnosis: why the SharePoint intranet went quiet
The CIO of a manufacturing group headquartered in London with plants in the Midlands sees what many peers see. The intranet went live in 2018, every department built its own sites, then nobody maintained the content. Result: search returns outdated procedures, frontline staff without a desk never log in, and internal requests (special leave, purchasing, IT access, badges, expenses, maintenance jobs) run through email.
A two-week audit makes it concrete: usage analytics, library inventory, interviews with 15 to 20 users including shop-floor operators. It almost always shows that 80 % of the value sits in a handful of services: directory, site news, quality and health and safety documents, and request forms.
| Audit indicator | Typical value | Target after rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| Pages viewed at least once a quarter | 30 % | 85 % |
| Employees logging in monthly | 35 % | 75 % |
| Deskless operators with access | 10 % | 90 % via mobile |
| Internal requests handled by email | 75 % | under 10 % |
| Average approval time | 6 days | 1.5 days |
| Duplicate or obsolete documents | 40 % | under 5 % |
Three costed options
Replacing SharePoint does not mean leaving Microsoft. Most companies keep Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, Entra ID) and only replace the intranet and workflow layer. Over five years the options compare as follows.
| Criterion | SharePoint and Viva refresh | SaaS intranet | Custom web app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | GBP 35,000 to 80,000 integration | GBP 18,000 to 45,000 | GBP 70,000 to 140,000 |
| Recurring licenses | Viva about GBP 3.50 to 7 per user per month | GBP 2.50 to 6 per user per month | No per-user license |
| 5-year license cost (2,300 staff) | GBP 480,000 to 970,000 | GBP 345,000 to 830,000 | GBP 0 |
| Request workflows | Power Automate, limited | Standard modules | Built around your processes |
| Mobile access for operators | F licenses needed | Varies | Included, badge or SSO login |
| Vendor lock-in | High | High | Low, code owned by the company |
| Timeline | 4 to 6 months | 3 to 4 months | 5 to 7 months |
Check the license figure against your own agreement: many companies roll out Viva to only part of the workforce. Even at GBP 2.50 a month for 2,300 people, that is GBP 69,000 a year, which puts a custom app on a comparable budget from year two, before maintenance.
Migration method: 5,000 documents and 6 workflows
Migration runs in four steps. Triage: with each department, about 40 % of documents are archived or deleted. Transfer: the remaining 3,000 move with their metadata (site, process, review date, owner). Workflows: the 6 priority requests are modeled with approval chains, deadlines and Teams notifications. Cutover: SharePoint goes read-only for three months with redirects to new pages. Authentication stays on Entra ID via SSO, and UK hosting meets UK GDPR requirements and works council expectations.
Mini case study
James, CIO of a precision engineering group in London, has 2,300 employees, 1,400 of them operators. His Viva quote for everyone is GBP 4.30 × 2,300 × 12 = about GBP 118,700 a year. The custom app costs GBP 115,000, plus GBP 17,000 a year for maintenance and hosting. Over five years: about GBP 593,000 for Viva against GBP 200,000 for custom, a GBP 393,000 gap. On productivity, the 6 workflows handle 18,000 requests a year; saving 12 minutes each frees 3,600 hours, roughly 2 full-time equivalents.
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FAQ
Do we have to drop Microsoft 365 to leave SharePoint?
No. Email, Teams and Entra ID stay; the app connects to them via SSO. Only the intranet and workflow layer changes.
What does migrating 5,000 documents cost?
Budget GBP 9,000 to 18,000 including triage, about 10 to 15 % of the project. Triage usually cuts volume by 30 to 40 %.
How do we get operators to use it?
Mobile access with no license, simple login and site-specific content. Companies that add shop-floor screens reach 70 to 90 % monthly usage.
How fast is a first release?
A first release with directory, news and two workflows can ship in 10 to 12 weeks. The rest follows in two or three iterations.
Who maintains the app afterwards?
A maintenance contract covers fixes, security updates and enhancements. For a UK company the scope and service level are set in the quote.
See also our article on the incoming goods quality inspection app and our web application services.
Let's scope your project. We start with an audit of your intranet, then scope the migration, the 6 workflows and a 5 to 7 month plan. 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.
