The verdict in three sentences
For a 400-member trade association in London, an institutional website redesign costs between €18,000 and €45,000 (about £15,500 to £38,500, ex. VAT) in 2026, and the gap comes almost entirely from the members' area. The project takes 12 to 16 weeks and should include a €3,500 accessibility audit (WCAG 2.2 AA) from the design stage, not after launch. Then budget 6 to 10% of the build per year for support and maintenance and €60 to €150 a month for European or UK hosting.
Breaking down the quote: where the money goes
A chief executive often receives three quotes ranging from one to three times the lowest. It becomes clear once the project is split into work packages. The ranges below reflect 2026 projects for agencies of 5 to 20 people (order of magnitude).
| Work package | 2026 range ex. VAT | Content | Share of quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and workshops | €2,000 to €4,000 | Board interviews, audience mapping, sitemap | 8 to 10% |
| UX and design | €3,500 to €7,000 | Desktop and mobile mockups, web style guide | 15% |
| Public site and CMS | €5,000 to €10,000 | 30 to 60 page templates, news, publications | 25% |
| Members' area | €4,000 to €15,000 | Login, restricted documents, membership fees | 20 to 35% |
| Member directory | €1,500 to €5,000 | Search by trade, region, map | 8% |
| Events calendar and sign-ups | €1,000 to €3,500 | Events, registrations, email reminders | 6% |
| Content migration | €1,000 to €3,000 | Migration of 200 to 600 pages and PDFs | 5% |
An €18,000 quote means a simple document-based members' area. At €45,000, you are buying online membership fee management, sync with the association's CRM and a geolocated directory.
Three levels of ambition compared
| Criterion | Essential redesign | Full redesign | Members' platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build budget ex. VAT | €18,000 to €24,000 | €25,000 to €34,000 | €35,000 to €45,000 |
| Timeline | 12 weeks | 14 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Members' area | Restricted documents | Profile, editable directory | Fees, payment, CRM |
| Accessibility audit | €3,500 (initial) | €3,500 + acceptance testing | €3,500 + €1,500 re-audit |
| EU/UK hosting | €60/month | €90/month | €150/month |
| Yearly support | €1,100 to €1,900 | €1,900 to €3,000 | €3,000 to €4,500 |
| 3-year cost | €23,000 to €32,000 | €33,000 to €46,000 | €49,000 to €64,000 |
The three-year figure is the one your board should vote on. It includes build, hosting and support.
Accessibility, hosting and governance
An association that receives public funding or represents a regulated profession should aim for WCAG 2.2 AA conformance. The initial audit on a sample of 15 to 20 pages costs about €3,500; fixing issues afterwards costs two to three times more than designing accessibly from the mockups.
For hosting, choose a European or UK provider at €60 to €150 a month with daily backups, because the members' area stores personal data covered by UK GDPR.
Finally, editorial governance: decide who publishes (staff, committees, regional branches) and set up an approval workflow in the CMS. This is often the point that pushes the schedule back by two to three weeks.
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Helen, chief executive of a London association of 400 building finishing firms, handles 400 membership renewals a year by hand, about 15 minutes per member between reminders and reconciliation. With a €38,000 members' platform including online payment, that drops to 3 minutes. Gain: 400 × 12 minutes = 80 hours a year, about €3,200 of staff time valued at €40/h. Add 12 new members a year through the site at an average €1,200 fee: €14,400 in yearly revenue. The platform pays for itself in two and a half years.
FAQ
Why do quotes range from €18,000 to €45,000?
About 70% of the difference comes from the members' area: simple restricted documents on one side, fee management and CRM sync on the other. Ask for a price per work package to compare.
Should we run a formal tender?
For an association outside public procurement rules, consulting 3 to 4 agencies on a written brief is enough. Allow 4 to 6 weeks of consultation before kick-off.
Is the accessibility audit mandatory?
It is for public sector bodies under the 2018 accessibility regulations. For others it remains recommended: €3,500 protects the association's reputation and widens its audience.
What does support at 6-10% of the build per year cover?
Security updates, bug fixes, monitoring and a bundle of 10 to 30 hours of improvements. Anything beyond is quoted separately.
Can we keep our URLs and search rankings?
Yes, with a 301 redirect plan covering 100% of indexed URLs. Without one, traffic can drop by 30 to 50% in the first months.
Let's scope your project. Share your member count, the features expected in the members' area and a budget between €18,000 and €45,000, and we will propose a work package breakdown and a 12 to 16 week 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.
