The verdict in three sentences
For an Adelaide wealth planning firm, the redesign question that most often blows up a budget is the client login: whether the new site simply links to existing portals and custodian platforms, or tries to become a portal itself. Adelaide agencies typically quote around AUD 9,000 to 25,000 for the public site in 2026 (roughly USD 5,850 to 16,250), while Kolonell's fixed grid is USD 2,900 (Starter), USD 4,900 (Growth) or USD 8,900 (Premium), delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Keep portals and platforms as links inside the fixed scope, and put anything that touches client data on a separate quote.
How do you know the site is due for a redesign?
Planning firms in North Adelaide, Unley and Norwood that work with family wine and agribusiness owners, defence industry professionals and retirees tend to hit the same wall. The site was built when the firm had one platform; now clients use two or three, plus a document service, and nobody can find the right login. Other signals: services pages still describe the firm before it moved into business succession work; the complaints procedure and Financial Services Guide links sit three clicks deep; the insights page has no general advice warning on older articles; and a password-protected page on the website itself holds client PDFs, which is the most urgent fix of all.
What is included in a fixed-grid redesign, and what stays on quote?
This is the scope decision to make before asking anyone for a price.
| Item | In the fixed grid | On quote | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Client login" page with links to each platform and custodian | Yes | Links open the provider's own secure login | |
| Short help text for each login (who to call, opening hours) | Yes | Written with operations | |
| Client portal built for the firm | Yes | Separate project, separate security review | |
| Secure document exchange | Yes | Usually better through an existing platform service | |
| Custodian or platform data feeds on the site | Yes | Requires API access and agreements | |
| CRM integration of the enquiry form | Yes | Depends on the CRM | |
| Newsletter sign-up connected to your email tool | Yes, standard connection | Complex automations on quote | |
| Ongoing search work after launch | Yes | Technical migration itself is included |
The rule is simple: the public website never stores client financial documents or account data. If your current site does, the redesign removes that page and the documents move to a platform built for it.
What does the redesign cost in Adelaide in 2026?
Local figures are a 2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes, converted approximately to USD at about 0.65. Kolonell prices are set in USD.
| Provider | Public site only | Approx. USD | With a custom portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | AUD 3,000 to 8,000 | 1,950 to 5,200 | Rarely offered |
| Adelaide agency | AUD 9,000 to 25,000 | 5,850 to 16,250 | Often AUD 30,000 and more on top |
| Interstate agency with a financial services practice | AUD 30,000 to 70,000 | 19,500 to 45,500 | Scoped separately |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 | Portal on quote | |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 | Portal on quote | |
| Kolonell Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | 8,900 | Portal on quote |
Each Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting and 3 months of support; maintenance after that is on quote. See the international offer for details.
Which risks need a plan, and how long does it take?
The build takes 3 to 4 weeks once content exists. Plan for these risks:
- Broken logins on launch day. List every platform and custodian login URL, test each one on staging and again an hour after go-live. Ask providers whether their login addresses are about to change.
- Search visibility. Crawl the old site, export every URL, build a 301 redirect map, verify the domain in Google Search Console and check coverage weekly for 4 weeks.
- Disclosure pages. Financial Services Guide links, complaints procedure, privacy policy, terms and fee information stay reachable at the same or redirected URLs, and are linked from every page footer.
- Insights migration. Articles keep dates and authors; the general advice warning compliance requires is applied consistently.
- Forms. Name, email, phone and a message box, with a note not to send account or asset details. Whether the Privacy Act 1988 applies depends on turnover and some exceptions; ask compliance. This is not legal advice.
- Marketing copy. No promised returns, no performance figures, no invented awards or testimonials, nothing the Australian Consumer Law would treat as misleading. Compliance signs off every page on staging.
- Downtime. DNS switched at a quiet hour, email records untouched.
Questions to ask any provider: will you build anything that stores client data; who tests the login links after launch; are domain and code in our name; who fixes a 404 in month two.
When is a local agency the better choice?
An Adelaide agency is the better choice if you want regular in-person sessions with partners, a new brand identity, or a single partner that will also scope and build a custom portal over several months with on-site workshops. A remote studio fits when the public site is the project, logins stay as links, and a fixed price and a short schedule matter most.
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Mini case study
*Illustrative example, hypothetical firm.* James is managing partner at Norwood Parade Wealth Planning, an independent firm in Adelaide that advises business owners on succession and retirement. The old site lists one platform login, while clients now use three, and a password-protected page holds client PDFs.
The redesign creates a "Client login" page with 3 links and short help text, retires the PDF page (documents move to the platform's existing document service) and keeps 11 public pages.
- Kolonell Growth: USD 4,900
- External compliance consultant, 4 hours at AUD 300 (third-party cost): AUD 1,200, about USD 780
- Total: about USD 5,680, against an Adelaide agency quote of AUD 16,000 for the public site, about USD 10,400, a difference of about USD 4,720.
The agency had also proposed a custom portal; James decided the existing platforms already cover that need.
FAQ
Can the new site have a "Client login" button?
Yes. A login page with links to each platform and custodian is part of the fixed grid from USD 2,900; the links open the providers' own secure login pages.
Should we keep client documents on our website?
No. The public site should store no client documents; moving them to an existing platform service usually takes 1 to 2 weeks of operations work.
How much does a custom client portal cost?
It is quoted separately, after a scoping call. Adelaide agencies often quote AUD 30,000 and more for one, so check first whether your platforms already do the job.
Will clients lose access during the switch?
No, if login links are tested on staging and again within 1 hour of go-live. The platforms themselves are untouched by the redesign.
Which tier suits an Adelaide planning firm?
Growth at USD 4,900 suits most firms with insights and several service pages. Starter at USD 2,900 is enough for a compact site of essential pages.
Let's scope your project. List your platforms, your page count and your target date, and we will return a fixed price from USD 2,900 with a 3 to 4 week schedule, portal work quoted apart. 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.
