The verdict in three sentences
For a Brisbane wealth firm, the part of a redesign most likely to create a real problem is not the homepage: it is the public enquiry form and what happens to the data it collects. Brisbane agencies typically quote around AUD 10,000 to 30,000 for a redesign in 2026 (roughly USD 6,500 to 19,500), against Kolonell's fixed USD 2,900 (Starter) or USD 4,900 (Growth), with USD 8,900 for Premium, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Cut the form to what you need to call someone back, decide how long enquiries are kept, and write both into the privacy policy before go-live.
Which signals say your Brisbane site needs a redesign?
Firms in the CBD, Fortitude Valley, New Farm or Ascot often notice the same symptoms: the site was built for a founder who has since brought in partners; medical professionals and business owners ask questions the site does not answer; the market commentary section stopped in 2023; and the enquiry form was built years ago by someone who added every field a prospect might fill in. That last point is the one to fix first, because every extra field is data you have to protect, store and eventually delete.
What should a public enquiry form collect, and what must it never ask?
Audit the current form field by field.
| Field | Keep or remove | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Keep | Needed to reply |
| Email or phone | Keep, at least one | Needed to reply |
| Preferred contact time | Keep, optional | Useful, low sensitivity |
| Free-text message | Keep, with a warning not to include financial details | Prospects explain their situation in their own words |
| Approximate investable assets | Remove | Sensitive financial data before any relationship exists |
| Account numbers or platform details | Remove, never on a public form | High risk if the inbox is compromised |
| Date of birth or tax file number | Remove | No need at enquiry stage, high sensitivity |
| Upload a statement | Remove | Documents belong in a secure onboarding process, on quote |
Whether the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles apply to your firm depends on turnover and on certain exceptions, so ask compliance. Either way, collecting less is the safest design choice, and a privacy policy should say what you collect, why, and how long you keep it. This is not legal advice.
How long should enquiries be kept, and where?
A redesign is the right moment to decide. The periods below are illustrative; your firm sets its own with compliance.
| Data | Where it lands | Illustrative retention | Who deletes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enquiry that does not become a client | Shared mailbox or CRM | 12 months | Operations |
| Enquiry that becomes a client | Moved to the client file | Per the firm's record-keeping policy | Compliance |
| Newsletter subscription | Email platform | Until unsubscribe | Automatic |
| Form backups on the web server | Hosting | 30 days or none | Provider |
| Spam and test submissions | Web server and mailbox | Deleted weekly | Provider |
Two technical details often missed: forms should send data over HTTPS only, and the website should not keep a second copy of every submission in its own database unless someone owns that copy.
What does the redesign cost and how long does it take?
Local ranges are a 2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes, converted approximately to USD at about 0.65; Kolonell prices are set in USD.
| Option | Local ballpark | Approx. USD | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | AUD 3,500 to 9,000 | 2,280 to 5,850 | 4 to 10 weeks |
| Brisbane agency | AUD 10,000 to 30,000 | 6,500 to 19,500 | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Larger national agency | AUD 35,000 to 80,000 | 22,750 to 52,000 | 3 to 5 months |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | |
| Kolonell Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | 8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
All tiers include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting and 3 months of support; maintenance afterwards is on quote. Details are on the international offer page.
The 3 to 4 weeks break down as: URL inventory and 301 redirect map, then structure and copy, then design, then compliance review of every page on staging, then go-live. Other risks to manage along the way: keep disclosure pages (Financial Services Guide links, complaints procedure, privacy policy, terms, fees) reachable at the same or redirected URLs; verify the domain in Google Search Console and watch coverage for 4 weeks; migrate market commentary with dates and the general advice warning compliance requires; switch DNS at a quiet hour without touching email records. Marketing copy carries no promised returns, no performance figures and no invented awards or testimonials, and stays clear of anything the Australian Consumer Law would treat as misleading.
What stays on quote, and when is a local agency better?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
On quote: client portal, secure document upload for onboarding, CRM integration, custodian or platform feeds, and ongoing search work. Links to existing portal and platform logins are kept as they are.
Ask any provider: where exactly does form data go; does the site store a copy; who has access; are domain and code in the firm's name. A Brisbane agency is the better choice if you want face-to-face workshops, a new brand, or a team that also runs events and print. A remote studio fits a firm with a clear scope and content ready to go.
Mini case study
*Illustrative example, hypothetical firm.* Priya is operations manager at Ascot Lane Portfolio Management, a boutique discretionary portfolio manager in Brisbane. The old enquiry form has 9 fields, including approximate assets and current platform. In this example the firm receives about 12 enquiries a month, all stored in a shared inbox with no deletion rule: over 3 years, 12 × 36 = 432 records holding financial details.
After the redesign, the form has 4 fields and a warning in the message box. With a 12-month retention rule for enquiries that do not convert, the inbox holds at most 12 × 12 = 144 records, none with asset figures.
- Kolonell Growth: USD 4,900
- Privacy lawyer review of the new policy, 3 hours at AUD 450 (third-party cost): AUD 1,350, about USD 880
- Total: about USD 5,780, against a Brisbane agency quote of AUD 18,000, about USD 11,700, a difference of about USD 5,920.
FAQ
Can we still ask prospects about their situation?
Yes, through a free-text box and a call. Keep the form to 3 to 5 fields and collect financial details only during onboarding, through a secure process that is quoted separately.
Does the Privacy Act 1988 apply to a small wealth firm?
It depends on turnover, with a general threshold of AUD 3 million and some exceptions. Ask compliance; the redesign should collect the minimum in all cases.
How long should we keep enquiries?
Your firm decides with compliance. Many set a period such as 12 months for enquiries that do not become clients, and write it in the privacy policy.
Does Kolonell build a secure upload area for documents?
Not inside the fixed grid of USD 2,900 to 8,900. A secure upload area or client portal is on quote.
How long until the new form is live?
3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, including a compliance review week. The form and privacy policy are tested on staging before go-live.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current form, 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. 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.
