The verdict in three sentences
A Geneva wealth management firm or family office run by English-speaking partners should launch a redesign when the site no longer reflects its regulatory status, the English pages belong to another era and the client portal link points to a tool that has been replaced. Geneva agencies focused on private finance typically quote CHF 20,000 to 60,000 for this work, while Kolonell applies a fixed grid of CHF 2,700 (Starter), CHF 4,500 (Growth) and CHF 8,200 (Premium), delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. In this sector the critical step is the compliance sign-off on every page before go-live, closely followed by protecting search visibility with 301 redirects.
Which parts of your site say it is time to redesign?
From Rive to the banking district and Champel, wealth firms serve an international private clientele that judges the house on details: restraint, accurate disclosures and consistency between French and English.
| Site element | Common state on an older site | Expectation in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory status | Wording that predates FinIA or is vague | Exact status, supervisory organisation named, reviewed by compliance |
| English version | Partial translation, tone differs from French | Full parity, same writing standard |
| Client portal link | Points to a former provider | Single tested link with a short explanation |
| Publications and investment letters | PDF archive without clear dates | Dated archive, current disclaimers |
| Contact form | Asks about assets or wealth at first contact | Minimal data, retention period stated |
| Team pages | 2019 photos, outdated roles | Accurate profiles, languages spoken, roles |
If the first row is a problem, the redesign stops being cosmetic and becomes a compliance matter.
What does the redesign cost, for the project and over 3 years?
The figures below are a 2026 ballpark from typical Geneva and French-speaking Swiss agency quotes and public rate pages. Maintenance figures are a market assumption, not a Kolonell price.
| Option | Project (CHF) | Maintenance and hosting over 3 years, market assumption (CHF) | Indicative 3-year total (CHF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva agency specialised in finance | 20,000 to 60,000 | 10,800 to 28,800 (300 to 800 per month) | 30,800 to 88,800 |
| Romandy studio | 8,000 to 20,000 | 5,400 to 14,400 (150 to 400 per month) | 13,400 to 34,400 |
| Freelancer | 5,000 to 12,000 | 5,400 to 14,400 (150 to 400 per month) | 10,400 to 26,400 |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,500 | 3 months included, then on quote | 4,500 + maintenance on quote |
| Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) | 8,200 | 3 months included, then on quote | 8,200 + maintenance on quote |
Every Kolonell international package includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Starter at CHF 2,700 suits a firm that wants a compact site of a few pages. Client portal integration, a secure document area, a newsletter connected to a CRM and SEO work stay on quote.
What timeline, and where does compliance sign off?
| Phase | Duration with Kolonell | Duration with a local agency | Approval gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| URL and content inventory | Before kickoff, 1 to 2 weeks on the client side | 2 to 3 weeks | Regulatory page list approved |
| Structure and design | Week 1 | 3 to 5 weeks | Management approval |
| Copy and migration, FR and EN | Weeks 2 and 3 | 4 to 6 weeks | Texts reviewed by the responsible partner |
| Compliance review | Week 3 to 4 | 2 to 3 weeks | Written approval from the compliance officer |
| Launch and 301 redirects | End of week 4 | 1 week | Redirect map tested on staging |
| Monitoring | 3 months of support included | Varies | Search Console checks for 8 weeks |
The 3 to 4 weeks start once content is ready. Book time in the compliance officer's diary at the start: it is the scarcest resource on the project.
Which risks, and who owns them?
| Risk | Owner | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Inaccurate regulatory wording | Compliance officer | Page-by-page review before go-live, no promise of returns or performance |
| Search visibility loss | Provider | URL inventory, one-to-one 301 map, Search Console monitoring |
| Broken or misleading portal link | Head of operations | Test the link, explanatory text, security handled by the portal provider |
| Scattered publications archive | Provider and partner | Dated migration, updated disclaimers, redirects for old PDFs |
| Intrusive contact form | Data protection lead | Minimisation, retention period, hosting location stated |
| Downtime | Provider | DNS switch in a quiet window, rollback plan |
On the legal frame, stay general and have your advisers confirm: since FinIA, portfolio managers need FINMA authorisation and are monitored by a supervisory organisation. Form data falls under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD, in force since 1 September 2023), overseen by the FDPIC, and the GDPR may apply when you target EU residents. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask your provider
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- Is there a dated compliance review step in the plan?
- Who builds and tests the redirect map, including old PDFs?
- Where are the site and form data hosted?
- Which integrations are included, and which are on quote?
When a Geneva agency is the better choice
A local agency makes sense if you want a completely new visual identity with on-site photo shoots, deep integration with a client portal or reporting tool, or regular in-person meetings with management and compliance. Multi-entity structures coordinating several jurisdictions often value that proximity.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Claire Morel is managing partner of a fictional 6-person family office in Champel. Her site has 40 pages and 60 PDF publications. A Geneva agency quoted CHF 38,000. She chooses Kolonell Premium at CHF 8,200 for French and English and books an independent photographer, a third-party cost, for about CHF 1,800. Total: CHF 10,000, a difference of CHF 28,000. Compliance review covers 40 pages at 15 minutes each, so 10 hours, scheduled in week 3. The 60 PDFs are migrated with their dates or redirected, and the link to the existing portal is simply updated.
FAQ
What budget should a Geneva family office plan for a redesign?
Specialised Geneva agencies usually quote CHF 20,000 to 60,000. Kolonell's fixed grid is CHF 2,700, CHF 4,500 or CHF 8,200, with integrations on quote.
How much time should we allow for compliance?
About 15 minutes of review per page, so 10 hours for 40 pages. Schedule it in week 3 to keep delivery within 3 to 4 weeks.
Can the site be in French and English?
Yes. Premium, the multilingual tier with languages set in the quote, covers both, with native English or French copywriting.
Do we need to rebuild the client portal?
No, a link to the existing portal is enough in most cases and adds no cost. Deeper integration is quoted separately.
What happens after the 3 months of support?
Maintenance and hosting beyond the 3 included months are on quote. Plan at least one yearly review of regulatory wording.
Let's scope your project. Send us your page and publication counts, languages and target date, and we will return a fixed price and a 3 to 4 week plan that includes the compliance review. 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.
