The verdict in three sentences
In Lugano, redesigning the website of a wealth manager or family office costs roughly CHF 12,000 to 45,000 with a Ticino agency in 2026, while Kolonell works on a fixed grid of CHF 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. For firms on Via Nassa or Riva Albertolli, the pages that do most of the persuading are the team bios, so their wording, credentials and photography deserve more care than the homepage animation. Budget a third-party photographer, a compliance read of every bio, and a 301 redirect map for the old URLs, and the redesign carries little risk.
Is it really time to redesign?
Most Lugano firms do not redesign on a whim. The trigger is usually a change in the business: a single-family office opening to other families, a new partner, a FINMA authorisation obtained under FinIA, or a growing share of cross-border clients from Lombardy and international residents in Paradiso who read in English.
| Signal | What it costs you today | What the redesign fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Bios written five years ago | prospects meet people whose roles changed | current roles, verified credentials |
| Italian only | international residents leave after one page | English version, German optional |
| Regulatory status hard to find | doubts during due diligence | status, complaints procedure, fees in the footer |
| Phone photos of the team | inconsistent image next to private banks | one professional session, same light and framing |
| Form asks for asset levels | data you should not hold | name, email, phone, preferred language |
| No mobile layout | poor reading for most first visits | responsive templates tested on real devices |
What budget should you plan in Lugano in 2026?
Ranges are a 2026 ballpark drawn from typical agency quotes and public rate pages, for a 15 to 35 page site. Each provider is shown by line item so you can compare like with like.
| Line item | Ticino agency | Freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and structure | CHF 2,000 to 6,000 | often skipped | included |
| Design and build | CHF 7,000 to 25,000 | CHF 4,000 to 12,000 | included in the grid price |
| Copywriting | CHF 2,000 to 8,000 | rarely offered | native English or French included |
| Additional languages | CHF 1,500 to 6,000 per language | translator to hire | Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
| Team photography | subcontracted | not offered | third-party photographer, CHF 1,200 to 2,500 |
| Total before photography | CHF 12,000 to 45,000 | CHF 4,000 to 12,000 | CHF 2,700 / 4,500 / 8,200 |
Kolonell's price includes a project manager reachable in the Swiss time zone, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Maintenance after that period is on quote. You can compare tiers on the international offer page.
How should team bios and credentials be written?
A family choosing a manager reads the team page more carefully than any other. Each bio should state a current role, areas of responsibility, languages spoken and verifiable qualifications. Financial promotion rules under FinSA are general but clear in spirit: nothing misleading, no promise of returns, no performance figures that compliance has not approved.
| Bio element | Wording that works | Wording to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Role | "Partner, responsible for client relationships with Italian families" | "Lugano's leading adviser" |
| Experience | "Previously at a private bank in Lugano and Zurich" | unverifiable claims about results |
| Qualifications | exact title and awarding body, only if held | vague "certified expert" |
| Languages | "Italian, English, German" | "fluent in all major languages" |
| Clients | "entrepreneurial families in Switzerland and Italy" | names, numbers of clients or assets |
| Photo | same session, same background, recent | holiday or event pictures |
For photography, a local photographer usually needs half a day for 5 to 8 portraits plus office shots. This is a third-party cost paid directly to the photographer, never part of the Kolonell fee. Ask for usage rights covering the website and LinkedIn.
Timeline, risks and what stays on quote
Kolonell's 3 to 4 weeks start once texts and photos are available. A realistic sequence: week 1 scoping, URL inventory and mockups; week 2 build and migration of insights; week 3 bios, regulatory pages and compliance review (allow 3 to 10 internal days); week 4 redirects, tests and go-live.
The main risks, with their mitigation:
- Search ranking loss: export every URL from Search Console and a crawl, map each one to a 301 redirect, submit the new sitemap and watch 404s for six weeks.
- Bio delays: one partner who does not approve a bio can stall go-live; set a sign-off deadline in week 2.
- Disclosure pages disappearing: legal notice, regulatory status, complaints procedure and fee information stay reachable from every page.
- Insights archive: decide which market commentary is kept, merged or retired, and date older pieces.
- Portal and custodian links: test each login link; the client portal itself is never rebuilt inside a fixed-grid site and stays on quote, like any integration.
- Data protection: privacy notice aligned with the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD, in force since 1 September 2023), and GDPR checks if you target residents in Italy. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask any provider: who writes the redirect map, who holds the domain and hosting accounts, where form data is stored and for how long, how many review rounds are included for bios, and what happens after the support period.
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When is a Ticino agency the better choice?
Choose a local agency if you want the photographer, the copywriter and the developer in the same meeting room in Lugano, if your partners expect several in-person workshops, or if the project includes a client portal connected to custodian banks. A local agency also makes sense when the Italian copy must be written from scratch by a native writer working closely with the partners. In those cases, plan CHF 25,000 or more and 10 to 14 weeks.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Marco Ferrante runs a single-family office on Riva Albertolli that has opened its doors to a few other families. The new site must present 7 team members in Italian and English, with German for a handful of Swiss German clients.
- Kolonell Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote): CHF 8,200
- Local photographer, half day, 7 portraits and office shots (third-party cost): CHF 1,800
- Total: CHF 10,000, or about CHF 1,430 per bio if you divide by the 7 people presented
The Ticino agency quote he received was CHF 32,000 plus photography. Schedule: 10 days to gather bios and qualifications, then 4 weeks of project work. The 301 map covers 85 old URLs.
FAQ
How much does a family office website redesign cost in Lugano?
Around CHF 12,000 to 45,000 with a Ticino agency, 2026 ballpark, before photography. Kolonell's fixed grid is CHF 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200.
Can the site be in Italian, English and German?
Yes, through Premium at CHF 8,200, the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote. Native review of Italian copy by an independent translator is a third-party cost if needed.
Who pays the photographer?
You do, directly. Expect CHF 1,200 to 2,500 for a half-day session in Lugano, 2026 ballpark.
Can we show performance figures on the new site?
Only where applicable rules permit and after compliance approval. Many firms show none at all, which removes one review step out of 4 or 5.
How long until go-live?
3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Most delays come from bio approvals, so set a deadline in week 2.
Let's scope your project. A redesign with team bios, photography plan and 301 map, from CHF 2,700 to 8,200, live in 3 to 4 weeks. 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.
