The verdict in three sentences
A Dublin wealth management firm or family office that asks for website quotes without a written specification will typically receive proposals from about €4,000 to €45,000 for what looks like the same site. A precise checklist, with regulatory and disclosure pages, a named compliance sign-off, and each integration on its own line, usually narrows that spread to something you can actually compare. Kolonell's fixed grid, €2,700, €4,500 or €8,200, maps onto the checklist below, with a client portal and other complex integrations on quote.
What goes into the specification?
Write the answers to these ten items before the first agency call. Each one removes a guess from the quotes.
- Goals and audiences. Prospective private clients, existing clients looking for the portal login, intermediaries, recruits. One primary action, for example a discreet introduction request.
- Page list and templates. Home, approach, services, team, insights, regulatory information, complaints, privacy, contact. Name the templates you need (service, profile, article).
- Regulatory and disclosure pages. If the firm is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland, the regulatory status statement, complaints procedure and any required disclosures must be listed as pages or blocks, with their exact wording supplied by compliance.
- Content ownership. Who drafts, who approves, and who gives the final compliance sign-off on every page that describes services.
- Languages. English, and any other language your clients need, with a named reviewer.
- Integrations, one line each. Link to an existing client portal, CRM form connection, newsletter tool, meeting scheduler. A new client portal is a project of its own and stays on quote.
- Accessibility. WCAG 2.2 AA as the target, with keyboard and screen reader checks in acceptance. The European Accessibility Act extends accessibility requirements to some services, so ask your adviser whether it applies to you.
- Data protection. GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018: minimal form fields, no financial details or identity documents in open forms, a privacy notice, cookie consent, and a clear retention rule. The Data Protection Commission is the supervisory authority.
- Ownership and hosting. Domain, hosting, analytics and Search Console accounts in the firm's name.
- Migration, acceptance and budget. Full URL inventory and 301 redirect map if a site exists, a written acceptance list, a launch date, and a budget band.
No performance figures, assets under management, client counts, awards or testimonials should appear unless compliance has approved them and they are accurate. This is not legal advice.
How does precision change the quotes?
Figures are a 2026 ballpark from typical Dublin agency quotes and public rate pages, not a survey.
| Topic | Vague brief | Precise brief | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall scope | "A premium site" | 14 pages, 3 templates | Spread moves from about €4,000 to €45,000 to about €9,000 to €18,000 |
| Regulatory pages | Not mentioned | 3 pages, wording supplied by compliance | No late rewriting before launch |
| Client portal | "Clients log in" | Link to the existing third-party portal | Avoids a custom portal priced as a separate project |
| Insights | "A blog" | 6 launch articles, compliance-reviewed | Copywriting and review time priced |
| Languages | "International" | English and French, named reviewer | Multilingual line visible |
| Migration | Not mentioned | 42 URLs, 301 map required | Search visibility protected |
How do you compare three quotes?
Fix the weights first, then score each quote out of 5. Weighted score = weight x score / 5.
| Criterion | Weight | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handling of regulatory content and sign-off | 25 | 3 (15) | 5 (25) | 4 (20) |
| Fit with page list and templates | 25 | 4 (20) | 3 (15) | 5 (25) |
| Security and data protection approach | 20 | 3 (12) | 4 (16) | 5 (20) |
| Price transparency, integrations as separate lines | 15 | 4 (12) | 3 (9) | 3 (9) |
| Named team and timeline | 15 | 4 (12) | 3 (9) | 4 (12) |
| Total out of 100 | 100 | 71 | 74 | 86 |
How does the Kolonell grid map to the checklist?
| Tier | Price | Checklist items it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €2,700 | Items 1, 2, 4, 9: focused site, core pages, minimal contact form |
| Growth | €4,500 | Adds item 3 blocks, insights section, analytics, full template set |
| Premium | €8,200 | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote (item 5) |
| On quote | Separate lines | New client portal, CRM integration, SEO work, maintenance after 3 months |
Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, and 3 months of support. The full offer is on the international websites page.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Illustrative example: "Liffey Crest Partners" is a fictional wealth management firm near St Stephen's Green. Its old site has 42 URLs and no clear regulatory page. The partners write the ten-item checklist and choose English only, with a link to their existing portal.
- Kolonell Growth: €4,500
- External compliance consultant reviewing service copy, a third-party cost: about €800
- Local photographer for partner portraits, a third-party cost: about €600
- Total: €5,900
- CRM form connection: on quote, separate line
- Precise-brief quotes from Dublin studios: about €10,000 to €16,000
The checklist doubles as the acceptance list on launch day.
FAQ
How long should the specification be?
Two to three pages is typical for a firm of this size. What matters is that all 10 items have written answers.
Should the client portal be part of the website quote?
Only as a link to an existing portal. A new portal with authentication is a separate project, usually several times the price of the site, and stays on quote.
Can we publish performance or AUM figures?
Only if compliance has approved them and they are accurate and current. Most firms keep the public site free of figures and use the 3 regulatory pages to state status clearly.
What budget band should we give agencies?
A band such as €5,000 to €10,000 helps agencies scope realistically. Kolonell's grid sits at €2,700, €4,500 and €8,200.
Which forms are acceptable under GDPR?
A short introduction form of 4 or 5 fields, with a privacy notice and a retention rule. Identity and financial documents go through your onboarding process, not the website.
Let's scope your project. Share your checklist, even half complete, and we will map it to a fixed tier with every integration priced separately. 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.
