The verdict in three sentences
For an interior design studio courting owners in the Mid-Levels or on The Peak, developers and hotel groups, the website is often the first filter, before anyone visits the showroom. A redesign is justified as soon as the site shows dated projects, a slow mobile experience or a rough Chinese version, and it should be run as a migration, with a URL inventory and a redirect map. The right budget depends less on design than on ready content, languages and integrations, which you should settle before comparing quotes.
Is your current site costing you projects?
In Hong Kong, high-end clients judge a studio on three things: the quality of real projects, command of the process (compact floor plates, building management rules, contractor timelines) and discretion. A site that fails on any one of these loses meetings without the studio ever knowing.
| Signal on the current site | What the client concludes | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Latest project published over 2 years ago | Studio losing steam | High |
| Project photos with no visible owner consent or photo credit | Lack of rigor, legal exposure | High |
| Machine-translated Chinese version | Studio not rooted locally | High for local clients |
| 12 MB gallery taking 8 seconds to load on mobile | Poor experience, drop-off | Medium to high |
| No process page or fee structure | Opaque fees | Medium |
| Form asking for address and budget with no privacy notice | Careless data collection | Medium |
| No split between residential, hospitality and commercial | Blurry positioning | Medium |
The portfolio should only hold real projects, published with the owner's consent and the photographer's rights. No redesign should invent a project or a press mention.
What budget should you plan for in 2026?
The local prices below are 2026 ballparks drawn from typical Hong Kong agency quotes, converted approximately into USD (about 7.8 HKD to 1 USD).
| Option | Redesign budget | Usual timeline | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | 25,000 to 70,000 HKD (about 3,200 to 9,000 USD) | 6 to 10 weeks | Relies on one person |
| Mid-size local agency | 80,000 to 180,000 HKD (about 10,000 to 23,000 USD) | 10 to 16 weeks | Strong market knowledge |
| Premium design agency in Central or Wan Chai | 180,000 to 300,000+ HKD (about 23,000 to 38,000 USD) | 12 to 20 weeks | Deep art direction |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | Focused site, one working language |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | Fuller portfolio, process and services pages |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,900 USD | 4 to 6 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
| Annual maintenance | 6,000 to 24,000 HKD a year (market assumption) | Ongoing | Kolonell: on quote after 3 included months |
A site in English and Traditional Chinese falls under the Premium tier, with the languages specified in the quote. Kolonell prices include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support. Private client areas, project management tool integrations or a materials configurator are priced on quote. Details on the international offer.
Timeline and risks: how not to break what works
The 3 to 4 week timeline (4 to 6 for Premium) starts once content is ready: approved copy, cleared photos, owner consents in hand. That is often the longest phase on the studio's side.
| Phase | Indicative duration | Main risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory and scoping | Week 1 | Missing pages that bring traffic | Full URL export and Search Console data |
| Structure and mockups | Weeks 1 to 2 | Gallery too heavy | Compressed images, progressive loading |
| Copy and translation | Weeks 2 to 3 | Unreviewed Traditional Chinese | Native-speaker review on the studio side |
| Build and migration | Weeks 3 to 4 | Lost Google rankings | Page-by-page 301 redirect map |
| Compliance review | Before launch | Non-compliant form | Privacy notice aligned with the PDPO |
| Launch | End of project | Site downtime | DNS switch scheduled out of office hours |
The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance governs personal data collection in Hong Kong, overseen by the PCPD: a contact form should state the purpose of collection and stay minimal (name, email and project type are often enough). This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask, and when a local agency is the better choice
Before signing, ask any provider: who writes the Chinese version and who reviews it, how the redirect map is handled, who owns the rights to the design and code, what the average weight of a project page is, and what happens after the included support months.
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A local agency remains the better choice if your studio needs weekly in-person workshops, on-site photo and video production, or a partner who also runs your presence on Chinese social platforms. In those cases, proximity justifies the price gap.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. "Harbour & Teak Studio," an eight-person team in Sheung Wan, completes 10 projects a year with average fees of 400,000 HKD (about 51,000 USD). Its site dates from 2021 and its Chinese version is machine-translated.
Two quotes: a local agency at 160,000 HKD (about 20,500 USD) over 14 weeks, and Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD over 5 weeks once content is ready, with the languages set in the quote. The gap is about 11,600 USD. If the new site helps sign just one extra project over two years, the 51,000 USD in fees covers either option. The choice therefore hinges on the need for on-site workshops, not on price alone.
FAQ
Do we really need a Traditional Chinese version?
If more than a third of your clients or developer partners read Chinese first, yes. It must be reviewed by a native speaker, because a rough translation does more harm than no version at all.
How many projects should the new portfolio show?
Between 8 and 15 recent, well-documented projects is usually enough. Each one needs the owner's written consent and the photographer's rights.
Will the redesign drop our Google traffic?
A temporary dip of 2 to 6 weeks is common even with a sound 301 redirect map. Without one, the loss can last much longer.
What do Kolonell's 3 months of support cover?
Fixes, small content adjustments and technical assistance for 3 months after launch. Beyond that, maintenance is priced on quote.
Can we add a private client area to share project boards?
Yes, but a secure area with client accounts sits outside every fixed tier and is priced on quote. Allow one to two weeks of dedicated scoping.
Let's scope your project. A Hong Kong interior studio redesign can be scoped in one call: portfolio, languages, Growth at 4,900 USD or Premium at 8,900 USD, delivery in 3 to 6 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.
