The verdict in three sentences
If your site is under four years old, runs on an up-to-date CMS and shows decent Core Web Vitals, a partial redesign at 4,000-9,000 EUR is enough. If it carries technical debt, an outdated CMS or an LCP above 3 seconds, a full rebuild at 12,000-25,000 EUR pays off better over three years. The wrong move is rebuilding a healthy site or patching one that is beyond repair.
Partial redesign or full rebuild: the 2026 figures
A partial redesign keeps the technical architecture and reworks design, content and user journeys. A rebuild starts from a clean base: new technical foundation, new information architecture, new integrations.
| Criterion | Partial redesign | Full rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 budget (EUR) | 4,000 - 9,000 | 12,000 - 25,000 |
| Average timeline | 4 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Technical foundation | Kept | New |
| Expected conversion lift | 10 - 20 % | 20 - 35 % |
| Technical debt addressed | Partial | Full |
| Estimated lifespan | 2 - 3 years | 5 - 6 years |
| SEO risk | Low | Medium (managed) |
Technical debt is the hidden factor. A site patched for five years, with undocumented code and abandoned plugins, inflates the redesign budget by 20 to 40 % because each change breaks another. Beyond a certain threshold, rebuilding costs less than repairing.
The decision grid based on current condition
Four variables settle most cases: the site's age, the CMS condition, traffic volume and Core Web Vitals measured on mobile.
| Current situation | Signal | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Site < 4 yrs, CMS current, LCP < 2.5 s | Healthy | Partial redesign |
| Site 4-6 yrs, outdated plugins | Moderate debt | Partial redesign + cleanup |
| Unmaintained CMS, LCP > 3.5 s | Heavy debt | Rebuild |
| Traffic > 20,000 visits/mo, fragile code | Business risk | Phased rebuild |
| Unreadable structure, broken mobile | Structural | Rebuild |
| Dated design but healthy base | Cosmetic | Partial redesign |
The higher your traffic, the more a slow site costs: on 20,000 monthly visits at 2 % conversion, moving from 2 % to 2.6 % (the median lift from a good redesign) means 120 extra contacts per month.
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Mini case study
Thomas runs an engineering SME in Montreal: 2020 WordPress site, 12,000 visits/month, mobile LCP of 3.8 s, conversion rate of 1.8 %. Rebuild quote: 16,000 EUR, 9-week timeline. After migration, LCP hits 1.3 s and conversion 2.5 %. On 12,000 visits, that moves contacts from 216 to 300 per month, an extra 84 leads monthly. With an average project value of 8,000 EUR and an 8 % close rate, the site pays for itself in under three months.
FAQ
How much does a business website redesign cost in Montreal in 2026? Expect 4,000 to 9,000 EUR for a partial redesign and 12,000 to 25,000 EUR for a full rebuild. Technical debt can add 20 to 40 %.
What timeline should I plan for? Roughly 4 weeks for a partial redesign and 10 weeks for a rebuild, including audit and QA. A high-traffic site requires more cautious phasing.
How do I know if my site is too technically indebted? If the CMS is no longer maintained, updates break pages and mobile LCP exceeds 3.5 s, a rebuild is usually more profitable over three years.
Will I lose my search rankings? Not if a 301 redirect plan and an SEO audit frame the migration. Poorly managed, the typical loss is 10 to 30 % of traffic for 3 months; well managed, it is negligible.
What conversion lift can I expect? A well-executed partial redesign targets 10 to 20 % more conversions, a rebuild 20 to 35 %, depending on journey quality and Core Web Vitals.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current URL, monthly traffic and target budget: within 48 h we tell you whether to redesign or rebuild, with a costed quote. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
