PIPELINEGuide
Build an accessible website yourself or have it built?
Much of what goes into an accessible website can be built in-house — the question is whether it pays off. When in-house effort makes sense, where the line is, and which route is the most expensive.
Building an accessible website yourself is worthwhile when the project stays small, someone in the business has time for it, and no one depends on it going live on a specific date. As soon as other systems need to interact or someone is liable if it fails, external implementation is usually cheaper — the most expensive route is the half-finished one.
01 — In-house effort
Build yourself or have it built?
- Building yourself makes sense when someone in the business has the time and interest, the project stays small, and no one depends on it being live by a specific date.
- Ready-made platforms get you to a first result quickly, but hit limits where custom processes, custom data, or integrations with existing systems come into play.
- Having it built makes sense as soon as the accessible website needs to communicate with other systems, as soon as someone is liable if it doesn't work, or as soon as internal effort becomes more expensive than external implementation.
- The most expensive path is the halfway one: built in-house for months on the side, then abandoned and rebuilt externally. If you decide on in-house effort, set a time budget and an abort point.
- Hybrid approach: Concept and setup external, maintenance internal. This is often the most economical route for an accessible website — provided the handover is documented.
02 — Requirements
What you need for an accessible website
- A clearly defined trigger. Not “we should do something with AI,” but a process that demonstrably costs time or orders today.
- Existing content or data. An accessible website works with what is already there. The more complete the starting point, the shorter the setup.
- Access to the systems involved. Whoever manages the credentials needs to be involved from the start — this is, in our experience, the most common cause of delays.
- One decision-making contact person. One, not three.
- Willingness to refine after launch. The first weeks in real operation show what was missing in the concept. That's normal and accounted for.
03 — Calculation
How to calculate it
Four numbers are enough: How often does the process occur? How long does it take? What does an hour cost internally? And what does the solution cost — one-time plus operation over three years?
An example: A process that occurs twice a week and takes 40 minutes each time ties up around 69 hours per year. At an internal hourly rate of 45 euros, that's roughly 3,100 euros per year locked in there. If a solution reduces this effort by two-thirds, it often pays for itself — depending on the actual quote — within one to two years. We'll give you the exact figure for your case after the initial meeting.
This calculation is deliberately conservative: it only accounts for the time saved, not the errors avoided or the orders that come through due to faster response. In practice, the benefit is usually higher — but you shouldn't count on it before you've measured it.
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does this also apply to PDF documents on the website?
Yes, if they contain essential information — such as price lists or downloadable forms. PDFs must also be structured with alternative texts.
How much work is involved for an existing site?
It varies widely. A well-built site often only needs contrast corrections, alternative texts, and focus indicators. A site with custom-built controls without keyboard support can be more work than building from scratch.
Is an accessibility overlay sufficient?
No. These overlays do not fix the underlying problems and are largely rejected by disability advocacy groups. They can even create additional barriers. Accessibility is created in the markup, not in a layer on top.
Are we affected by the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz?
The Austrian Accessibility Act has been in force since June 28, 2025, and primarily applies to online services in the consumer sector: online shops, bookings, e-ticketing, banking services. Microenterprises with fewer than ten employees and less than two million euros in revenue are exempt for services — but not for the sale of products. A purely informational site without sales is generally not covered.
How long does a complete audit take?
For a medium-sized website, one to two weeks, depending on the number of different page types and interactive elements such as forms or filters.
Can we implement this step by step?
Yes, by priority: first the defects that completely block usage, then those that make it difficult. This can be spread across several stages without taking the site offline in the meantime.
What happens in case of violations?
The Sozialministeriumservice is responsible. Administrative penalties of up to 80,000 euros are provided for. In the initial phase, the focus was mainly on advice rather than penalties, but that's no guarantee for the future — proceedings are already underway.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
06 — Next
Related pages
- Accessible Website — Overview
- Accessible Website — Provider Comparison
- Accessible Website — Alternatives
- Accessible Website — Checklist
- Accessible Website — Common Errors
- Accessible Website — Costs
- Accessible Website — Funding
- Accessible Website — How It Works
- Have a website created
- Web design
- Website relaunch
- All guides
Accessible Website by Region
Next step
Initial assessment, no obligation.
Briefly describe what you need. You'll get an honest answer about what's realistic and what it will roughly cost.