Contractor work is sold before anyone searches
A homeowner planning a kitchen or an addition usually asks people first: a neighbor who just remodeled, the architect who drew the plans, the agent who sold them the house. Search comes second, to check the names they were given. So for a general contractor or remodeler, the real lead source is a network of people who see projects coming, and the website is where those names get checked.
Electrical and pest control work runs the other way. A tripped breaker that will not reset, a new EV that needs a charger, mice in the kitchen: those customers search for the problem first and call a licensed company that can come soon.
This article is the contractor chapter of our guide on how to get more clients. It covers remodelers and general contractors first, then the two specialty trades, then a 30-day routine.
What a homeowner checks before signing a large project
A remodel is one of the biggest checks a household writes. Expect them to look at:
- License or registration. Where your state or city requires one for the work, put the number on your site and every proposal.
- Insurance. A current certificate, sent with the proposal. If you have employees or subcontractors on site, ask your insurer what coverage the homeowner may ask to see.
- References. Two or three recent customers who agreed to take a call.
- Photos of similar work. The same kind of project, in a similar house, with the scope written out. Stock photos cost you trust.
- The contract. Scope, price, payment schedule, timeline, who pulls permits, and how change orders are priced and approved.
- Who they will talk to. One named contact, how often they will get updates, and how fast messages are answered.
Build a portfolio that sells for you
Pick your five best recent projects and write each one up as a short case: the town, the house, what the owners wanted, what you did, how long it took, and before and after photos (with the owners’ permission). One page per project type, such as kitchens, bathrooms, additions and basements, is easier to find and easier to share than a single gallery. Our contractor and home services website design page shows how we lay out project pages, and our service page template lists the facts each page should carry.
Houzz is worth a profile for remodelers, because homeowners browse projects there. Upload the same project write-ups.
Referral partners, worked on a schedule
Referrals do not happen because you did good work once. They happen because the right people see your work and hear from you regularly. Make a list of 20 people and contact each one every quarter.
| Partner | Why they refer | What to send them |
|---|---|---|
| Architects and designers | Need a builder who follows drawings and budgets | Project write-up with photos, after each job |
| Real estate agents | Buyers want work done before move-in; sellers need repairs before listing | One-page sheet: what you take on, how fast you quote |
| Lumber yards, tile and cabinet showrooms | Customers ask them for names | Business cards and a project photo for the counter |
| Other trades | Plumbers, electricians and roofers see which GCs run clean jobs | Your schedule for the next quarter’s jobs they could bid |
| Past customers | Friends planning the same project | A thank-you card with the finished photo, and a review link |
Keep these relationships clean: never pay for a referral where the rules do not allow it.
Follow up every bid
Remodeling bids sit. The homeowner is waiting on financing, a spouse, a second quote, or the permit timeline. Keep a simple list of every open bid with the date sent and the date of the last contact. Call or message at one week, three weeks and six weeks. Ask a plain question: “Are you still planning the project this year, and is there anything in the proposal you want changed?” A clear “no” frees your calendar; a “yes, but” tells you what to fix.
Tell customers early how long permits may take in their town. A homeowner who expected to start next month and hears about a long permit wait after signing is a homeowner who will not refer you.
Electricians: name the job
Electrical customers search for a task: “panel upgrade,” “EV charger installation,” “outlet not working,” “generator hookup,” “recessed lighting.” Give each common job its own page with photos of your own installs, what is included, who pulls the permit, and how you price. Show the license number. If you handle emergencies, put the phone number at the top.
On Google Local Services Ads, electrical is one of the urgent categories Google screens more closely, including service professional background checks, on top of owner, business, license and insurance checks.
Pest control: name the pest and the season
Pest customers search for what they found: “ants in kitchen,” “termite inspection,” “mice in walls,” “bed bug treatment.” Write a page for each, with what the first visit includes, whether the home must be prepared, and whether children and pets need to leave. Pest pressure changes with the seasons, so publish each page before its season in your area and send past customers a reminder.
Check your state’s rules for pesticide applicator licenses, show your license number, and sell a recurring service plan at the end of the first treatment, since recurring visits are where a pest control route earns its keep.
Your 30-day plan
Week 1: The pipeline. List every open bid with dates. Contact each one that is more than a week old. List your 20 referral partners.
Week 2: The portfolio. Write up five finished projects, or five common electrical jobs, or five pests, with photos and scope. Publish them as separate pages.
Week 3: Proof. Gather license numbers, the insurance certificate, a sample contract and three references who agreed to calls. Ask every customer from the last six months for a review, the same way, with a direct link.
Week 4: Partners and sources. Send your best project write-up to five partners from your list. Ask every new lead how they found you, and count signed contracts, not calls, by source.
What it costs with us
A 5-8 page site with project pages costs from $3,500; extra project pages cost $250-$450 per page. Domain and hosting, new photography, third-party software subscriptions (billed at cost), SMS carrier registration and message fees are not included. Our pricing page has the full list.
Not sure your portfolio and profile hold up next to the contractors you bid against? A free demo puts you and 3-4 local competitors side by side, as customers and AI assistants see you.
Published . Updated .