Short answer
- Start with what costs nothing per lead: a complete Google Business Profile, reviews and a quote-ready website.
- For fast work, Google search ads (and Local Services Ads where your trade qualifies) catch people already looking for a contractor.
- Facebook and Instagram ads suit planned projects with strong photos, like remodels, decks and roofs.
- Lead marketplaces can fill gaps but leads are often shared. Yard signs and truck wraps are cheap, local and underrated.
- Whatever you choose, track calls and quote requests by source, or you'll never know what's working.
Before you spend: the free foundations
Every ad you run sends people to check you out. If what they find is thin, the ad money leaks away. Fix these first:
- Google Business Profile: right category, every service listed, service areas you really cover, real project photos.
- Reviews: a steady habit of asking happy clients. Contractors are chosen on trust, and reviews are the fastest proof. Google doesn't allow offering incentives for reviews.
- Website: a short quote form, project photos, license and insurance details and a click-to-call button on every page.
- Answering the phone: a missed call from an ad is the most expensive kind. Have a plan for when you're on a roof.
The Contractors & home services page covers these foundations in more detail.
Advertising channels compared
The costs below are described in general terms because they vary widely by trade, area and season.
| Channel | How you pay | Lead intent | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google search ads | Per click | High: they're searching now | Repairs, urgent work, specific services | Clicks can be expensive in competitive trades |
| Local Services Ads | Per lead | High | Eligible trades in eligible areas | Screening required; availability depends on trade and country |
| Facebook & Instagram ads | Mostly per impression | Medium: you create demand | Remodels, decks, roofs, seasonal offers | Needs good photos and a clear offer |
| Lead marketplaces | Per lead or subscription | Mixed | Filling a slow calendar | Leads may go to several contractors |
| Yard signs, truck wraps | One-off | Local awareness | Every contractor | Check local and HOA sign rules |
| Direct mail | Per piece | Low to medium | Neighbourhoods near current jobs | Needs a clear offer and tracking |
| Referrals | Thank-you or referral fee | Highest trust | Everyone | Slow to scale unless you ask systematically |
Google search ads for contractors
Search ads work because they match intent: someone typing "basement waterproofing contractor" has a problem today. To make them pay:
- One campaign or ad group per service, each pointing to the matching page, not your homepage.
- Tight locations: only the areas you'll really drive to.
- Negative keywords: block jobs, DIY, supplies and services you don't offer.
- Call tracking and form tracking from day one.
- Ad schedule matched to when someone can answer.
Where your trade and area are eligible, Google Local Services Ads charge per lead rather than per click and show above regular ads. Eligibility and screening requirements vary, so check Google's page for your category and location. For realistic budgets, see Google Ads costs.
Facebook and Instagram ads
Social ads don't wait for someone to search. They show your work to homeowners nearby who may be thinking about a project. They work best when you have:
- Strong before-and-after photos or short videos of real jobs
- A clear offer: free on-site estimate within 48 hours, a seasonal inspection, limited spring slots
- A simple landing page with a short form
- Patience: the first few weeks are mostly testing which photo and offer work
Meta requires some housing-related ads to run under a "special ad category" with limited targeting, so when you set up a campaign, check whether Meta's current definition covers your service and follow it if it does. My Facebook & Instagram ads page explains how I run these for local businesses.
Offline advertising that still works
- Yard signs: with the homeowner's permission, a sign outside an active job reaches every neighbour who walks past and is curious.
- Truck wraps or magnets: a moving billboard in the exact areas you work. Keep it simple: name, service, phone, website.
- Door hangers near current jobs: "We're working on a home on your street this week" with a small neighbour offer. Check local rules on door-to-door marketing.
- Referral cards: hand them out at job completion with a simple thank-you for referrals.
- Supplier and partner relationships: suppliers, realtors and other trades often pass work to contractors they trust.
A worked budget example
A hypothetical small remodeling company wants more kitchen and bathroom projects. All numbers here are invented to show the method, not benchmarks.
| Step | Hypothetical number |
|---|---|
| Average project profit | $4,000 |
| Share of quotes that become projects | 25% |
| So one project needs | 4 quote requests |
| Acceptable ad cost per project (owner's choice) | $600 |
| So acceptable cost per quote request | $150 |
| Monthly goal | 3 projects = 12 quote requests |
| Test budget if leads cost around $100–$150 | $1,200–$1,800 a month in ads |
After two or three months of tracked data, replace the guesses with your real numbers and move budget to whichever channel produces projects at the lowest cost.
How to track what's working
- Ask every caller how they found you and write it down.
- Use separate phone numbers or tracked call buttons for ads, your website and Google Business Profile.
- Tag form submissions with their source.
- Track to the job, not just the lead: 20 leads that close nothing are worse than 5 that close 2.
- Review monthly and stop spending on channels that don't produce jobs.
Common mistakes
- Signing a long contract with a lead service before testing it.
- Running ads to a homepage instead of a page for that service.
- Advertising in areas you don't want to drive to.
- Turning ads on in your busiest season when you can't take more work, and off when you need it.
- Judging a channel after one week.
- Ads that promise things you can't back up, like "lowest price guaranteed".
If you'd like help, I manage Google Ads management for $250/month plus your ad budget, and the free audit is a good starting point: I'll review your profile, site and any current ads and tell you where I'd spend first.