What I found
- Of the 7 sites I could speed test, 5 took over 9 seconds for the main content to show on a simulated phone. The middle score was 57 out of 100.
- One site has no tap-to-call link anywhere on its homepage.
- Only 2 of 8 let you book an inspection online.
- Two pages had 5 and 8 main headlines each, which muddles what the page is about.
- The fastest site was also the smallest: about a quarter of a megabyte.
How I checked
I picked 8 local roofing company websites that show up when you search Google for roofers in Houston. On 5 November 2026 I ran each through:
- A Lighthouse mobile test (version 12.2.1, Google's free open-source speed tool), simulating a mid-range phone on a slow 4G connection.
- A code check of the page: tap-to-call links, headings, business schema, booking options and image counts.
One site blocked the speed test, so it has a code check but no speed score. One test per site, on one day; scores move a few points between runs, and visitors on fast Wi-Fi will see faster pages. Every site got the same test, so the comparison holds. Names are hidden because this is about patterns, not calling anyone out.
The scorecard
| Site | Mobile score | Main content shows | Page size | Call link at top | Book online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company A | 32 | 28.8 s | 14.1 MB | Yes | No |
| Company B | 54 | 6.1 s | 2.3 MB | Yes | Yes |
| Company C | 94 | 2.8 s | 0.25 MB | Yes | Yes |
| Company D | Blocked | – | – | Yes | No |
| Company E | 56 | 21.3 s | 4.0 MB | Yes | No |
| Company F | 57 | 19.2 s | 4.1 MB | None at all | No |
| Company G | 63 | 9.2 s | 1.2 MB | Yes | No |
| Company H | 67 | 15.8 s | 1.8 MB | Yes | No |
"Main content shows" is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): how long until the biggest thing on screen appears. Google calls 2.5 seconds or less good. "Blocked" means the site refused the speed test tool.
What's going wrong
1. No way to tap and call
Company F's homepage has no tap-to-call link at all. The number may be on the page as text, but on a phone the customer has to memorise it or copy it into the dialer. After a storm, when a homeowner has a tarp on the roof and five tabs open, that's an easy way to lose the call to the next roofer.
2. Heavy and slow on a phone
Company A's homepage was about 14 MB and took nearly 29 seconds for the main content to show in the test. It also had a layout shift score of 0.45 (Google treats above 0.25 as poor), meaning the page jumps around while loading. Companies E, F and H all took 15 to 21 seconds. Big project photo galleries and video backgrounds look great on a desktop, but on a phone they're usually what's slowing things down.
3. Too many headlines
Company E has 8 main headlines (H1) on its homepage and Company F has 5. A page should have one H1 that says what it is: "Roof repair and replacement in Houston". Several H1s make it less clear to Google and to visitors what the page is mainly about.
4. Phone-only booking
Only two of eight let you book an inspection online. Many homeowners research at night or at work, when they can't call. A simple "book a free inspection" form or calendar catches those leads instead of losing them until tomorrow.
5. Trust signals need to work harder
Texas doesn't issue a statewide roofing contractor license, so homeowners can't look for a license number the way they can in some states. That makes other proof more important: insurance, manufacturer certifications, warranties, real project photos and recent reviews. The sites with the most of these near the top give a stranger the most reasons to call.
6. Signs of a site left alone
One site still shows a 2024 copyright year and another shows 2025. Two others have no copyright line at all. Company H loads about 98 scripts on its homepage. None of these break a site, but together they suggest nobody's been looking after it.
What the best one does
Company C scored 94, with the main content showing in about 2.8 seconds on a slow simulated connection. Its homepage is about a quarter of a megabyte, roughly 55 times lighter than Company A's. It also:
- puts tap-to-call links throughout the page, including the header,
- offers online booking,
- has one clear headline and business schema.
It shows you don't need a huge page to look professional. You need a fast first screen with a clear offer and an easy way to get in touch.
Fix-first list for roofers
- Add a tap-to-call button to the header of every page, and keep it visible while scrolling on mobile.
- Test your homepage with Google PageSpeed Insights on mobile. If the main content takes more than 4 seconds, fix speed before spending more on ads.
- Move big galleries and videos off the homepage or load them only when someone scrolls to them.
- Use one H1 that says what you do and where.
- Offer online booking for free inspections and estimates.
- Put proof near the top: insurance, certifications, warranty, real photos, recent reviews.
- Prepare for storm season: a fast page about storm damage and insurance claims, ready before the next storm, not after.