How Much Does a Contractor Website Cost?
You know you need a better website, but the prices you hear are all over the place. One person says a few hundred dollars, another says ten thousand, and nobody explains why. This post breaks down contractor website cost in plain terms, so you can tell what you're actually paying for.
You'll see the ways to pay, what a monthly plan should cover, the costs people forget, what to own before you sign, and how to tell if a site is paying for itself. It's one part of our bigger contractor marketing guide, which covers how your website fits with Google Maps, reviews and leads.
What goes into contractor website cost?
Four things drive the price: how many pages you need, whether the design is custom or a template, who writes the words and prepares the photos, and whether hosting, security and updates are included after launch.
- Pages. A one-page site is cheap. A page for each service and each main town you work in takes more work, and it's also what helps you show up for more searches.
- Custom or template. A template is faster. A custom build is shaped around how your business wins work: what customers ask, what proof they need, and how they like to get in touch.
- Words and photos. Someone has to write clear service pages and pick, crop and prepare your project photos. If that someone is you, it costs you evenings.
- After launch. Hosting, security, small changes and new photos either cost you time or cost you a plan.
What are the ways to pay for a website?
There are three common ways: build it yourself on a website builder, pay a designer once for the build, or pay for a build plus a monthly plan that keeps the site hosted, updated and improving. None is wrong; they trade money for time.
| Option | You pay with | Good fit for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Your time, plus a builder subscription | Owners with spare evenings who enjoy it | Sites that look fine on a computer but not on a phone |
| One-time build | A single upfront price | Owners who will handle hosting and updates | Nobody to call when something breaks |
| Build plus monthly plan | A build price, then a monthly fee | Owners who want it handled | Plans that don't say what's included |
The real question is whether your hours are better spent on the website or on jobs. If a Saturday on the website costs you a Saturday of paid work, the "free" option isn't free.
What's the difference between a cheap site and an expensive one?
Usually the work you can't see: planning which pages to build, writing that answers customers' questions, setup for Google, speed on a phone, and what happens after launch. Two sites can look alike and perform very differently.
A template with your logo
- One page listing every service
- Stock photos
- Generic text that could fit any company
- No one updates it after launch
A site built to get calls
- A page for each main service and town
- Your real project photos
- Words that answer what your customers ask
- Set up for Google and fast on a phone
- Kept current with new photos and reviews
Is a DIY website builder good enough for a contractor?
It can be, if you have the time and you're careful. Builders make it easy to get something online. The hard part is what a builder can't do for you: writing clear service pages, showing proof, and checking that it works on a phone.
Where DIY works: you're just starting, money is tight, and you need something better than nothing. A simple, honest site with your number, services, area and a few real photos beats no site at all.
Where it struggles: separate pages for each service and town, fast loading on a phone, and keeping it current once you're busy. A site that hasn't changed since the day it launched tells customers something.
Whichever way you go, run it through our contractor website checklist.
What does a monthly website plan cover?
A good monthly plan covers the work that keeps a site useful after launch: hosting, security, small updates, new project photos and a regular check-in. Some plans also handle Google reviews. Ask for the list in writing.
"Maintenance" can mean anything from real work to nothing at all, so ask exactly what happens each month and how fast changes get made.
Launch: $399.99 / month
- Hosting
- Website updates and new project photos
- Google review request system
- Security
- Monthly check-in
Scale: $599.99 / month
- Everything in Launch
- Review relaunch campaign for old customers
- Replies to 4 and 5 star reviews, plus a custom review page
- 5-star reviews posted to Facebook and Instagram
- Monthly report and priority support
What does Xposifi charge for a contractor website?
The website build is quoted on a free strategy call, because it depends on what your business needs. After launch, monthly plans are $399.99 a month for Launch and $599.99 a month for Scale.
We quote the build on a call instead of listing one number because a two-service roofer and a landscaper covering six towns need different sites. You'll know the price before any work starts, and booking the call doesn't commit you to anything.
See what's in every build on our website design for contractors page.
What should a website quote include?
A clear quote lists the pages you're getting, who writes the words and handles photos, what's set up for Google, the timeline, what's included after launch and what costs extra. If a quote is one line with one number, ask for detail.
- Number of pages, by name
- Who writes the words
- Who handles photos
- Google setup included
- Hosting and updates after launch
- What counts as an extra
- Payment schedule
- Who owns the site and domain
What extras raise the price?
Extras are anything beyond the standard build: new branding or a logo, a custom hero design, a cost estimator for your customers, or a Spanish version of the site. Each one adds work, so each one adds cost. Only add what earns its keep.
- Cost estimator: great for a trade where every caller asks "roughly how much?" It can also filter out people whose budget doesn't fit.
- Spanish version: worth it if a real share of your customers prefer Spanish.
- New branding: worth it if your logo is hard to read on a truck or a phone screen.
What does a cheap website really cost you?
A cheap site costs you the calls it never brings in. If it's slow, hard to use on a phone, or doesn't say what you do and where, homeowners leave and call someone else, and you never know it happened.
Signs a site is costing you calls: no tap-to-call button, one page that lists every service in a single paragraph, stock photos, no service area, and a copyright year from years ago.
Speed has real targets. Google's web.dev team says the main content should load within 2.5 seconds, and pages should respond to taps within 200 milliseconds. Many cheap templates miss that on a phone.
Phones come first. Google uses the mobile version of a site for indexing and ranking.
From Collin
When owners first call me, many expect a website to cost a couple hundred dollars. I've also heard from owners who bought a site from someone and it never brought them any business. That's the real cost of a site built without a plan to get calls.
Who owns the website when you pay for it?
You should. Before you sign, ask who owns the domain, the design, the words and the photos, and what happens if you cancel. Some companies keep the site if you leave, which means starting over from nothing.
- The domain is registered in your name
- You get the login to the domain account
- You own the words and photos
- What happens to the site if you cancel
- How long changes take
- Who to call when something breaks
At Xposifi, the site is yours once the build is paid in full, or while you're on a monthly plan. If you cancel a plan, you keep your website and host it yourself. We don't hold your site hostage.
How long does a contractor website take to build?
It depends mostly on how fast the content comes together: your services, service area, photos and approvals. The design and build are usually the quick part. Having photos and a list of services ready speeds everything up.
Before you start, gather: a list of every service you want to be found for, the towns you serve, 10 to 20 real job photos, any reviews you already have, and your license and insurance details if you carry them.
Showing up on Google takes longer than building the site. Google says some changes take hours and others can take several months.
How do you know if a website is worth the money?
Compare it to one job. If a typical job pays more than a month of the plan, the site only has to bring in one extra customer a month to cover itself. Then track calls and form requests so you know whether it does.
Call tracking and quote forms show which calls and requests came from the website. That turns "I think it's working" into a real number you can compare with other channels, like paying per lead.
| Question | Your number |
|---|---|
| What's your profit on a typical job? | $ ____ |
| What does the website cost per month? | $ ____ |
| Jobs per month to break even (cost ÷ profit) | ____ |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a contractor website cost per month?
On a monthly plan, you pay for hosting, security and updates. Our plans are $399.99 (Launch) and $599.99 (Scale) a month. A DIY builder costs less in money but more in your time.
Is a cheap contractor website worth it?
Only if it still does the basics: tap-to-call, clear services and area, real photos, and fast loading on a phone. A cheap site that misses those costs you calls.
Do I own my website?
You should. Ask who owns the domain, design and content before you sign. With Xposifi, you own it once the build is paid or while you're on a plan.
Do I need a website if my work comes from referrals?
Yes. People you're referred to usually look you up before calling. A clear site with real reviews helps that referral turn into a booked job.
Should I pay a deposit for a website?
Many designers ask for part of the price upfront. Get the scope, timeline and ownership terms in writing before you pay.
Quick summary
- Contractor website cost depends on pages, custom vs. template, who handles words and photos, and what's included after launch.
- You can build it yourself, pay once, or pay for a build plus a monthly plan.
- Xposifi quotes the build on a free call; plans are $399.99 (Launch) or $599.99 (Scale) a month.
- Don't forget domain renewal, email and the time updates take.
- Own your domain and content, and judge the site by booked jobs.