A trade website that brings in quote requests does two jobs well. They prove you do good work, with recent reviews and photos of real jobs, and they make it easy to call or message you from a phone in a few seconds. Everything else on the site should support those two jobs.
What does a trade website need to turn a search into a phone call?
Think about who’s looking. It’s someone with a leaking radiator or a fence that’s blown down, searching on their phone with a few rival trades open in other tabs. The trade sites that win those calls usually have these in place.
- A Google Business Profile linked to the site, so you show up on Google Maps
- Recent reviews on show, not a star rating tucked away in the footer
- A phone number you can tap, a WhatsApp button and a short quote form
- A page for each service you offer and each area you cover
- Pages that load quickly on a phone signal, not only on office wifi
- Photos of jobs you’ve actually done
- Prices, or at least “from” prices, for your common jobs
How do reviews win quote requests for trades?
Reviews do the convincing you can’t do yourself. BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, which polled US consumers, found that 47% won’t use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and 74% look for reviews written in the last three months. It’s a US sample, but the habit will sound familiar.
That second figure catches a lot of trades out. Forty glowing reviews from three years ago and nothing since can look like a business that’s stopped trading. A steady trickle beats one big batch.
How to get more reviews without it feeling awkward
- Ask every customer on the day you finish, whilst the job’s fresh in their mind.
- Send your Google review link by text or WhatsApp straight afterwards, so it takes one tap.
- Make the message personal (“glad the new boiler’s sorted before winter”) so it doesn’t read like a mass text.
- Show your latest reviews on your website, close to the quote button.
How do you make it easy to call, WhatsApp or request a quote?
Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report found that most time online is spent on a smartphone, and that WhatsApp, Facebook and Google Maps are the three most-used apps among UK adults. Your customers are already in those apps, so let them reach you the same way.
- Tap-to-call. Your number at the top of every page on mobile, so one tap rings you.
- WhatsApp. A button that opens a chat. Customers can send a photo of the problem, which can save you a wasted visit.
- A short quote form. Name, number, postcode and a box for the job, plus a photo upload. Each extra question is another reason to give up.
Speed counts too. A page stuffed with full-size photos that crawls on one bar of signal loses people before they see your number. Test the site on your own phone with the wifi switched off.
Our websites for tradesmen have tap-to-call, WhatsApp and an easy quote request built in, and they’re designed for phones first.
Why do service pages, area pages and job photos matter?
People search for the job, not the trade. They type “boiler service St Neots” or “fence repair near me”, not “heating engineer”. A page for each main service gives Google something specific to match, and shows the customer you do exactly that job.
Area pages work the same way for the towns you cover. Only create one where you want work and can say something real, such as jobs you’ve done there. A copy of the last page with the town name swapped won’t convince anyone.
As for photos, a stock model in a hard hat won’t win work. Customers want to see your van and the finished job. Take before and after shots on every job and add a line saying what it was and where.
Should you put prices on a trade website?
Yes, wherever you can. You don’t need a full price list. “From” prices for common jobs, your call-out charge and a sentence on what pushes the price up are plenty. Prices put off people who were never going to pay your rate, so the ones who still get in touch are closer to booking.
If every job really is different, explain what a typical one costs and what moves it up or down. That’s far more useful than “contact us for a quote”.
Should you rely on Checkatrade, Facebook or your own website?
| Option | How customers find you | Cost | Who’s in control | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directories such as Checkatrade or MyBuilder | Searching the directory | Monthly membership or a fee per lead | The platform, which decides the order you appear in | You’re compared side by side with rival trades |
| Facebook page | Friends, shares and local groups | Free, with paid adverts optional | Meta | Posts slide down the feed and rarely show up when someone searches Google for the job |
| Google Business Profile | Google search and Google Maps | Free | You manage it, within Google’s rules | Limited room to explain your services or show the range of your work |
| Your own website | Search engines, your profile, your van and word of mouth | Build cost plus hosting | You | It needs the basics right before it pays off |
You don’t have to pick one. Plenty of busy trades use a directory and local Facebook groups as well. The website is the one place that’s yours, and every other channel should point to it.
Do you need a website if you get work by word of mouth?
Word of mouth is the best work there is, but it rarely ends with the recommendation. Someone hears your name from a neighbour, then looks you up before they call. If they find recent reviews and photos of jobs like theirs, the recommendation sticks. If they find nothing, or a Facebook page nobody’s touched in years, some will ring the next name.
A site also lets you steer the work. Referrals bring whatever the last customer had done. If you want more boiler installs and fewer callouts, your website is where you say so.
If you’re booked solid for months, you might manage without. Even then, one page with your number and reviews stops you losing the people who check first.
How to choose the right trade website
- List the jobs you want more of and the towns you want them in. That’s your page plan.
- Decide who’ll write the words. If you’d rather not, choose an option that includes copywriting.
- Check what’s included, from Google Business Profile setup to hosting.
- Ask how long it takes and when the clock starts.
- Ask who owns the domain and the site once it’s paid for.
If your needs are simple, our ready-made websites start at £795 +VAT, or £995 +VAT with copywriting, SEO setup and five custom images. One of the five styles is called Service & Trade, and every site runs on WordPress, so pages can be added later without a rebuild. If you already know you need a page for each service and town, a dedicated trade website build is the better fit, and we can set up your Google Business Profile as part of the job.
If you want more from Google, our guide to local SEO for small businesses covers your Business Profile and reviews in more depth. Still deciding what kind of site to buy? Ready-made or custom build sets out the options.
Common questions about getting more quote requests
How much does a website for a tradesman cost?
Most small businesses spend between £1,000 and £3,000 on a website. Our ready-made sites start at £795 +VAT and launch on Foundation hosting at £89 a month +VAT. A bespoke Standard site with up to five pages is £1,495 +VAT, which you can spread over three monthly payments.
How long does it take to build a trade website?
We build and launch trade websites within 14 working days. The clock only runs whilst the work is with us, so having your photos and prices ready keeps things moving.
Is Checkatrade enough on its own?
It can bring in work, but you’re listed next to competitors and pay for as long as you stay. Your own site is where people who find you there come to check you out.
Do I need a page for every town I cover?
No. Start with the towns where you most want work and can write something useful. Add more as you go.
