Homeowners usually look for a contractor when something has already failed — no heat in January, no AC in July. This guide covers what the site must do in that moment, when a quote calculator helps, and the local search basics that bring calls from your service area.
| Method | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap-to-call button | Sticky phone button on mobile, emergency line highlighted | Urgent repairs | Calls must be answered or routed after hours |
| Short quote form | Service, address or postal code, photo upload, preferred time | Non-urgent repairs and installs | Slow replies lose the job — confirm fast |
| Instant estimate calculator | Visitor answers a few questions and sees a price range | Replacements and installs with predictable pricing | Ranges must be realistic and labelled as estimates |
| Online booking | Visitor picks a slot for maintenance or inspections | Seasonal tune-ups and maintenance plans | Needs sync with your dispatch calendar |
Pages every contractor site needs
Visitors want proof that you do the exact job, in their area, and that you are trustworthy. Each of those is a page or a block on the page.
- One page per service: furnace repair, AC installation, heat pumps, water heaters, duct cleaning, maintenance plans.
- Service areas with the towns and neighbourhoods you actually cover.
- Licences, certifications, insurance and warranty terms.
- Real job photos and reviews with the customer’s town.
- Available rebates and financing, with links to the official program pages.
When a quote calculator helps
A calculator works best for replacements and installs where price mainly depends on a few inputs such as home size, system type and fuel. It qualifies leads and answers “roughly how much?” before a call. Show a range, explain what changes the final price, and always follow up with an on-site or written quote.
Local search basics
Calls from search mostly come through the map results. Keep your Google Business Profile complete, match name/address/phone everywhere, collect reviews after each job, add local business structured data, and make sure the mobile site loads fast — Core Web Vitals are a good benchmark.
What we built
Our HVAC showcase is a working demo with a sticky emergency call button, service pages and an instant quote calculator that shows a price range from a few questions. The company is fictional; the build is real and you can try it from the case study.
How to launch a contractor website
- List services and areas. One page per service and a clear list of towns you cover.
- Decide how leads arrive. Phone, form, calculator or booking — and who answers each one, including after hours.
- Gather proof. Licences, insurance, warranties, job photos and reviews.
- Set realistic estimate ranges. If you add a calculator, base the ranges on your own recent jobs and label them as estimates.
- Connect and publish. Route form leads to your dispatch or CRM, test on a phone and link the site from your Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Will a price calculator scare customers off?
- Usually the opposite: a realistic range answers the first question people have and filters out mismatched leads. Always label it as an estimate and invite a free on-site quote.
- Do we need a page for every town?
- Only for areas you really serve and can say something specific about. Thin copy-paste town pages do not help and can hurt.
- Can leads go straight into our dispatch software?
- Often yes, through an integration or email-to-ticket. We check what your software supports during discovery.
- Can you also handle our office IT and email?
- Yes. Amen Security is a managed IT provider, so the website, business email, phones and devices can sit with one team.