A tap-to-call header
The number visible without scrolling, on every page.
Trades
Web design for tradesmen who live on enquiries
A plumber does not need a brand story. They need to be found in the town they cover, look trustworthy in ten seconds, and make it easy to call. That is a small, specific website — and it should not cost five figures.
Trades search is local and urgent. Someone with a leaking pipe searches on a phone, taps the first credible result and calls. The site that wins is fast, says the service and the town in the title, shows a phone number that is tappable, and has a handful of recent reviews. Design matters only insofar as it makes those things easier.
Most trade sites are overbuilt in the wrong places — a stock hero video, a chat widget, a page for every service in three towns — and underbuilt in the places that matter: the phone number, the service area, the proof and the form. We build the second kind.
The essentials
What a trade site needs
Service-area pages
One page per town you actually cover, with genuinely local detail — not the same paragraph with the town swapped.
Emergency and out-of-hours
A clear statement of when you answer, what counts as an emergency, and any call-out charge.
Reviews and accreditations
Google reviews shown visibly, plus Gas Safe, NICEIC, Which? or trade body membership where relevant.
Before and after
A small gallery of real work. This is the closest thing a trade has to a portfolio.
A short quote form
Name, phone, postcode, job type and a photo upload. Five fields, not fifteen.
Where the money goes
A realistic first-year budget
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Five-page website | £995 + VAT | Home, services, areas, about, contact |
| Care plan | £15–£25/month | Hosting, backups, updates, small changes |
| Google Business Profile | Free | The highest-leverage hour in local search |
| Photography | £150–£400 | Half a day, if you do not have usable photos |
| Local SEO | From £250/month | Only after the profile and pages are right |
Start with the profile
Start with the profile
- Local SEO checklistClaim the profile, choose the category, add the services and ask for reviews.
- Web design for constructionFor builders and contractors rather than service trades.
- Dorset townsThe county hub and the towns we cover.
Questions
The things people ask first
Do I need a website if I have a Google profile?
The profile gets you found; the site gets you chosen. A profile with no website link loses the click to a competitor who has one, and you cannot control the pages that rank for your services.
Can I use my van sign and phone photos?
Yes, and they are better than stock photography if they are sharp and well lit. We will use what you have and tell you what is worth replacing.
How many towns should I target?
Start with three to five where you genuinely want work. Fifteen thin pages are a quality risk and a waste of effort. Add towns as you have proof and capacity.
What if I only do emergency call-outs?
Then the site is even simpler: one page, a phone number, the areas covered, the hours and a price promise. That is the £495 tier.
Related
Let’s find out whether technology is the answer
Tell us what you are trying to achieve. We will tell you honestly whether we can help, what it would take, and roughly what it would cost — before anyone signs anything.