Websites for tradespeople, built around the phone call
Plumbers, electricians, roofers, bathroom fitters, tree surgeons, cleaners. Different trades, same job for the website: turn someone searching on a phone into a call or a message. We tested 327 local trade and service websites to see how often that works.
01
What we found
We ran 327 local business websites through our audit engine between September to October 2026: Google's own speed test on a phone, a live security check and a look at how each one asks for enquiries. These are the results. We don't name anyone.
95% were slower than Google's mark on a phone
Google counts a page as good when its main content shows within 2.5 seconds on a phone. The typical site we tested took 7.5 seconds, and 83% took more than 4. Most people searching on a phone leave before then.
34% had no tap-to-call link
The number was missing or written as plain text, so a customer on a phone has to copy it out by hand. For a business that lives on phone calls, that's work lost on the first screen.
52% had no enquiry form
Plenty of people would rather send a message than ring, especially in the evening. With no form, those enquiries go to whoever has one.
72% had three or fewer of the six standard security protections
Most had the padlock but not the other settings that stop the site being framed, sniffed or downgraded. It's quick to fix, and browsers and Google notice.
Trade by trade
Trades where we tested at least eight sites (165 sites in all). The rest are counted in the total above.
| Trade | Sites tested | Typical phone load | Slower than 2.5s | No tap-to-call | No enquiry form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers and heating engineers | 74 | 7.5s | 93% | 27% | 45% |
| Electricians | 43 | 6.9s | 93% | 35% | 49% |
| Bathroom fitters | 17 | 8.1s | 100% | 35% | 65% |
| Carpet and upholstery cleaners | 13 | 9.6s | 100% | 23% | 54% |
| Roofers | 10 | 6s | 90% | 20% | 50% |
| Tree surgeons | 8 | 11.1s | 100% | 25% | 38% |
02
What every trade site needs
The trades differ, but the customer is the same: on a phone, comparing two or three of you, and wanting to know you'll turn up.
Your number, one tap away
At the top of every page on a phone. It's the single biggest thing we see missing.
A page per service
Each job you want more of gets its own page, so you're found for it and the customer sees you do exactly that.
The places you cover
Towns and villages by name. People search your trade plus their town.
Proof
Reviews, photos of real jobs, and your trade body or registration. In that order of importance.
A form for the evening
Plenty of enquiries come in after you've finished for the day. A short form catches them for the morning.
03
What every site we build does
The standard we build to, checked before launch, so none of the problems above make it onto your site.
Main content on screen in under 2.5 seconds
Google's own mark for a good page on a phone. We test every page before launch and send you the report.
A tap-to-call number on every page
In the header on phones, so a customer can ring you with one tap from wherever they land.
A short enquiry form that reaches you
Name, number, what they need and where. Every message goes to your inbox, tested end to end before launch.
All six standard security protections
The padlock plus the five settings most sites leave off, so browsers and Google trust the site.
One page for each service and area
So you can be found for each thing you do, not just your business name.
04
What it costs
A fixed price before any work starts
Every build is quoted through our own pricing engine, from the pages, features and content your site needs, so you know the full cost up front. For what drives the price, see our honest breakdown of website costs.
From £85 a month after launch
Website Care covers hosting, security updates, uptime checks and small changes. Month to month, with a month's notice to stop.
Not sure where your current site stands?
The £95 Site Health Check tests your homepage and sends you a plain-English fix list within 48 hours. The fee comes off the price if we go on to do the work.
05
Questions
Which trades do you build for?
Any trade or local service business. The pages for plumbers and electricians go into more detail for those trades, and the same standards apply to everyone.
I'm a sole trader. Is this for me?
Yes. The price is worked out from what your site needs, not the size of your business, and you get it as a fixed figure before any work starts.
Do you write the words?
Yes. We write the pages from a short chat about your work, and you check and approve everything before it goes live.
How were these sites chosen?
They're local businesses we found through Google's business listings, mostly in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, tested between September and October 2026. We never name them.
Want a site that does the basics properly?
Tell us about your business and we'll come back with a fixed quote within 48 hours.
Get a quote