General contractor PPC that brings in serious projects
Broad contractor searches attract handyman jobs, job seekers and people looking for subcontractors. We build Google Ads around specific project types, screen for scope and budget, and measure campaigns against consultations held and projects signed.
Why general contractor ads attract the wrong work
The term "general contractor" is searched by many people who are not your customers: subcontractors looking for work, students researching the profession, people looking for licensing information, and homeowners with small repairs who do not know who to call. Broad campaigns on terms like "contractor near me" pay for all of them.
Even genuine project owners vary enormously. Someone planning a bathroom refresh and someone planning a two-storey addition might both click the same ad. Without structure and screening, budget drifts toward the most common, smallest enquiries.
How we build a general contractor Google Ads account
Built around project type, value and screening.
Campaigns by project type
Additions, custom homes, whole-home renovations, structural work and commercial build-outs as separate campaigns with their own budgets.
Project-intent keywords
Searches that describe a project — addition contractor, design build firm, custom home builder — rather than generic contractor terms.
Negative keywords from day one
Contractor jobs and licensing, subcontractor searches, small repairs, handyman services and DIY projects excluded before launch.
Screening landing pages
Pages that ask project type, scope, budget range and timeline. See general contractor website design.
Geography by project value
A wider radius for large projects worth the travel, tighter for smaller work.
Ad copy that sets expectations
Stating the kinds of projects you take, and typical scope, filters out mismatched clicks.
Measuring a slow sale
A project that starts with an ad click may not sign for months. We track consultation requests, consultations held, proposals and signed projects, and import signed work back into Google Ads where your CRM allows. That lets bidding learn which searches lead to real projects, and lets you judge campaigns fairly over the actual sales cycle.
For high-value work, a single signed project can justify months of spend. The goal is to know which campaigns produce those projects, not to minimise cost per form fill.
What we track
Measured against signed projects.
Qualified requests
Leads that pass scope and budget screening.
Consultations held
Real project conversations.
Proposals and bids
Sent and tracked by campaign.
Cost per signed project
The number we report against.
Landing pages built for project owners
A project owner clicking an ad for an addition contractor should land on a page about additions: examples of additions you have built, how you approach structural work and permits, a short explanation of your process and a consultation form that asks about scope, plans, budget range and timing.
That page does two jobs. It persuades the right owners to request a consultation, and it quietly discourages the wrong ones, because an owner with a small repair can see immediately that this is not the right builder for them. Both outcomes save money. We build or adapt these pages as part of the account where your current site does not have them.
Using remarketing for a long decision
Because project owners take months to decide, many will visit your site, leave, and keep researching. Remarketing — showing ads to people who have already visited specific project pages — keeps your name in front of them while they plan, talk to architects or wait on financing. Kept modest and targeted to project pages rather than the whole site, it is an inexpensive way to stay on the shortlist.
General contractor PPC pricing
A one-time $499 setup, then monthly management based on ad spend under management. Ad spend is paid directly to Google.
Starter — $650/mo
For ad spend around $500 to $2,500 a month. Campaign management, keyword research, ad copy and testing, conversion tracking, negative keyword and budget optimisation.
Growth — $950/mo
For $2,500 to $7,500 a month. Adds multiple campaigns, landing page recommendations, advanced conversion optimisation and advanced reporting.
Scale — $1,500/mo
For $7,500 to $15,000 or more. Adds competitor and market analysis and priority optimisation.
We will review search terms and screening, and show you how much budget goes to small jobs and job seekers.
Google Ads for general contractors: questions
Straight answers. Anything not covered here, ask on the phone.
01Do Google Ads work for general contractors?
They can, when campaigns are built around specific project types, screening is in place and results are measured over the full sales cycle.
02How do I stop getting small jobs from ads?
Use project-intent keywords, strong negatives for small repairs and handyman searches, ad copy that states your typical scope, and landing pages that ask about budget and scope.
03How much should a general contractor spend on Google Ads?
Enough for your priority project campaign to gather data. Because projects are high value, even a modest number of signed projects can justify the spend.
04How long before I can judge results?
Usually at least one full sales cycle. Consultation rates give earlier signals, but signed projects take time.
05Should I advertise commercial work on Google?
It can work for some commercial build-outs, but much commercial work comes through bid lists and relationships, so ads are usually a supporting channel.
06How is this different from your general Google Ads service?
The method is the same; the application is general contractor-specific. Our general Google Ads page covers the cross-trade approach.