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Where to begin? How much to spend? How much time to allocate? These are some of the most common questions that cross the minds of trades professionals once they decide to invest more into their brand. And now more than ever, the market is saturated with construction companies, all looking to achieve similar goals within similar timeframes, which can make marketing strategies for renovation contractors that much more complicated.

We get it. We sympathize. Truly a tough world out there.

Nonetheless, in this article, we’ve compiled some of the most effective home remodeling marketing strategies based on our clients’ experience over the years, as well as our own. Read on.

Marketing strategies for renovation contractors on a budget

If you’re new to the game, it can be difficult to get your foot in the door. Got a tight marketing budget? That’s okay. Start small.

Here are a few tips you can follow to propel your remodeling marketing, frugally and effectively.

1. Keep it local

As an up-and-coming renovation contractor, you’re going to be on the road most of the time, commuting from one location to the next, especially if you don’t have a sales rep yet. Whether you’re going to meet with a potential client or are driving to a construction site, this back-and-forth can be quite tasking, taking up a lot of your day.

And no amount of Bieber hits playing on the radio can make your drive any better after a while. Shockingly enough.

Try to limit your commute by keeping your home remodeling marketing strategies as local as possible, at least in the beginning. Instead of stretching yourself too thin across multiple cities, focus on a targeted marketing plan in one area. The time wasted commuting can be spent on actually growing your company.

Starting out, it’s good to rely on word of mouth to get jobs. And there’s no best way to do that except building a reputation for your brand on a small, local scale.

If you’re focusing on local projects, make sure potential clients can actually find you. Google Business Profile (GBP) is your best friend here. Claim your listing, update your service areas, and upload fresh project photos. It’s a simple step that helps you show up in searches like “best home renovation company near me.”

And let’s not forget reviews. Homeowners stalk GMB, BBB, Yelp, Angi, and Houzz like their lives depend on it before hiring someone. Encourage happy clients to leave feedback—it’s basically free home remodeling advertising.

Another move? Make friends in the right places and build referral network. Real estate agents, home inspectors, and even interior designers always have clients looking for renovation work. A quick intro, a well-placed business card, and boom—exclusive remodeling leads.

Just remember that slow and steady wins the race.

2. Establish your brand

Don’t build a business. Build a brand.

The difference between a business and a brand is that the former has no direction and little character. Focusing on creating a distinct brand for your renovation company will set your name apart from the competition.

A solid brand makes your business memorable. That means more than just a logo—it’s the way you present yourself everywhere.

A good branding plan starts with:

  • researching your target audience
  • memorable company name
  • catchy logo design
  • company tagline or slogan
  • marketing collateral to distribute (business cards, flyers, pens and the like)
  • creating a brand personality
  • car wraps
  • branded website
  • unique tone of voice
  • distinguish colour pallet
  • and more

3. Make use of free marketing tools

Many renovation contractors aren’t aware of the available marketing tools they can use to enhance their businesses’ presence, whether it’s online or off. No signup fees, no subscription needed.

  • Google Analytics & Search Console – See how people find your website and which pages actually bring in leads.
  • Canva – Need flyers, business cards, or social media graphics? Boom, done. No designer required.
  • Meta Business Suite – Schedule Facebook and Instagram posts for free (because who has time to post manually every day?).
  • Email Marketing Platforms (MailChimp, Brevo, ConvertKit) – A few follow-up emails can turn one-time clients into repeat business.
  • Linkedin – connect with industry professionals or find yourself a talented staff.
  • ChatGPT – no exactly a marketing tool, but a game-changer. Perfect for analyzing big amount of data and getting some ideas for your home improvement marketing strategy.

We actually wrote a piece on how to promote your business locally and for free which you can check out here.

4. Have a company website

Today an online presence is EVERYTHING.

Your website? It should look as good as your work. If it’s outdated, slow, or impossible to navigate on a phone, you’re losing leads before they even reach out. Keep it clean, modern, and mobile-friendly.

The thing about having a website is that you don’t have to be a tech genius in order to build it yourself. There are plenty of templates on different content management systems (such as WordPress and Wix) that can get you started with free, easy-to-use web design.

Many wonder why having a website is important, and while print marketing and word of mouth can go a long way, but unless you have a solid online presence, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities.

5.Update your website with fresh content

Your website should never feel like an abandoned job site. If it hasn’t been updated in months (or years), potential clients might assume you’re not active—or worse, not taking on new projects.

  • Upload new project photos – Homeowners want to see recent work, not that one kitchen remodel from three years ago. Keep your gallery fresh with before-and-after shots and in-progress updates.
  • Post client testimonials – A quick quote from a happy client builds trust faster than any sales pitch.
  • Publish blog content – Answer common renovation questions, share project insights, or break down industry trends. Even a simple post like “How to budget for a bathroom remodel” can keep your site relevant.
  • Add a promo – a lot of construction marketing strategies are seasonal, so why not to add something sweet to your website? A little promo, a gift or a discount can help to close a deal and build a better bond with your clients.

The more fresh, relevant content you add, the better. Not only does it make your business look active and in demand, but it also helps your site rank higher on Google, meaning more homeowners can actually find you.

6. Manage your reviews

Homeowners don’t just hire a renovation contractor—they research them first. And that research almost always starts with reviews. If your business has a strong track record, you’re already in a good position. If your reviews are lacking, or worse, full of unanswered complaints, that’s a red flag for potential clients.

  • Ask for reviews at the right time. The best moment to ask? Right after the job is done—when the floors are shining, the paint is fresh, and the client is still admiring your work. A quick follow-up email or text with a direct link to your Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Houzz page makes it easy.
  • Respond to every review. Good or bad, don’t ignore them. A simple “Thanks for your feedback!” keeps engagement high, and a professional response to a negative review shows that you care about your work.
  • Show off your best ones. If a client raves about your work, don’t let it sit buried on a review site—feature it on your website, social media, or even in your email signature.

At the end of the day, homeowners trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Make sure yours work for you, not against you.

Large-budget marketing strategies for renovation contractors

It’s not just your foot in the door anymore. You’ve successfully managed to insert your entire body, too. Nicely done!

You have also compiled a team of in-house employees that need to make ends meet, and the only way to satisfy your business’s new demands is by generating more traffic to your brand and booking more jobs.

And now is the time to up the ante.

If you have reached a point where you can funnel more money towards your marketing strategy, you should definitely do it. Think of it as an investment that you’ll get a great return on—if you play your cards right, of course.

1. Invest in SEO for contractors

When it comes to inbound marketing for renovation contractors these days, search engine optimization is at its prime. And it can get your online traffic at its prime, too.

SEO sounds fancy, but it just means making sure your website shows up when homeowners search for renovation services.

  • Use long-tail keywords. Instead of just “electrician” go for “licensed electrician contractor in [Your City].” It’s more specific, which means higher-quality leads.
    Get on Google Maps. Update your Google Business Profile with new project photos, service areas, and contact details to rank higher in “near me” searches.
  • Make your site mobile-friendly. If it loads slower than your morning coffee, visitors (and Google) will bail.
  • 2025 SEO Update: Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT-powered searches are shaking things up. Write content that answers real homeowner questions (“How much does a kitchen renovation cost?”). The more helpful and relevant your content is, the better your chances of showing up.

Since managing an SEO campaign is an ongoing, tasking process, we recommend assigning your SEO endeavours to a construction SEO specialist that is able to monitor your site’s analytics full-time, either in-house or outsourced. Doing so will help keep your site updated, Google optimized, and in top shape.

2. The 80/20 Rule in SEO

The Pareto Principle says that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. It’s also known as the 80-20 rule.

Take this rule and apply it to your home improvement SEO strategy.

When you’re researching for your target keywords, 80% of your results will come from 20% of your keywords. For example, if you target 10 keywords, only 2 of them get you most of the results (that is, 80% of your traffic), while the other 8 keywords account for the remainder of your results.

Take this rule one step further and apply it to everything you do on your website.

If you plan to write blogs, 80% of them will bring you only 20% of traffic results, while the other 20% of blogs will bring you 80% results.

This is when you should work smarter not harder.

Focus on improving the 20% of the blogs that matter the most. Improve them but don’t overdo it, because if you give 80% of your efforts to improve the 20% of blogs, then you’ll be improving them only by 20%. Thus, it’s sometimes best to give 20% of your effort to improve blogs, so that you increase their effectiveness by 80%.

To summarize, 80% of your website is bringing you only 20% of what you want. The small changes that take up only 20% of your time and effort —whether improving a blog, changing a featured image on a page, or checking for broken links, etc.— you generate 80% results.

4. Sign up for business listing platforms

TrustedPros. . HomeAdvisor. BBB. Houzz. Just to name a few.

There are plenty of websites you can sign up for to enhance your presence online, especially if you’re looking to attract customers within your area. Such platforms are wonderful for showcasing your renovation projects because they have features that allow you to present some of your best work.

While setting up a listing for your business on such platforms is free, there are upgrade features that you can pay for to have access to all the benefits.

All you have to do is submit a brief blurb about your company, who you are, what your business is about, then direct users to your site, and voila! You will now have more traffic.

And although you might not benefit from the link juice, Google does still acknowledge the backlinks, from the aforementioned websites to yours (even if they’re usually no-follow) for the mere fact that they come from powerful, high-traffic websites.


5. Social media marketing

According to a recent statistic, the average internet user spends 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media collectively in a single day. With the right approach, this user could become your new favourite customer.

Social media allows you to represent your brand in a different light. It’s less formal than a website or a local listing, which means you can utilize it to ignite conversation between you and your audience in a way your site does not.

Homeowners are scrolling for inspiration. If you’re not posting before-and-afters on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, you’re missing out on free exposure.

New in 2025: Short-form videos are king. A quick, well-edited clip of a project from start to finish can get more attention than any ad. And the best part? It costs nothing but a few minutes of effort.

As a result, you improve brand recognition and build a loyal following that engages with the content you share on your social media profiles.


6. Paid Advertising for Contractors

Sometimes, waiting for organic leads is like waiting for paint to dry. If you need immediate results, paid ads can put you right at the top of search results.

  • Google Search Ads – These show up when someone searches “best home remodeler near me.” High intent, high reward.
  • Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) – Unlike regular ads, you only pay when a potential client contacts you.
  • Facebook & Instagram Ads – If your ideal clients are scrolling instead of searching, paid social ads can grab their attention.

Pro Tip: LSAs require a Google background check, which boosts credibility. Homeowners are more likely to trust and choose verified businesses.

7. Take part in local home shows

Home shows offer a fantastic opportunity to meet your target demographic and chat with prospective customers face-to-face.

Bonus points if you are insanely charismatic, by the way.

Many homeowners who attend home shows are up to date on the latest trends in design and home improvement and are genuinely interested in learning about the industry. They could also be looking for a renovation contractor to hire for their next big remodelling project. It’s the perfect place to be, really.

Participating in home shows also allows you to scope out the competition and gauge what works and what doesn’t.

It’s now on you to pay the enrollment fees, construct a head-turning booth, and put your charm on. The leads should be coming your way.

8. Build referral program

Word-of-mouth is gold, but a structured referral program makes it even more powerful. People are always looking for reliable and professional contractors. And people like to give advice. They also like to know “the right people for the job”. To be the one who is recommended most to the family, friends and neighbours build a referral program.

  • Offer a discount or small bonus for clients who refer a friend.
  • Partner with real estate agents and interior designers—they send you leads, you send them business. Win-win.
  • Create a VIP Client Club – Give repeat customers perks like priority booking for their next project.

Building long-term relationships and having returning clients, is the best marketing strategy you can do for your construction business.

Here you have them: the most effective marketing strategies for renovation contractors at any budget.
Got any questions? Share your thoughts by reaching out to us.