Guides · for owner-operators
Guides for contractors who run the business and the job
Plain-English buyer’s guides for the three things that bring in work: a website, marketing, and someone answering the phone. Each one compares everything on the market, with prices from the companies’ own pages and the date we checked.
Buyer’s guides
Answering services, compared
Live answering services, AI receptionists and the AI built into Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan: 19 options on price, booking and software.
Websites, compared
DIY builders, job-software sites, contractor agencies, freelancers and AI builders: 18 ways to get a site, with first-year costs and who owns it.
Marketing, compared
Google, Facebook, lead marketplaces, agencies, review tools and direct mail: 26 ways to get customers, and which leads you share with other pros.
Answering services by trade
What each trade’s calls look like, what an answering service should ask, and which options fit.
Cleaning
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Electrical
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
General contracting
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
HVAC
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Handyman
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Junk removal
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Kitchen & bath
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Landscaping
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Lawn care
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Outdoor services
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Painting
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Pest control
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Plumbing
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Pool service
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Pressure washing
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Property maintenance
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Remodeling
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Restoration
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Roofing
What the calls are, what counts as urgent, what to ask.
Trade growth guides
One guide per trade covering websites, marketing and ads, and answering and selling on the phone, with that trade’s data, seasons and FAQ.
Cleaning
Websites, marketing and calls for cleaning companies.
Electrical
Websites, marketing and calls for electrical companies.
General contracting
Websites, marketing and calls for general contracting companies.
HVAC
Websites, marketing and calls for hvac companies.
Handyman
Websites, marketing and calls for handyman companies.
Junk removal
Websites, marketing and calls for junk removal companies.
Kitchen & bath
Websites, marketing and calls for kitchen and bath companies.
Landscaping
Websites, marketing and calls for landscaping companies.
Lawn care
Websites, marketing and calls for lawn care companies.
Outdoor services
Websites, marketing and calls for outdoor services companies.
Painting
Websites, marketing and calls for painting companies.
Pest control
Websites, marketing and calls for pest control companies.
Plumbing
Websites, marketing and calls for plumbing companies.
Pool service
Websites, marketing and calls for pool service companies.
Pressure washing
Websites, marketing and calls for pressure washing companies.
Property maintenance
Websites, marketing and calls for property maintenance companies.
Remodeling
Websites, marketing and calls for remodeling companies.
Restoration
Websites, marketing and calls for restoration companies.
Roofing
Websites, marketing and calls for roofing companies.
Quick answers about websites
- What a contractor website needs
- How much a contractor website costs
- Google Business Profile vs a website
- Do you need a website if you have Facebook?
- Why your business isn’t showing on Google
- Can you build your own site with AI?
- Buy leads or generate your own?
- Is a website worth it?
- Can AI build a website from a phone call?
Last updated October 4, 2026. Prices change; if something here is out of date, call or text (507) 628-0400 and we’ll fix it.