If you're looking to get a website for your trade business, you'll quickly realise there are two obvious routes: use a website builder like Wix or Squarespace and do it yourself, or hire a web designer to do it for you. There's actually a third option too -- and for tradesmen specifically, it often makes more sense than either of the standard two.
Here's the honest comparison.
Want the short version? Our guide to websites for tradesmen explains what a trade website needs to win local enquiries, and why being found in each town you cover matters more than a pretty brochure site.
DIY Website Builder (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy Websites)
What you get
Drag-and-drop templates. Hosting included. Usually £10-30/month. You build it yourself, at your own pace.
The honest pros
- Low cost
- Full control -- you can update it yourself
- Quick to get something live if you're comfortable with technology
- No dependency on someone else
The honest cons
- Time investment is significant -- 20-50+ hours to build something decent
- Template-driven, so many tradesman sites end up looking similar
- Not built for local SEO -- you'll end up with 5-10 pages, not 200
- Creating 200 location and service pages manually is genuinely impractical
- Results depend entirely on your own SEO knowledge
- Customer support is generic, not trade-specific
Verdict for tradesmen
Fine if you just want something online as a digital business card. Not suitable if your goal is to rank on Google for local searches and generate enquiries. The page-volume problem is insurmountable in practice -- no tradesman is going to manually create 200 pages on Wix.
Hiring a Web Designer or Agency
What you get
A professional builds your site. Typically 5-20 pages. One-off fee (£500-£5,000+). They design it, build it, and hand it over.
The honest pros
- Professional quality without the time investment
- You can specify exactly what you want
- Usually better-looking than a DIY template site
- Good agencies will handle hosting, SSL, and technical setup
The honest cons
- High upfront cost
- Most agencies don't build 200-page local SEO sites for tradesmen
- SEO is usually an extra monthly cost on top of the build fee
- You're dependent on them for updates, which often cost extra
- If they disappear or go out of business, you're in trouble
- No guarantee it will rank -- and usually it won't without a proper SEO strategy
A £2,000 website with 8 pages and no SEO strategy will not rank. It's a better-looking brochure. That's all.
Verdict for tradesmen
Better than DIY if you find someone good and are clear about what you want. The limitation is the same: most web designers don't understand or won't implement the 200-page local SEO strategy that actually gets tradesmen ranking.
Tradesman-Specific Website Service
What you get
A website built specifically for tradesmen: small local sites built around what customers search for (the job plus the town), each with its own tracked phone number that rings you. It starts with a free area check, and the price is sent after that.
The honest pros
- Built specifically for the local SEO strategy that works for tradesmen
- Its own tracked phone number that rings you
- A free area check first, so you know if your area qualifies
The honest cons
- Less visual customisation than a fully bespoke design
Verdict for tradesmen
For a tradesman whose primary goal is to rank on Google and generate enquiries, this is the most sensible option. The page volume, the built-in local SEO, and the tracked phone number make it hard to argue against -- especially when you compare it to paying £2,000 upfront for a brochure site that doesn't rank.
The Decision Framework
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is my goal to rank on Google and get enquiries? If yes, you need lots of pages targeting the job plus the town, and proper local SEO. That points to either a tradesman-specific service or a very good (and expensive) agency.
- Do I have the time to build and maintain it myself? If no, cross DIY builders off the list.
Tradesman Websites
Built Around What Your Customers Search For.
Small local sites for UK tradesmen, each with its own tracked phone number that rings you. Free area check first.
Check if your area qualifies →