Nobody books a five-figure extension from a Facebook page alone. They check the builder first. This page is for building firms and sole traders. It covers what to spend, what a proper website costs, Google Local Services Ads, and how to make your Companies House record and trade body membership easy to check.
Run a building business? This page is for you. Hiring a builder? Check one on the Whito directory.
£250 to £600
a month is enough marketing for a sole trader builder (Whito, May 2026)
£2,000 to £5,000
for a professional builder website (Whito, May 2026)
£15 to £45
per lead through Google Local Services Ads for builders (Whito, May 2026)
30%
of 64 tradespeople found by ordinary search could not be verified at Companies House (Whito, July 2026)
Finding
A sole trader builder in the UK can run effective marketing for £250 to £600 a month, and a professional builder website costs £2,000 to £5,000, according to Whito's builder marketing cost figures, accurate as of May 2026.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/research/uk-builder-marketing-costs, May 2026. Free to quote with a link to that page.
Start, Build, Scale
The right order for building firms
Do the stages in order. Nothing in Build works while Start is missing.
Start, Build, Scale for building firms: the free foundations first, then systems and proof, then measurement. The three stages are listed in full in this figure.Start
- Companies House number in text
- Google Business Profile complete
- FMB or TrustMark named if you hold them
Build
- One page per project type, with photos
- A price-from for common jobs
- Reviews from finished projects
Scale
- Track cost per job won by source
- Showcase bigger projects
- Repeat work with landlords and architects
Where the first budget goes
Free fixes first, then a small monthly spend
Spend nothing until the free fixes are done. Then 250 to 600 pounds a month is enough marketing for a sole trader builder. Whito, May 2026.Spend nothing yet
£0
Your Companies House number in text, a complete Google Business Profile, and a price-from. All free.
Then, when those are done
£250 to £600 a month
Enough marketing for a sole trader builder (Whito, May 2026).
The library
Every guide and study for builders
8 guides · 2 studies. All specific to builders, every figure dated.
GuideHow much does a builder website cost in the UK in 2026? And why yours gets checked at 10pm
GuideTop 5 UK Construction Company Marketing Breakdown (2026): Social Media, Email, SEO, Reviews and More
GuideTop 5 UK Construction & Property Marketing Breakdown (2026): Social Media, Email, SEO & More Compared
GuideHow much does a house extension cost in the UK in 2026?
GuideHawks Developments: Marketing Review
GuideHow UK construction firms win higher-value clients
GuideLoft conversion cost UK: what each type costs in 2026
StudyUK Builder Marketing Costs 2026: What to Spend and Where
StudyUK Builder Marketing in Numbers: 2026 Data Report
Whito need-to-know
- Building work is high-value and high-trust. Customers are spending tens of thousands of pounds, so they research thoroughly before choosing. Your online presence needs to match the quality of your work.
- Portfolios sell building work. Homeowners want to see completed extensions, loft conversions, and renovations before they pick up the phone. No photos means no shortlist.
- Planning and building regulations confuse most homeowners. Content that explains the process in plain English builds trust and positions you as the expert.
- The best builders are booked months ahead. Marketing is not about filling next week, it is about building a pipeline of quality projects for the next 6 to 12 months.
Why most builders struggle to win the right projects
Attracting price shoppers
Without a strong online presence showing your quality, you attract customers who only care about the cheapest quote. You end up competing against cowboys on price instead of winning on reputation.
Feast or famine pipeline
You are flat out for six months, then suddenly have nothing lined up. Without consistent marketing, your pipeline empties the moment you stop networking or relying on referrals.
No proof of quality
You have built stunning extensions and conversions, but nobody can see them. Without a portfolio, case studies, or reviews, potential customers have no evidence you can deliver.
What actually works for building businesses
Marketing strategies that attract quality projects and serious homeowners.
Build a visual portfolio
Create a dedicated portfolio section on your website with professional photos of completed projects. Include the brief, the challenges, and the outcome. Before and after shots are essential.
Google Business Profile
Complete your profile with project photos, a full service list, and your coverage area. Encourage clients to leave detailed reviews mentioning the type of project. This drives local search visibility.
Case studies that sell
Write up your best projects as case studies. Include the customer challenge, your approach, the timeline, and the result. These help future customers imagine their own project with you.
Educational content
Write guides about planning permission, building regulations, project timelines, and budgeting. Homeowners researching these topics are your ideal customers, and helpful content brings them to you.
Architect and designer partnerships
Build relationships with local architects, interior designers, and planning consultants. They recommend builders to their clients regularly, and one good partnership can feed your pipeline for years.
Houzz and local directories
List your business on Houzz, Checkatrade, and local trade directories. Upload your best project photos. Homeowners planning major work actively browse these platforms for inspiration and recommendations.
Quick wins you can do this week
Photograph your current project
Take progress photos of whatever you are working on right now. Document the stages. Post one to your Google profile and one to social media with a brief description of the work.
Write up one past project
Pick your best completed job and write a simple case study. What the client wanted, what you did, and how it turned out. Add photos and publish it on your website.
Ask your last 3 clients for reviews
Send a text with your Google review link. Ask them to mention what project you completed. Detailed reviews mentioning "extension" or "loft conversion" help you rank for those searches.
Common mistakes builders make with marketing
No website or a terrible one
A customer about to spend 50 thousand pounds on an extension will not hire a builder with no website. And a website from 2012 with clip art does more harm than good. Your website is your shop window.
Only relying on Checkatrade
Checkatrade is useful but you are one of dozens listed. Your own Google presence and website give you control and exclusivity. Relying solely on directories means competing on their terms.
Not marketing during busy periods
When you are slammed with work, marketing feels unnecessary. But building projects take months to convert from enquiry to start date. Stop marketing and you create a gap 6 months from now.
Builder marketing guides
The register that matters
Companies House, plus FMB or TrustMark if you hold them
A UK extension is worth £55,000 to £110,000. At that size customers check the register before they call. Your company number, in the footer, in text.
Ready to win better building projects?
Start with the free visibility check: Seventeen checks, about twenty seconds, no email, no sales call. It tells you what AI search and Google can actually read about your building business, and what to fix first.
Check your site free