How building customers decide
Building and carpentry work is a considered purchase. A deck or pergola can run well into five figures, and an extension a lot more. Customers spend weeks looking before they make contact, and they usually shortlist two or three builders based on one thing: does the work in the photos look like what they want?
That changes what a builder's website needs to do:
- Photos first. Real project photos, grouped by type, with a line about the suburb, materials and what the brief was.
- Qualify early. If your minimum job is $20,000, say so politely. It saves you from quoting fence repairs and makes the right customers more confident.
- Show you're licensed and insured. Your QBCC licence number, and for bigger work, how home warranty insurance fits in.
- Explain the process. First visit, design, approvals, build, handover. People are nervous about building; a clear process calms them.
Service pages we'd build for a builder or carpenter
- Decks: hardwood and composite
- Pergolas, patios and carports (flat, gable and skillion)
- Home renovations and kitchen or bathroom renovations
- Extensions and granny flats (secondary dwellings)
- Outdoor living areas and alfresco kitchens
- Doors, windows and frame replacement
- Restumping and subfloor repairs for Queenslanders and older homes
- Termite damage repairs
- Stairs, balustrades and screening
Each page carries its own project photos, so someone looking at decks only sees decks.
Suburb targeting for builders
Builders tend to have a home patch and a set of suburbs where the bigger jobs come from. In the hinterland, that might be Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Palmwoods and Woombye, where hillside blocks mean elevated decks and engineered footings. On the coast, Buderim, Sunshine Beach, Peregian Beach and Minyama bring high-end renovations, while Caloundra, Aura and Pelican Waters bring patios and outdoor living on newer homes. Suburb pages can link to projects you've done in that area, which is far more convincing than a list of town names.
What the quote form asks a building customer
Step 1: project type (deck, pergola, renovation, extension, other), suburb, approximate size in square metres, a budget range, and when they want to start.
Step 2: name, phone, email, whether they have plans or drawings yet, and up to three photos of the site.
Budget range is the question builders are most nervous about asking, and the one that saves the most time. Offering ranges, like "under $20k" or "$20k to $50k", gets far more honest answers than an empty box. Our guide on quote forms that convert goes into this.
Which design suits a builder
Showcase was made for this: editorial serif headings, a filterable project gallery and a before-and-after slider for renovations. Hinterland suits owner-operated carpenters, with warm, crafted styling and room for big photos. If you mainly do smaller carpentry jobs and want enquiries fast, Hi-Vis keeps things direct.
The Local Pro plan includes a Recent Work gallery you update yourself from your phone, so new projects go up the week they're finished. Plans start from $990; see current pricing.
Questions
I don't have many good photos. Can I still get a builder website?
Yes. We start with what you have, even phone photos, and show you how to shoot the next few jobs. The gallery is easy to add to, so it gets stronger as you finish work.
Should I show prices on a building website?
Exact prices rarely work, but a starting point such as decks from a set price per square metre, or a minimum job size, helps people decide if you're right for them before they call.
Can I show projects by suburb?
Yes. Each project can be tagged with a suburb and type, so suburb pages and service pages pull in the right photos automatically.
Do you build sites for carpenters as well as builders?
Yes. Owner-operated carpenters often do best with a simpler site focused on decks, pergolas and renovations, and the Tradie plan suits that well.