Do Contractors need websites? (insurance, sued, advertisement, job)

[smarty]

Only the NOT so good contractors do....

The good ones are booked months in advance by word of mouth.

I am not a contractor. However, I would not find a contractor just because they have a webpage. The ones that could afford a webpage charges too much.

[HappyHeart]

I disagree completely! A good contractor can have a website which gives an outline of the type of work they perform, a client list, insurance information and more. Many guys with trucks and no real ability call themselves "contractors" but don't have the skills needed to get the job done right. An effective website is a very useful tool and done right can be powerful.

[smarty]

Here's an idea! Have a website where the customer rates the contractor also. I have seen so many contractors dis-appear after showing up to take your deposit. One of my neighbor put up a sign saying the project was 18 months behind and never finished the job!

so many horror stories....

[DECruise]

A website (it can be very cheap) would give you the chance to post pictures of work that you are proudest of. It could let your potential customers know what you're good at and how you like to work, for example, do you like holding the hands of a couple who need constant advice and have many changeorders or do you prefer to work with blueprints from an architect. Are you an architectural details type or a fast builder of cheap garages? Do you do decks? How can you be reached? A website would help you avoid repeating yourself so often.

Good luck!

[Craftsmen]

Having a website is definitely important for every contractor. It adds visibility to the company. And customers will feel more confident hiring company with website.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by smarty

Only the NOT so good contractors do....

The good ones are booked months in advance by word of mouth.

I am not a contractor. However, I would not find a contractor just because they have a webpage. The ones that could afford a webpage charges too much.

Back to the OP -- Sort of funny and sort of true.

I R a contractor and engineer. I do what I call weird projects with bad schedules in bad locations. Sometimes they are a trifectas and I hit all three in one project.

I do not have a website, but stay busy. Had a small Yellow Pages ad once and totally regretted it. I suppose for full truth, I have had websites, but they are not really intended to draw any business, and I got sued for the content. {not to worry, I kicked the bad guys' butts in court.]

At any rate, I say your comments are sort of true because I do not keep a normal website for business advertisement or any of the rest. Some folks that are looking for guys like me, I do not want to easily find me. (e.g. -- sample phone call -- I get calls like -- "Phil, will you help us do a control system for a laser weapons system to shoot down nuclear weapons?" Me: . . . ummm, no.)

Other times folks that want REALLY crazy stuff in impossible timelines. me . . . ummm, no. Other times the folks are just crazy. (sample -- "I have designed a computing machine that will explain All Cosmology, Human Sexuality, and Phases of the Moon. Will you help me build it?" Me . . . . ummm, no.)

Overall I prefer to find my customers rather than letting them find me. If I let customers find me, instead, I am at the mercy of their (often crazed and ill-planned) timeline. By me finding them, rather than them finding me -- when I am shopping, I am shopping. When I am working, I am working, and when I am goofing off, I am seriously goofing off.

[bhcompy]

website would be good for a contractor to display the work hes done for non-referral customers.

[travelmate38]

You can build and host a website these days for about $10 month. It only takes a few hours to have it looking and running like a pro. Why would you not want one? If for nothing else to refer potential cusotmers to. Or you drive around all day in your trucks with the name of your business on there directing people to go to your website? I think these days, any smart business owner builds a website. It does not have to get high traffic like Amazon or ebay, just a place for your potential customers to see who you are and what you do.

And if you don't know how to do it yourself, have your teenager do it for you. Trust me, they can get it done in a few hours and probably would build you one for a large pizza or a video game. My daughter built mine in 6 hours and it looks like I had it professionally designed.