A neighbour says "call this guy", and the homeowner still opens the contractor's website before dialling. In a US survey of homeowners, 74% said they would follow a recommendation from a neighbour, friend or family member. Whether contractors show prices on that website is the question most trades dodge.
Short answer: yes, show something. In a US homeowner survey published in May 2026, 65% said they're more likely to call a roofer who shows pricing on the website. That doesn't mean a full price list. I think most contractors should pick one of three: a price range, a starting figure for a defined job, or a plain explanation of how they price.
Do homeowners really check a contractor's website after a referral?
A referral gets you onto the shortlist. The website is where a lot of people decide. In the Roofing Contractor homeowner survey, 74% would follow a recommendation and 50% would use a search engine. A lead-generation company, Profit Acuity, says in a September 2026 release that more than 60% of homeowners with a referral still research the contractor online, and half of those start with Google. That is a vendor that sells leads, and it gives no sample size, so I lean on it lightly.
| Source and date | What it says | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing Contractor, published 1 May 2026 | 65% of homeowners more likely to call a roofer with pricing on the site, down from 78% the year before and about 66% two years ago | US homeowners, about roofing. Sample size not stated. 93% own a single-family home, the average age is 58 and 76% of respondents are men |
| Profit Acuity, 29 Sep 2026 | More than 60% of homeowners with a referral still research the contractor online | A vendor press release. No sample size stated |
So the trend is down, from 78% to 65%. I don't know why, and the survey doesn't say. It also says about 34% of homeowners felt pricing made no difference to them. A trade owner who gets looked up online is the reason a website is still necessary in 2026, and it is why being found in Google and AI search matters to a trade business.
Should I show a price range, a starting figure or how I price?
Showing something is common, not a risk. The same survey asked what contractors list: 37% show starting prices or ranges, 30% show pricing for specific services and 33% show none. That is about two thirds listing some pricing. You may have seen a line that only 37% of contractors list prices. That reads the numbers wrong.
Here are the three options, and who each fits:
- A range for a defined job. A fence, a drain clear, a lawn package. It fits repeat jobs with a steady scope. Say what moves the price inside the range.
- A starting figure with scope. "This includes X and Y, and extras are quoted before work starts." It fits jobs with a clear core and optional extras. The figure has to be one a customer can really reach (more on that below).
- How you price. Per visit, per hour or per project, what the site visit decides, what a quote contains and how long it takes to arrive. It fits custom, one-off and renovation work where a number would mislead. It beats saying nothing.
My rule of thumb: if you can't give a number, show the method and the time to a quote. I'm not going to tell you what to charge, and a price on the page is only useful if the homeowner sees it early. I wrote about where that line sits in why your homepage first screen loses calls.
What if showing a price scares people off or boxes me in?
It can. A visible number puts off people who won't pay it. That's a plus if you're busy and a cost if work is slow. It can also box you in when the scope changes from job to job, which is why there are three options and not one. Look at who the survey asked, too. It is US homeowners and roofing, with no sample size, and says nothing about Ontario, other trades or small jobs. "More likely to call" is not "will call", and I won't promise you quote requests.
A number that can't be paid is worse than no number. The Competition Bureau's drip pricing page (date modified 24 August 2026) says "Never promote an unattainable price", which is about advertised prices that leave out mandatory fees. I'm not a lawyer and this isn't legal advice, and I don't know how it applies to any one trade. My plain reading is to show the full price people actually pay, or a range that includes what's mandatory.
What do I show on my own site, and where would I help a contractor?
My prices are public. On the pricing page they are fixed, in Canadian dollars, one time: $500 for a landing page, $1,000 Starter, $2,000 Business and $5,000 Flagship. Each is one fixed price for exactly what the card lists. If you need more pages or a custom feature, I quote it up front, in writing, before any work starts. Hosting is free with SSL. I did it because I think clear prices are normal and a murky quote is a red flag. I haven't measured what it does to my enquiries, so I won't claim anything.
My scope fits on a card, so my answer is a fixed price. Yours may be a range or a method, and that's fine. Where a professional helps is deciding what goes on the quote page, where the price line sits, and making the quote request easy on a phone. None of this is a result from a contractor's site. It is the logic of the decision. If you only want one page with a phone number and a range, you may not need me. A custom-coded website for a trade business is for when you want the quote path done properly. For the wider cost picture, I wrote what a website costs in Canada.
If you'd like a second opinion first, I can record a short video on what is putting customers off and what I would fix. It is free, with no obligation, and you can ask for a free website review. I only take on 4 new sites a month because I build every site myself.
What to do this week:
- Write down your five most common jobs and mark which could take a range.
- Pick one of the three options and write the two lines you would show.
- Open your site on a phone and find where a homeowner would see them.
Related posts
- 7 Things Patients Check on a Dental Website Before Booking
- How Much Does a Website Cost in Canada? 2026 Price Guide
- Why Your Homepage First Screen Loses Calls
- Is a Website Still Necessary in 2026?
Sources
Every page below was opened and read on 29 October 2026. The survey is US and roofing only.
- Roofing Contractor: Homeowners survey (published 1 May 2026, survey run in summer 2025)
- Profit Acuity: How do contractors get leads? Referrals, search and AI report released (press release, 29 September 2026, from a vendor)
- Competition Bureau Canada: Drip pricing (date modified 24 August 2026)
Questions people ask
Do contractors who only get referrals need to show anything?
A referral gets you onto the shortlist, but Profit Acuity (a vendor) says most homeowners with a referral still look you up. I'd show at least your phone, your service area and how you price. I make the wider case in is a website still necessary in 2026.
What if every job is different and I can't give a number?
Show how you price and how long a quote takes: per visit, per hour or per project, and what the site visit decides. That is the third option above, and it answers the question before the homeowner has to ask it.
Does showing a price help my site show up in Google?
I haven't seen evidence that it does, and I won't claim it. Google looks at many things. A price is a decision for the visitor, not a ranking trick.
Is a "starting at" price allowed in Canada?
I'm not a lawyer, so this isn't legal advice. The Competition Bureau's drip pricing page says not to promote a price that can't be paid once mandatory fees are added, so a starting figure should be one a real customer can reach.
Want a second opinion on what your site shows?
Tell me about your business and I'll quote it up front, in writing, before any work starts. Not ready? Ask for a free website review first.
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