Most new contractors run paid ads 3–6 months too early. They burn $500–$2,000, get zero jobs, and conclude "ads don't work for my trade." The ads work fine — the contractor just wasn't ready. Here's how to know when you're actually ready, and what to do first if you're not.
The 5 Signs You're Ready for Paid Ads
You're ready to run Google or Facebook ads when all 5 of these are true:
1. You have 10+ Google reviews. Ads send people to your business, but reviews close them. Under 10 reviews, your conversion rate is too low to make ads profitable. 2. You have a real website or landing page. Facebook business pages and Google Business Profiles are not landing pages. You need a page you control that loads fast, shows photos, and has a clear contact form. 3. You have project photos. At least 10 real before/after photos from jobs you've actually done. Stock photos don't convert — and Facebook will reject ads that use them. 4. You can respond to leads in under 5 minutes. Lead response time is the single biggest factor in conversion. If you can't answer the phone or text back within 5 minutes, don't run ads — you're paying for leads you'll never close. 5. You know your cost per job and your profit margin. If you don't know what one job is worth to you, you can't calculate what you can afford to pay for a lead.
What Happens When You Run Ads Without These
If you run ads with 2 reviews and no website: 100 clicks, 1 form submission, 0 jobs. You spent $500–$1,000 and got nothing. The ad platform isn't broken — your conversion infrastructure is.
If you run ads with 10 reviews and a website but you take 2 hours to respond: 5 leads, 1 books, but by the time you call back, they already hired the next guy. Same money, different result — but still not profitable.
What to Do First (If You're Not Ready)
If you're missing any of the 5, here's your free marketing plan to get ready:
No reviews? Do 5–10 jobs through your warm network and door hangers. Ask every customer for a Google review within 24 hours. This takes 2–4 weeks and costs $0.
No website? A one-page site with your phone number, services, and 5 photos is enough to start. Vantex builds them for $250. A free Google Site works as a placeholder but won't convert ad traffic well.
No photos? Take 5 photos at every job: before, during, and 3 after shots. After 3–4 jobs, you have a portfolio. This costs $0 and takes 5 minutes per job.
Can't respond fast? Set up an autoresponder on your phone: "Thanks for reaching out! I'm on a job right now but will call you back within 30 minutes — if it's urgent, call [number]." Then actually call back within 30 minutes. Free, instant, and it saves leads.
Don't know your numbers? Track every job: what you charged, what it cost, how long it took. After 10 jobs, you'll know your average revenue per job, average cost per job, and average profit. That tells you what you can afford to pay per lead.
Google Ads vs Facebook Ads for New Contractors
Once you're ready, which platform? The honest answer:
Google Ads work better for emergency trades (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing) because people search Google when they have an active problem. Cost per click is higher ($8–$20) but intent is stronger — they're searching for a solution now.
Facebook Ads work better for visual/discretionary trades (painting, pressure washing, landscaping, cleaning) because people see before/after photos and think "I should get that done." Cost per click is lower ($3–$8) but intent is weaker — they're browsing, not searching for a fix.
Start with one. Run it for 30 days. Track cost per lead and cost per job. Then decide if you want to add the other. Never run both at once when you're new — you won't know which one is actually working.
The Real Timeline
For most new contractors who follow the free marketing plan: 2–4 weeks of warm network + door hangers + Google Business Profile gets you 10 jobs, 10 reviews, 10 photos, and a website. That's when ads become profitable. Before that, you're paying to find out your marketing foundation isn't built yet.
The cheapest way to get the foundation in place: read our business startup guide, set up your Google Business Profile today, and get a simple website so you have a landing page ready when you do start running ads.
