How to get more renovation clients (and more of the right ones)
Word of mouth comes when it comes. Here is how builders and renovators can build a steadier flow of the jobs they actually want.
Ask a builder or renovator how they get work and most will say word of mouth. It is the best kind of work, but it comes when it comes. If you want a steadier flow of jobs, and more of the ones you actually want, it helps to do a handful of simple things well.
Decide which jobs you want
"More clients" is not the goal. More of the right clients is. Get clear on a few things.
- The work you want more of, such as bathrooms, kitchens, extensions, second storeys, knock-down rebuilds or whole-home renovations.
- The job size that suits your crew, your cash flow and your calendar.
- The suburbs you are happy to travel to.
- The work you would rather pass on.
Everything else follows from this. Your photos, your website and the way you answer enquiries should all point at the jobs you want.
Make it easy to find you and check you out
Homeowners about to spend serious money on a renovation will look you up before they call, even when a friend recommended you.
- A Google Business Profile. It is free, it shows up when people search for a builder nearby, and it is where a lot of reviews end up. Keep your service areas, hours and photos up to date.
- Photos of finished work. Before and after shots of real kitchens, bathrooms and extensions do more selling than any slogan.
- Reviews. Ask every happy client at handover, and send them the link so it only takes a minute.
- Your licence and insurance, up front. Homeowners want to know you are licensed and insured, so make it easy to see.
- A simple website. Say what you do, where you work and how to get in touch, and show your best jobs.
Turn every job into the next one
A renovation is visible to the whole street. There is the skip, the ute and the trades coming and going. A tidy site, a sign out the front (with the client's OK) and a friendly note to the neighbours can all lead to the next enquiry. Ask for referrals at handover too. A line like "if you know anyone planning a renovation, I would appreciate the intro" goes a long way.
Work with other people in the industry
Designers, architects, real estate agents, property managers and other trades all come across homeowners planning work. Plumbers, electricians and tilers often hear about jobs that need someone to run the whole thing. Be the builder people trust with their clients, and they will keep sending work your way.
Use lead services with your eyes open
Paid lead services can fill gaps in your calendar, but only if you know what you are getting. Before you spend, find out who else gets each enquiry, what checks happen first, where the enquiries come from and exactly what you pay for. Then track what each one turns into.
Stop losing the enquiries you already get
Plenty of good renovation work is lost because nobody got back to the enquiry in time. When you are on site all day, calls get missed and messages wait until the evening. By then the homeowner may have booked someone else.
- Get back to new enquiries as fast as you can, even if it is only a text to say you will call after work.
- Ask about scope, budget, timing and who makes the decision before you drive out.
- Book the site visit on the first call, while they are keen.
- Send the quote while the visit is fresh, and follow it up.
Know where your jobs come from
Ask every new client how they found you, and keep a simple record of where each enquiry came from and what it turned into. After a few months you will know where to spend more of your time and money. Keep the record honest. A source that brings plenty of calls but no signed jobs is costing you time.
Where BettaConnect fits
BettaConnect takes care of the marketing and the first round of screening, so you can spend your time on the work. We find homeowners with real projects and pre-qualify each enquiry, confirming scope, budget, timing and real intent to build. Then we pass it as an exclusive quote opportunity to one builder in the area. The opportunities are matched to your trade and your service area, so you get a steadier flow of the kind of jobs you want to quote.
