Updated June 2026
For most remodelers, a done-for-you website service beats any DIY builder. Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy let you build cheaply, but the time cost is real, the SEO ceiling is lower than you'd expect, and remodeling is a category where design quality directly signals project quality to buyers. If you bill $20k+ per project, a site that looks like a template works against you.
This is based on GrowLocal's proprietary research into top-ranking local business websites.
Below: an honest breakdown of every realistic option, a side-by-side table, and the one question that determines which path is right for your business.
What are a remodeler's real website options?
You have four realistic paths:
- DIY website builders (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy) — you build it yourself
- Done-for-you services (GrowLocal and similar) — someone builds and maintains it for you
- Freelance web designer — one-time custom build, you maintain it after
- Full-service agency — enterprise build, ongoing retainer
This post focuses on the first two, since those are the choices most remodeling business owners actually face.
Does a remodeler even need a website, or is Google Business Profile enough?
A Google Business Profile alone isn't enough for a remodeling business. Remodeling buyers spend weeks — sometimes months — in research mode before reaching out. They compare portfolio quality, read about your process, study testimonials with real names, and look for the license number. None of that fits in a GBP listing.
Across our research into top-ranking local business websites, every single top-ranked remodeling competitor showed its state contractor license number verbatim on the page — the category's single most universal credibility signal. A GBP listing can't display it the way a portfolio page can.
Wix vs. Squarespace vs. GoDaddy for remodelers: the honest tradeoffs
| Wix | Squarespace | GoDaddy Website Builder | Done-for-you (e.g. GrowLocal) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | ~$17–$35 | ~$23–$65 | ~$10–$21 | Subscription (varies) |
| Time to launch | 5–20 hours DIY | 8–20 hours DIY | 3–10 hours DIY | Days (you provide photos + info) |
| Ongoing time | 1–3 hrs/month | 1–3 hrs/month | 1–2 hrs/month | Near zero |
| Design ceiling | High with effort | High with effort | Moderate | Depends on provider |
| SEO out of the box | Moderate | Moderate | Weak | Varies |
| Gallery / portfolio | Good | Excellent | Basic | Good |
| Trust display | Manual | Manual | Manual | Built into template |
| Quote / contact form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Online booking | Via Wix Bookings (add-on) | Via Acuity embed | Via third-party | Not available (GrowLocal) |
| Biggest catch | You're the designer | Premium templates cost extra | Looks generic | No booking integration |
The honest summary: all three DIY builders can produce a decent remodeling website if you invest the time and have an eye for layout. Squarespace templates tend to fit the portfolio-forward, clean aesthetic this category demands. Wix gives more flexibility but more rope to hang yourself with. GoDaddy is fastest to launch and most generic-looking.
How much time does a DIY remodeling website really take?
Most remodelers underestimate this. A credible remodeling site needs a hero with real project photos, a services section covering kitchen, bath, and whole-home, a gallery, testimonials with full names, a trust section with your license number, and a contact form. Sourcing and sizing photos, writing copy that doesn't sound like a template, and setting up SEO metadata each add hours.
Then there's ongoing work: adding new portfolio photos as you complete projects, updating copy when you expand services, and occasional technical upkeep. Most remodelers who try to DIY either stop before it's done or publish something they wouldn't show a high-end client.
Does the builder platform affect your Google ranking?
Yes and no. The platform itself isn't the ranking signal — content, page speed, and local signals are. But platform choice affects all three indirectly.
Page speed: Wix and Squarespace both add JavaScript overhead compared to a fast static site. All three can rank fine with discipline about image sizes, but they require more work to stay fast.
Local SEO structure matters more. Across our research into top-ranking local business websites, the most SEO-aggressive remodeling competitors structured their entire sitemaps around service-by-location combinations — one competitor's sitemap had 26 pages of which 25 were service×city combinations. Building that in a drag-and-drop interface is painful and few remodelers do it.
What matters most for a remodeling website specifically?
Remodeling is a high-trust, high-ticket, long-research-cycle sale. The website has one job: give a homeowner enough confidence to reach out. That means:
- Real project photos — stock photography is effectively disqualifying in this category. Every top-ranked competitor uses only real photos of actual projects.
- Specifics over vague claims — "award-winning" does nothing. A license number, founding year, named testimonials with photos, and a workmanship guarantee are what move buyers.
- A fast quote or consultation form — remodeling buyers want to request an estimate, not book a slot on a calendar. A clean contact form with a stated response time is the right CTA.
Note on booking: online scheduling isn't a standard expectation in this category. If you do want it, Squarespace can embed Acuity and Wix has its own Bookings add-on. GrowLocal does not offer booking — it's built for quote-form-led funnels.
Key takeaway: Across GrowLocal's proprietary local-business website research, 92% of local business websites hide pricing entirely (N=237 sites, 28 categories). For remodeling, this is correct strategy. What separates winners isn't pricing transparency — it's trust specificity: license number, founding year, named testimonials, and a quote form with a promised response time.
Who should use a DIY builder?
DIY makes sense if:
- You're starting out with more time than budget
- You genuinely enjoy design and will invest the hours
- You have the project photos to make a template look good
- You're comfortable with ongoing maintenance
If you're billing $50k+ per year and your time is worth more than $40/hour, calculate 20–30 hours of setup plus 2 hours per month of maintenance. The DIY cost isn't just the monthly fee.
Who should use a done-for-you service?
Done-for-you is the better fit if:
- You want to launch in days, not weeks
- You'd rather spend time on job sites than learning CSS
- You want a site that reflects your project quality, not a template everyone recognizes
- You don't want to think about updates, speed, or SEO settings
GrowLocal's remodeling website service is built for exactly this: a fast, static, SEO-ready site with a gallery, testimonials, service pages, and a quote form — done for you. It doesn't include online booking or Google Reviews integration, but it covers every core conversion element a remodeling business needs.
The same tradeoff applies across adjacent trades — roofing company websites and general contractor websites face the same DIY-vs-done-for-you decision with the same math.
For a deeper look at what top remodeling sites actually include, see what a remodeling website needs to win big projects. You can also compare across all home-service trades at GrowLocal's website builder comparison hub.
Common Questions About Remodeling Website Builders
Is Wix good enough for a remodeling business?
Wix can produce a solid remodeling website, but "good enough" depends on your execution. The platform has the features you need — galleries, forms, multi-page layouts, and basic SEO settings. The remodeling companies that win online lead with real project photos and specific trust signals. Wix gives you the tools; you supply the judgment and time.
How long does it take to build a remodeling website on Squarespace?
Plan for 10–20 hours for a version you'd show clients. That includes choosing and customizing a template, writing service copy, uploading portfolio photos, configuring your contact form, and setting up basic SEO. Ongoing maintenance adds 1–3 hours per month.
Do remodeling websites need online booking?
Most don't. Remodeling is a consultative, long-cycle sale — homeowners want to request a consultation or estimate, not book a time slot. A clean contact form with a stated response time ("we respond within one business day") fits this category better than a booking widget. Squarespace with Acuity or Wix Bookings are options if you want scheduling. GrowLocal does not include booking.
What's the real cost of a DIY remodeling website?
The monthly fee (Squarespace $23–$65, Wix $17–$35) is only part of it. Add your time: 15–20 hours to build plus 1–3 hours per month to maintain. At a $75/hour opportunity cost, the initial build alone runs $1,125–$1,500 before you pay for the domain or any extras.
Does the website builder I choose affect my Google ranking?
Platform choice has some effect but isn't decisive. Page speed and local SEO structure matter more than which builder you use. Across GrowLocal's proprietary local-business website research, the most SEO-aggressive remodeling sites structured their sitemaps around service-by-city combinations — a pattern that's cumbersome in any drag-and-drop builder.
Can I switch website builders later?
Yes, but it's more work than expected. You can't cleanly export a Wix site into Squarespace — you'll rebuild the layout from scratch while reusing your text and photos. If you're planning aggressive growth, starting with a scalable platform or going done-for-you from day one saves a rebuild project 18 months later.
Is GrowLocal right for my remodeling business?
GrowLocal is the right fit if you want a professionally designed site built around proven remodeling conversion patterns — gallery, quote form, testimonials, service pages, trust section — without building or maintaining it yourself. It's not the right fit if you need online booking, Google Reviews integration, live chat, or e-commerce. Check GrowLocal's remodeling website page for current pricing and what's included.