If you own a remodeling business, one of the biggest questions you’ll eventually face is:
“How much should we actually be spending on marketing?”
Ask five people and you’ll get five different answers some will say $500 a month is enough, others will suggest 10% of your revenue. The truth is, there is a smart way to figure out what makes sense for your business. And when done right, marketing isn’t just a line item, it’s your growth engine.
If you want to attract better clients, win bigger jobs, and stop relying on slow word-of-mouth, you need a real remodeling company marketing budget.
Unfortunately, most remodelers don’t know where to start. They underinvest, overspend, or fall into shiny-object syndrome. And it’s costing them real growth.
Why So Many Remodelers Struggle to Build a Smart Marketing Budget
Let’s call it like it is: Most remodeling companies didn’t get into this business to become marketing experts. You got into it to build things with your hands, solve real problems, and make homeowners happy not sit at a computer trying to figure out SEO.
That’s why marketing often gets put off, rushed, or done haphazardly.
Here are five reasons why remodelers often struggle:
- They don’t know what “good” marketing looks like or what it should cost
- They’ve been burned by bad agencies or tools that overpromised and underdelivered
- They try random tactics (Facebook ads, a flyer, maybe a website) with no strategy
- They expect results in 30 days and quit when it doesn’t work that fast
- They treat marketing like an expense instead of a growth system
But here’s the good news: you’re not alone. And if you’re willing to slow down and build this right, you’ll have a huge edge over your competition.
Step 1: Know What You Should Spend (And Why It Matters)
Let’s start with the most asked question:
How much should a remodeler spend on marketing?
Industry best practices say 5–10% of your annual revenue if you want to grow. If you’re in maintenance mode, you might get away with 3–5%.
Here’s a simple chart:
| Annual Revenue | Recommended Budget (Growth Mode) |
| $500,000 | $25,000–$50,000/year ($2,000–$4,200/month) |
| $1,000,000 | $50,000–$100,000/year ($4,200–$8,300/month) |
| $2,000,000 | $100,000–$200,000/year ($8,300–$16,600/month) |
Now before you panic, remember: this is not about spending more money—it’s about spending smarter. For example, one of our clients at Constructo was stuck at $600K/year for three years. They finally invested about 7% of revenue into a proper digital marketing for remodelers program: website, SEO, local ads, and automation. Within 12 months, they hit $1.1 million.
Step 2: Plan Where the Money Goes (So You Don’t Waste It)
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be where your best buyers are looking. And they’re looking on Google.
Where most remodelers go wrong is either:
- Not spending enough to gain traction
- Spreading themselves too thin with no real plan
Here’s how we recommend dividing your contractor marketing budget:
Core Strategy Breakdown:
- Website & SEO (30–40%) – This is your home base. It needs to be fast, professional, and built to convert. A DIY site or outdated Wix build won’t cut it.
- Google Ads & Local SEO (30–50%) – These bring in short-term wins. You can appear for “kitchen remodeler near me” tomorrow if set up right.
- Content & Video (10–20%) – These build trust. Think project walkthroughs, FAQs, and before/afters.
- CRM, Automations, and Follow-Up (10–15%) – Most remodelers lose leads from poor follow-up. A basic CRM fixes that.
A marketing cost for remodeling company isn’t just about what you spend, it’s how you spend it. If you’re investing $3K/month but half is going to fluff (like magazine ads or “boosted posts”), you’re setting yourself up for frustration.
Step 3: Track, Tweak, and Trust the Process
Here’s where things get real. You’ve got a budget. You’ve got a plan. But now comes the part that separates the pros from the amateurs:
Consistency and data.
The remodelers who grow consistently are the ones who treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. They:
- Track where leads come from
- Review costs per lead and cost per booked job
- Refine campaigns over time
- Stay the course (especially in the first 90 days)
If your site is ranking higher, your lead flow is increasing, and your close rate stays solid you’ll see returns. In fact, the average ROI for consistent marketing in our system is 4–8x within 6–12 months.
That’s why marketing strategies for remodelers aren’t about hacks. They’re about frameworks. And frameworks work, when you stick with them.
Real Talk: What Should You Expect to Pay a Marketing Agency?
This is another big question we get:
“What does it actually cost to hire a marketing company for remodelers?”
Here’s a transparent look:
| Service | Typical Cost |
| Website Build | $3,000–$15,000 (one-time) |
| SEO (Monthly) | $1,000–$3,000/month |
| Google Ads Mgmt | $750–$2,000/month (plus ad spend) |
| CRM & Automations | $200–$500/month |
| Full-Service Package | $2,500–$7,500/month (bundled) |
If you’re getting offered “SEO for $200/month,” run. Good marketing isn’t cheap and cheap marketing isn’t good. You don’t want to be the company with a great crew but no pipeline.
Final Thoughts: Build a Marketing Budget You Can Believe In
You don’t need to guess anymore. You don’t need to hope things “just pick up.” And you don’t need to waste another dollar on random tactics.
When you build a remodeling company marketing budget that’s based on your goals, built around what works, and tracked consistently, everything changes. Better leads. Bigger jobs. More freedom.
That’s what smart marketing does.
Want to see what your budget should look like based on your revenue and goals?
Reach out and we’ll build a custom blueprint no pressure, no pitch. Just a real answer to the question: What should I be spending and where?
