Local Lead Generation for Home Services

There’s no single best channel — there’s a best mix for your stage. Referrals and repeat business have the highest ROI, followed by Google’s owned channels (Local Services Ads and map-pack ranking), then search ads, marketplaces, and Facebook. What decides profitability across all of them is intent, exclusivity, and how fast and persistently you follow up on every lead.

Anywhere from about $20 to over $150, depending on trade and channel. Quick-turn trades like locksmith and garage door sit lowest; high-ticket trades like roofing and HVAC install sit highest. But cost per lead is only half the picture — cost per booked job (lead price divided by close rate) is the number that actually tells you what a channel costs.

For most service trades, yes. Local Services Ads place you above the map pack with a Google Guaranteed badge, charge per lead rather than per click, and deliver exclusive, high-intent leads from people searching to hire now. The catch is they only pay off if you answer fast — Google rewards responsiveness with more leads, so speed-to-lead is the whole game.

They’re useful for fast volume, especially when you’re new with no ranking or reviews, but many are shared with competitors and the customer belongs to the platform. Treat them as a tap you turn up when you need volume while you build owned channels — and win the shared-lead race with instant follow-up so they actually convert.

Almost always it’s a response-and-follow-up problem, not a lead-quality problem. Leads contacted within a minute book far better than ones called back an hour later, and most contractors quit after one voicemail when many leads only respond on the third or fourth touch. Fix speed and follow-up and the same leads produce far more booked jobs.

A shared lead is sold to several contractors at once, so you race competitors and close only a fraction; an exclusive lead is yours alone and closes far higher. Shared leads look cheaper per lead but often cost more per booked job. Exclusive and owned leads are the goal; shared leads are a supplement worked with instant follow-up.

BILT works the leads you already pay for, from any source. The moment a lead lands — Local Services Ads, your website, Angi, Facebook — BILT responds instantly, qualifies the job, and follows up persistently across call and text on the ones that don’t book first contact. It lifts your close rate, which lowers your cost per booked job without spending more on leads.