How long does a contractor website last?

There's no fixed number of years

You may hear that a site needs replacing every so many years. There isn't a real rule. A simple, well-built site with current information can serve a contractor for a long time. A flashy one can be out of date in a season if nobody can edit it. Age matters less than whether the site still does four things: loads fast on a phone, shows correct information, makes it easy to call or ask for a quote, and can be changed when your business changes.

A five-minute check

1. Open the site on your phone with Wi-Fi off. Does it load quickly? Can you read it without zooming?
2. Tap the phone number. Does it start a call?
3. Send yourself a quote request. Did it arrive?
4. Read the services, hours, towns and license details. Is every line still true?
5. Look at the photos. Is that the work you do now?
6. Check the address bar for https and no "Not secure" warning.
7. Ask yourself: if I had to change the phone number today, could I, and how long would it take?

Signs it needs a refresh

A refresh keeps the site and fixes what's on it. It fits when the bones are good:

• It works on a phone, but the photos are old or the text is out of date.
• Services you've added aren't listed, or ones you've dropped still are.
• It's a little slow because of oversized photos or leftover plugins. See making a site fast on phones.
• The phone number isn't easy to find at the top.
• The copyright year, team page or coupons are stale.
• The form asks too many questions.

Signs it needs a rebuild

A rebuild starts over on a new foundation. It fits when the foundation is the problem:

• Not phone friendly. The layout was made for a desktop screen and shrinks to tiny text on a phone.
• You can't edit it. Nobody has the login, the person who built it is gone, or every change means paying for custom work.
• The software is past saving. The system or its plugins are no longer updated, which is a security risk as well as a nuisance.
• Slow at the core. You've shrunk the images and removed the extras, and it's still slow.
• The business has changed. New name, new trade focus or new service area, and the site's structure no longer fits.
• You don't control it. The domain or the site is in someone else's name and you can't get access.

If you're not sure

Start with the cheaper option. Fix wrong information today, because it costs nothing but time, and wrong hours or a dead phone number can turn a ready customer away. Then get an opinion or two. Ask anyone who recommends a rebuild to show you exactly what a refresh couldn't fix. Our free website check is one place to start, and our website upgrades page covers improving a site you already have.

When you do rebuild

• Keep your domain, and make sure it's in your name
• Save your text and original photos
• Redirect old page addresses to the new ones
• Test email and the form after launch
• Ask how you'll make edits next time, so you don't end up here again