What to put on a framing contractor website

Who reads a framing website

A roofer's site talks to homeowners. A framer's site is mostly read by builders, general contractors and project managers who are checking you out before sending plans. They aren't looking for a sales pitch. They want to know whether you can handle their job, whether your paperwork is in order, and how to get a bid. Write for that reader first.

1. Say who you work for

Put it on the home page: "Framing for home builders and general contractors", plus homeowners if you take additions, garages or basements directly. If you do both, give each its own section so a builder doesn't have to read homeowner copy to find what matters.

2. Project types you frame

List what you actually do: single-family homes, custom homes, townhomes or multifamily, additions, garages, basements, light commercial. Note what your crew works with, such as roof trusses, engineered lumber or I-joists, if that's true for you. Add whether you bid labor only or can supply materials, and whether you install sheathing, windows or exterior doors.

3. Crew and capacity

Builders plan schedules around their framers. Tell them, truthfully:

• How many crews you run and about how many people
• How many houses or projects you can have going at once
• How far out you're usually scheduling
• What equipment you bring, such as a forklift or lift
• Who is on site running the job

Don't round up. A builder who plans around a crew size you don't have will find out on day one.

4. Plans you can read and work from

Say what you're comfortable with: architectural and structural drawings, truss layouts, engineered floor systems. Explain how you handle it when the plans and the site don't match. A line on how you report problems to the superintendent tells a builder a lot about how the job will go.

5. Insurance and paperwork

If you carry general liability and workers' compensation coverage, say so, and say you can send a certificate of insurance on request. Don't post the certificate itself for anyone to download. Send it to the builder who asks. Show any license or registration only as issued. Requirements differ by city and state, so check with your building department on what applies to you. More in showing licenses and insurance honestly.

6. Past projects

Photos of framing in progress are your proof: straight walls, clean roof lines, a tidy site. Label each by type and general area, like "two-story custom home, north side of town". Don't name the builder or the subdivision without permission.

7. How to send plans for a bid

Make this the main button. A bid request form should ask for:

• Name, company, phone and email
• Project type and location
• Rough square footage and number of stories
• Expected start date
• Plans, as a file upload or a link

Say how quickly you usually turn bids around, but only if you can keep to it. Form basics are in quote request forms that get filled out.

8. Service area

Builders need to know you'll travel to their sites. List the towns and counties you cover, and say whether distant sites change your pricing.