Service areas
List the suburbs and towns you cover. People rule you in or out in seconds, and you spend less time on enquiries from too far away.
trades
Websites for electricians, plumbers and builders
People rarely plan to need an electrician or a plumber. The geyser bursts, the power trips or the roof leaks, and they pick up a phone and search. A trades website has one job in that moment: make it very easy to reach you.
I am Joshua Webb, and Spark Website Studio is my new studio. I work online only, across South Africa, by WhatsApp and email. Many tradespeople are on a roof or under a sink all day, so I keep everything simple: you send me photos and details on WhatsApp, and I do the rest.
Built for urgent call-outs
A customer with no hot water or no lights does not read your life story. They look for a number to tap and a sign that you are the right kind of person to call. I design the first screen around exactly that.
- a large call button and a WhatsApp button, always within reach of a thumb;
- a clear line on what you do and where, above the fold, without scrolling;
- your hours, and a plain statement of whether you take emergency call-outs;
- a short form for people who would rather describe the problem than phone.
What belongs on a trades website
Quote requests with photos
A customer can send a photo of the distribution board, the leak or the cracked wall. You can often give a rough answer before driving anywhere.
Your registrations
Show what you actually hold, such as an electrical Certificate of Compliance registration for electricians, PIRB registration for plumbers and NHBRC registration for home builders. Customers and insurers care about these.
A project gallery
Photos of finished work, grouped by type: a new distribution board, a bathroom rebuild, an extension. Real photos of your own work are more persuasive than any slogan.
Services explained simply
A short page for each main service, in plain language, so people searching for a specific job can find you.
Reviews and how to leave one
If you already have good Google reviews, I link to them. I never invent reviews, and I never copy someone else's.
Fast pages for weak signal
Customers often search from a house with no power, which means no Wi-Fi and a limited mobile signal. A heavy page may never finish loading, and the customer calls the next name on the list.
I keep pages light: compressed photos, no heavy plugins and no slow page builders. The aim is a site that is usable on a basic phone with one bar of signal.
Trades I build for
This page covers three groups, because their websites have a lot in common.
- Electricians: faults, rewiring, distribution boards, lighting, compliance certificates and backup power.
- Plumbers: leaks, blocked drains, geysers, bathrooms and maintenance contracts.
- Builders: extensions, renovations and new homes, where a gallery and registrations carry the most weight.
If you also install solar systems, read the page for solar installers, which covers calculators and accreditations.
How it works
Send me the basics
Your trading name, the services you offer, the areas you cover, your registrations and a handful of photos of your work.
See a free preview
I build a preview and send you a link. You check it on your phone, and we change whatever is not right.
Get a written quote
If you like it, you get a clear written quote, including running costs such as your domain name. You only pay once you are happy.
Launch
I put the site live on your own domain and make sure the call and WhatsApp buttons work on a few different phones.
For the bigger picture, see website design and the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
I work from my bakkie. Do I really need a website?
If customers find you through a Google search or a Facebook group, a website gives them something to check before they call. It does not replace word of mouth. It backs it up, because people often look you up before they let you into their home.
Can I show my registrations on the site?
Yes, and you should, as long as they are current and real. I show what you give me, such as an electrical Certificate of Compliance registration, a PIRB registration or an NHBRC registration, and I do not add anything you do not hold.
What if I work in several towns?
The site can list the areas you serve, so people know quickly whether you are likely to reach them. I can also give each main area its own short section, which helps people searching for a tradesperson near them.
How do I keep it up to date?
Send me new photos or changes on WhatsApp, and I update the site. How later changes are charged is set out in the written quote, so you know before you ask.
next step
Start with a free preview and a written quote
You see a free preview before you pay anything, and you get a clear written quote before any work starts. Tell me what you need and I will reply on WhatsApp or email.