Builder Website Design for Melbourne Businesses

You're a registered builder. You've done extensions in Kew, knockdowns in Camberwell, townhouse developments in Glen Iris. But when someone searches "builder Melbourne eastern suburbs" — are they finding you, or are they finding the builder who invested in a proper website?

That website gap is costing you six-figure projects.

Why builders lose work online

Building projects are high-value. Extensions start at $150k. Full rebuilds can hit $800k. When someone's spending that much, they're doing research. They're comparing builders. And if your online presence is a Facebook page with three photos from 2019, you're not making the shortlist.

Here's what kills a builder's credibility online:

• No portfolio — how do they know you can handle their project?
• No licensing info — DBU number not visible, looks unprofessional
• Broken contact form — lead goes nowhere, you never hear from them
• Site doesn't work on mobile — 60% of searches happen on phones

Homeowners planning a $400k renovation aren't going to chase you down. If your website doesn't inspire confidence, they'll call the next builder. Simple as that.

What a builder website needs to win projects

A builder's website isn't about looking pretty. It's about proving you can deliver. Here's what converts browsers into enquiries:

Project portfolio with real details. Not just photos. Include project type (extension, knockdown-rebuild, renovation), suburb (Kew, Hawthorn, Brighton), timeframe, and budget range. Specifics build trust. "We did a thing somewhere" doesn't cut it.

DBU registration front and centre. Domestic Builder Unlimited or Limited — doesn't matter which, but it needs to be visible. Homeowners know to check for this. If they can't find it, they'll assume you're not legit.

Service area clearly defined. "Melbourne" is too broad. Are you inner east? Bayside? Specific suburbs matter for SEO and for customer expectations. Say Boroondara, Stonnington, Bayside if that's your patch.

Testimonials with full names and suburbs. "John S. — Malvern" is better than nothing, but "John and Sarah Mitchell — Malvern" is even better. Real testimonials with real names. No fake reviews.

Clear process outline. What happens after someone contacts you? Initial consult, design phase, permits, construction, handover. Homeowners doing their first build don't know the process. Walk them through it. Reduces anxiety, builds confidence.

Local SEO for Melbourne builders

Building is hyperlocal. Someone in Brighton isn't hiring a builder from Eltham. They're hiring someone who knows the Bayside council, who's worked in their suburb, who gets the neighbourhood vibe.

Your website needs to reflect that.

Good local SEO means suburb-specific pages. A "Projects in Hawthorn" page with real examples. A "Building in Camberwell" page with council permit info and local project timelines. Google ranks those pages when someone searches "builder Hawthorn."

We built a site for a builder focusing on Boroondara. Three months later, he was ranking first page for "builder Kew," "builder Camberwell," "builder Hawthorn" — all organically. No Google Ads. Just suburb pages with real content and local SEO basics done properly.

How we build builder websites

WordPress is overkill. You don't need a CMS with 40 plugins and monthly security patches. You need a fast, professional portfolio site that showcases your work and ranks on Google.

We use Next.js — modern, fast, secure. Here's what's included:

• Project gallery with filters (extensions, renovations, rebuilds)
• Suburb-specific pages for local SEO
• Testimonial section with real names and suburbs
• Contact form that works (leads sent straight to your email)
• Mobile-optimised (looks perfect on phones and tablets)
• Hosting and SSL included for the first year

Starter package ($1,995) is fine for builders just getting started. Professional package ($4,995) includes project gallery, multiple suburb pages, and advanced SEO for competitive keywords.

Premium package ($7,995) adds full brand design and a content strategy for ongoing blog posts (builds authority, improves rankings).

If you're registered, insured, and doing quality builds — but not getting enquiries through your website — that's a problem we can fix. Better online presence means more enquiries. More enquiries means you can be pickier about projects. That's the goal.