WIX VS. SQUARESPACE VS. HIRING A PRO. THE HONEST TRUTH FOR PLUMBERS.
Everyone says "just build it on Wix." Here's what they're not telling you. And what it actually costs when you factor in your time.
"Just build it on Wix."
"Use Squarespace, it's easy."
"My daughter made a website in like an hour."
You've heard this advice a hundred times.
And it sounds great. $15/month. Drag and drop. Done by Sunday.
So why are you reading this right now instead of building your website on Wix?
Because deep down, you know something's off.
You've probably even tried it. Signed up, stared at a blank screen for 45 minutes, dragged some boxes around, got frustrated, and closed the laptop.
Sound familiar?
Look, I'm not going to trash Wix or Squarespace. They're fine tools. For some people.
But I am going to tell you the truth about what it actually takes to build a plumbing website that gets you calls. And then you can decide for yourself.
The "It's Only $15/Month" Lie
Yes, the software costs $15 to $40 per month.
But the software is like buying a toolbox from Home Depot. Having the tools doesn't make you a carpenter.
Here's what Wix and Squarespace don't do for you:
They don't write your copy. You still have to figure out what to say on every page. "About Us." "Services." "Why Choose Us." If you've never written website copy before, this alone will take you days.
They don't do your SEO. The templates are NOT optimized for local search. They don't add schema markup. They don't optimize your page titles for "plumber in [your city]." They don't set up your Google Business Profile.
They don't make it convert. Having a website and having a website that makes people call you are two very different things. Where does the phone number go? How big should the button be? What color? What do you say above the fold? These details matter. A lot.
They don't keep it updated. A website isn't a "set it and forget it" thing. It needs maintenance, updates, security patches, content refreshes.
The Real Cost of DIY
Let's do the math.
A plumber's time is worth $75 to $150/hour. Let's use $100.
Building a decent website on Wix (if you've never done it before):
Picking a template and customizing it: 4 hours. Writing copy for 3-5 pages: 6 hours. Finding and uploading photos: 2 hours. Figuring out contact forms: 1 hour. Trying to make it look good on mobile: 3 hours. Messing with SEO settings you don't understand: 2 hours. Getting frustrated and starting over: 4 hours.
Total: about 22 hours. At $100/hour, that's $2,200 of your time.
Plus $15-40/month for the software.
Plus the calls you're NOT getting while you're building this thing instead of plumbing.
Plus the calls you'll CONTINUE not getting because a DIY site almost never ranks on Google or converts visitors into phone calls.
The "cheap" option isn't cheap.
What a Professional Plumbing Website Gets You
When you hire someone who builds plumbing websites for a living (like, say, us), here's what's different:
We know what works. We've built 50+ plumbing websites. We know what copy converts. We know where the call button goes. We know what homeowners look for.
SEO is built in. Every page is optimized for local search from day one. Your city, your services, your schema markup. All done right the first time.
You don't lift a finger. We handle the design, the copy, the SEO, the hosting, the contact forms, everything. You give us your business info and some photos. We give you a live website in 7 days.
It actually generates calls. Because it's built specifically to make people pick up the phone. Not to look pretty. To ring.
So Which Should You Choose?
Use Wix/Squarespace if: You have a lot of free time. You enjoy learning new software. You're comfortable writing your own copy. You don't mind your website not showing up on Google for a while. You're OK with "good enough."
Hire a professional if: You'd rather be plumbing. You want the phone to actually ring. You want to show up on Google within 60-90 days. You don't want to think about your website ever again. You value your time at more than $20/hour.
There's no wrong answer. But there is an honest one.
If you want a website that looks professional, ranks on Google, and makes your phone ring... and you want it done in 7 days without lifting a finger... that's literally what we do. Also read our comparison of WordPress vs. custom-built plumbing websites and why cheap websites fail.
Book a free 15-minute audit and we'll tell you whether it makes sense for your situation. If Wix is actually the right move for you, we'll tell you that too. No pressure.