Costs · 2026
How Much Does Marketing Cost For Contractors In Vancouver
What contractor marketing costs in Canada in 2026, from the published prices of 69 marketing agencies and 14 studios: websites, SEO, Google and Facebook ads, branding, photo and video, and what we charge.
Key findings
- A contractor website starts at about $2,400. That's the typical one-time starting price. Canadian agencies start lower ($1,500) than US agencies ($5,416). Monthly website subscriptions start at about $144 a month.
- Local SEO starts at about $709 a month. Half of agencies start between $550 to $1,500. Top plans typically run about $2,516 a month.
- Google Ads management starts at about $699 a month. That's the agency's fee. The ad budget, paid to Google, is on top and is usually the bigger number.
- Full-service plans start at about $2,097 a month. Top plans at the same agencies typically run about $6,982 a month, before ad spend.
- Facebook ads management starts at about $1,649 a month. Among the 6 agencies that publish it, from $559 to $6,989.
- A logo or brand kit starts at about $895. One time, from $149 to $4,500 for a full identity.
"How much should marketing cost?" is the first question most contractors ask us, and the honest answer used to be "it depends". So we went and checked. On October 4 and 5, 2026, we read the pricing pages of 69 marketing agencies, 35 of them Canadian, plus 14 photo, video and drone studios, and wrote down every published price for every service a contractor buys.
Below is what each service costs, what you should get for the money, and what we charge. Every figure is in Canadian dollars, and every one comes from a real price list, not a survey or a guess.
More on what marketing costs
This guide covers what agencies charge. These cover the rest of the bill:
- Google Ads cost per lead by trade: the ad budget itself: what a lead and a booked job cost in your trade
- Google Local Services Ads in Canada: what a pay-per-lead lead costs, and which trades qualify
- Contractor marketing statistics: every cost benchmark on one page
- HomeStars vs Houzz: what directory memberships cost, and whether they pay
- Construction drone photo and video: what aerial footage costs for builders
- Canadian home builder websites, scored: what a website gets you, judged on 100+ real builder sites
Contractor marketing costs at a glance
The typical starting price for each service, from the cheapest published plan at each agency. Most contractors buy two or three of these, not all of them.
| Service | Middle half of agencies |
|---|---|
| Website (one time) | $1,449 to $6,248, typical $2,400 |
| Full-service plan (monthly) | $1,500 to $2,794, typical $2,097 |
| Local SEO (monthly) | $550 to $1,500, typical $709 |
| Google Ads management (monthly) | $598 to $1,275, typical $699 |
| Google Business Profile (monthly) | $697 to $1,056, typical $839 |
| Social media (monthly) | $439 to $1,020, typical $834 |
How much does a contractor website cost?
A contractor website typically starts at about $2,400, paid once. The middle half of agencies start between $1,449 to $6,248, and the top plans we found run past $35,644. Canadian agencies start lower ($1,500) than US agencies ($5,416).
Some agencies sell a website as a monthly subscription instead: typically about $144 a month, with the design, hosting and edits included. It's cheaper up front and costs more after two or three years, and you often don't own the site if you leave.
What this means for you: a site under $1,000 is usually a template with your logo on it. Between about $2,000 and $6,000 you should get a page for every service and town, your own photos, a phone-first design and the set-up Google needs. Above that, you're paying for custom design, animation or a very large site. Ask who owns the site and the domain, in writing.
We charge $3,200 for a Starter website (up to 15 pages) and $11,000 for a fully custom one with three months of SEO. You own both outright. See our website design page for the sites we've built.
How much does local SEO cost for contractors?
Local SEO plans typically start at about $709 a month. The middle half start between $550 to $1,500, and the top plans at the same agencies typically run about $2,516 a month. General agencies start higher ($973) than agencies that work mainly with contractors ($698).
Google Business Profile management on its own, from the 7 agencies that sell it separately, typically starts at about $839 a month. Most agencies fold it into their SEO plans, and so do we.
What this means for you: cheap SEO (a few hundred dollars a month) usually means automated reports and very little work. Ask what you get each month: how many pages, how many links, what happens to your Google profile. SEO takes three to six months to show, so judge a plan by calls and booked jobs after six months, not by a ranking report in month two.
Our Local SEO plans are $1,400 and $4,600 a month, on the high side of the starting prices above, because both include your Google Business Profile, new pages and links every month. Local SEO and Google Business Profile management explain what's in them.
How much does Google Ads management cost?
There are two costs: the management fee you pay the agency, and the ad budget you pay Google. Management typically starts at about $699 a month. The middle half start between $598 to $1,275. A few agencies charge a share of your ad budget instead, usually 12% to 20%.
The ad budget is usually the bigger number. A contractor lead from Google Ads typically costs about $121, and about four in ten leads book, so plan on roughly $290 in ad spend for each booked job. Our cost per lead guide breaks that down by trade.
What this means for you: a flat fee is fairer than a percentage once your budget passes a few thousand dollars a month, because the agency isn't paid more for spending more. Make sure the ad account is in your name. Google's pay-per-lead Local Services Ads are cheaper per lead for the trades that qualify; only 2 agencies in our study publish a separate price for managing them (about $559 a month).
We charge $1,000 or $1,500 a month to manage Google Ads, plus your ad budget, paid to Google from your own account. See Google Ads management.
How much do Facebook ads cost for contractors?
Facebook and Instagram ads management ranges from $559 to $6,989 a month among the 6 agencies that publish it, with a typical starting price of about $1,649. The ad budget is on top, and a Facebook lead typically costs about half of a Google search lead.
What this means for you: Facebook ads live on their photos and video. Ask who makes the creative, and whether it's shot on your jobs or pulled from stock. Facebook leads are earlier in their decision, so an agency that doesn't set up fast replies will waste your budget.
Our Facebook ads use the same $1,000 or $1,500 monthly retainer as Google Ads. If you don't have video of your work, we shoot it. See Facebook ads for contractors.
How much does AI search optimization (AEO and GEO) cost?
AI search work, getting named by ChatGPT and Google's AI answers, typically starts at about $1,118 a month among the 6 agencies that publish a price, with plans from $825 to $5,591. It's new, so prices swing more than for any other service.
What this means for you: ask how they'll check whether AI tools mention you, and how often. Good AI search work looks a lot like good SEO: clear pages that answer real questions, your details consistent everywhere, and other sites mentioning you.
Our AEO and GEO plans are $2,400 and $5,000 a month, above the typical starting price, and include the content and links that get you quoted. It's a 3 to 6 month service.
How much do social media and content cost?
Social media management typically starts at about $834 a month, from $138 for a few posts to $3,500 for a full plan. Only 2 agencies publish a separate price for blog content ($559 to $1,677 a month).
What this means for you: posting for the sake of it rarely books jobs. Posts with real photos of your work, before and afters and your crew do far more than stock graphics with a quote on them.
How much does a contractor logo and brand cost?
A logo or brand kit typically starts at about $895, one time. The prices we found run from $149 for a basic logo to $4,500 for a full identity with brand guidelines.
What this means for you: a contractor brand has to work on a truck, a yard sign, a shirt and a phone screen. Ask for vector files and a one-page guide with your colours and fonts, so every printer and sign shop gets the same thing.
Our brand kits are $1,600 and $3,600 one time, or included in the $3,500 Foundation Package with a website and Google profile.
| Service | Lowest to highest published price |
|---|---|
| Logo and brand kit (5) | $149 to $4,500 |
| Website (19) | $249 to $35,644 |
| Photo shoot (4) | $692 to $4,000 |
| Video shoot (4) | $1,100 to $14,999 |
| Real estate drone package (6) | $99 to $365 |
How much do photo, video and drone shoots cost?
The 4 video studios we checked charge $1,100 to $14,999 for a shoot, typically about $3,505. Photo shoots ran from $692 to $4,000. Real estate drone packages are cheap, $99 to $365, but they're listing add-ons: a handful of aerial photos, often with little or no editing.
What this means for you: plan the shoot around where the photos and video will go: your website, your Google profile and your ads. One planned day on site can give you months of material.
Our Media Refresh shoot is $1,400 for 50 edited photos and a highlight video, the Ad Creative shoot is $1,500 for 4 short video ads, drone footage and 10 photos, and a drone shoot on its own is $800 with edited photos, a highlight video and the raw footage.
How much do full-service marketing plans cost?
Plans that bundle ads, SEO and more typically start at about $2,097 a month, and the top plans at the same agencies typically run about $6,982 a month. 18 of the 21 agencies with a bundle work mainly with contractors.
Automated follow-up (missed-call text back, instant replies, review requests) is often included. The 2 agencies that price it separately charge $349 to $699 a month.
What this means for you: a bundle saves money only if you need every piece in it. Check the ad budget isn't included in the price, ask how long the contract is, and make sure you keep the website and ad accounts if you leave.
Canadian agencies compared with US agencies
About half the agencies in our study are Canadian. For the services where enough of both publish prices, here is how they compare once US prices are converted to Canadian dollars.
| Service | Canadian agencies | US agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Website (one time) | $1,500 (11) | $5,416 (8) |
| Local SEO (monthly) | $709 (13) | $874 (12) |
| Google Ads management (monthly) | $574 (6) | $699 (10) |
| Full-service plan (monthly) | $1,999 (7) | $2,123 (14) |
| Service | Contractor specialists | General agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Website (one time) | $2,950 (13) | $950 (6) |
| Local SEO (monthly) | $698 (11) | $973 (14) |
| Google Ads management (monthly) | $874 (6) | $698 (10) |
What this means for you: a US agency's price looks smaller than it is: a $1,500 USD plan is about $2,100 CAD. A Canadian agency also knows Canadian lead costs, Canadian search habits and rules like CASL for email and text follow-up.
How to set your marketing budget
Start with what one job is worth to you and how many more you want each month, then work back. Three common starting points, using our prices:
- Getting set up: the $3,500 Foundation Package once (website, brand, cards, Google profile), then reviews and posting on your own.
- Steady growth: Local SEO at $1,400 a month, plus a $1,000 to $2,000 Google Ads budget when you need work sooner.
- Filling the calendar: ads management at $1,000 to $1,500 a month, plus a $2,000 to $5,000 ad budget across Google and Facebook.
Use the calculator below to see what an ad budget buys in your trade.
Starts from each trade's typical cost per lead in our 2026 benchmarks, in Canadian dollars.217 About 42 in 100 contractor leads book a job,161822 so the booking rate starts at 40%. Return on ad spend counts the value of the booked jobs, not your profit.
Red flags in a marketing quote
- No price until after a long sales call.
- A long contract with no way out if it isn't working.
- The agency owns your website, domain or ad account.
- Promises of a #1 ranking or a set number of leads.
- Reports full of clicks and impressions, with nothing about calls or booked jobs.
- A monthly fee for "branding". A brand is built once.
What we charge
Every Debut Marketing price, next to the typical starting price for the same service. Some of ours sit above it, because they include more work each month; some sit below.
| Service | Debut Marketing | Typical starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Website | $3,200 one time (up to 15 pages), or $11,000 with unlimited pages and 3 months of SEO | $2,400 one time |
| Foundation Package | $3,500 one time: website, brand, business cards and Google Business Profile, by application | No direct match |
| Local SEO | $1,400 or $4,600 a month | $709 a month |
| Google Business Profile | Set up in the Foundation Package, managed in Local SEO | $839 a month |
| Google Ads or Facebook ads management | $1,000 or $1,500 a month, plus your ad budget | $699 (Google), $1,649 (Facebook) a month |
| AEO and GEO (AI search) | $2,400 or $5,000 a month | $1,118 a month |
| Logo and branding | $1,600 or $3,600 one time | $895 one time |
| Photo and video | $1,400 Media Refresh, $1,500 Ad Creative, drone from $800 | See the photo and video section |
| AI automation | $600 or $1,200 a month | Too few published prices to compare |
Questions contractors ask
How much should a contractor spend on marketing?
Start from your job value. There's no right percentage. The useful question is what one booked job is worth and how many more you want each month. Most of our clients start with a one-time set-up (about $2,400 for a website at a typical agency) and then $709 to $2,097 a month in ongoing work, plus an ad budget.
How much does a contractor website cost in Canada?
Typically about $2,400 one time, with Canadian agencies starting around $1,500. Expect $2,000 to $6,000 for a site with a page for every service and town. Ours start at $3,200.
How much does SEO cost for a contractor?
Local SEO typically starts at about $709 a month, with half of agencies between $550 to $1,500. Ours are $1,400 and $4,600 a month and include Google Business Profile work.
How much does Google Ads cost for contractors?
Two costs: management (typically about $699 a month to start) and your ad budget. A Google Ads lead typically costs about $121. See the cost per lead in your trade.
Is it cheaper to hire a Canadian agency?
For websites and SEO, usually yes: Canadian agencies in our study start lower once US prices are converted to Canadian dollars. A Canadian agency also knows Canadian lead costs and rules.
Why don't you name the agencies?
We don't rank or promote other agencies. The study is about prices, not companies. Every price came from an agency's own public pricing page, and the anonymous data is in the CSV below.
Methodology
What we did. On October 4 and 5, 2026, we read the public pricing pages of 69 marketing agencies that sell to contractors, home service businesses or small businesses (35 Canadian, 34 American; 35 of them work mainly with contractors), plus 14 photo, video and drone studios (10 Canadian), and recorded every price they published for each service.
The rules. Only prices an agency publishes for its own work counted; pages that only quoted "market averages" were left out. For each service we took the cheapest published plan as the starting price and the most expensive as the top price. A figure is called "typical" (the median) only when five or more agencies publish that service; thinner services are given as ranges. US prices were converted at the Bank of Canada's 2025 average rate ($1 USD = $1.3978 CAD). Ad budgets are never included.
Limits. Agencies that publish prices may differ from those that don't, and many of the largest agencies only quote on request. Plans with the same name can include very different work. We don't name the agencies; the anonymous data is in the CSV below.
Cite this report
Striemer, E. (2026, October 4). How Much Does Marketing Cost For Contractors In Vancouver. Debut Marketing. Report ID DMS-Agency-Prices-2026. https://debutmarketing.ca/contractor-marketing-cost-breakdown
Publications and individuals are welcome to use these figures and charts. Please credit Debut Marketing and link to this page.
Sources
- 1 Debut Marketing (2026). Debut Marketing Agency Price Study 2026. Published prices of 69 marketing agencies (35 Canadian) and 14 photo, video and drone studios, October 4 and 5, 2026.
- 2 LocaliQ (2025). 2025 Home Services Search Ad Benchmarks. 3,211 US Google search campaigns, April 2024 to March 2025. Medians, US dollars.
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Keep reading
-
HomeStars vs Houzz for Contractors How each one works, what it costs, who it suits, and straight answers to what contractors search about both. Read it -
Showing Up in ChatGPT and Google AI How AI search picks which contractors to mention, and a 12-month plan to become one of them. Read it -
Roofing Website Statistics 2026 131 Canadian roofing companies scored on their websites and Google profiles: the grades, the gaps and the fixes. Read it