Research · Debut Trades Index · 2026
Home Builder Website Statistics 2026: 153 Canadian Home Builders Scored
We tested 153 Canadian home builder websites on six things that decide whether a buyer calls: speed, contact, proof, phones, Google and accessibility. The average scored 56.3 out of 100. Part 2 adds 140 duplex and multiplex builders, scored on their websites and Google profiles.
Key findings
- The average builder website scores 56.3 out of 100, an F. Only 4 of 153 websites earned a B and none earned an A. 136 scored a D or an F.1
- Only 5% pass Google's speed test on a phone. The middle website scored 57 out of 100, and its main picture took 12.1 seconds to show on a test phone.
- Only 19% show a phone number on a phone without scrolling. And 41% have a contact or quote button in the first screen.
- Only 39% show reviews on the home page. Reviews are what homeowners check first, yet most builders keep them off the page or don't show them at all.
- Only 7% mention their new home warranty. The warranty answers a buyer's biggest fear, and in most provinces every new home has one.
- One in three has no main heading. Only 44% of home pages have exactly one, the heading Google reads first.
- The best builders win on contact and proof. The top quarter averaged 70.4 and the bottom quarter 42.6. The biggest gaps were the cheapest to fix.
Buyers spend months choosing a builder, and most of that time is spent on your website. So we tested 153 of them. We picked builders at random from the Canadian Home Builders' Association member directory, from every province, and checked each home page the way a buyer sees it: on a phone.
Each website got a score out of 100, in six plain categories. Here is how the industry did, where builders lose buyers, and the fixes that move a website up a grade.
How we scored each website
Every website was tested the same way, on the same day, with the same tools. The score is out of 100, and the grades work like school: 90 and up is an A, under 60 is an F.
| Category | Points | What we checked |
|---|---|---|
| Loads fast on a phone | 20 | Google's own speed test (Lighthouse) on a phone, scaled from 100 to 20 points |
| Easy to call or ask for a quote | 20 | A tap-to-call phone number, a phone number in the first screen on a phone, a quote or contact button in the first screen, and a form on the home page or one click away (5 points each) |
| Shows proof you're the real deal | 20 | Reviews or testimonials (6), photos of projects (4), your new home warranty (4), awards or memberships (3) and years in business (3). Half points when reviews or warranty are one click away |
| Works well on a phone | 15 | Fits the screen, no sideways scrolling, text big enough to read, and buttons big enough to tap |
| Easy for Google to understand | 15 | A good page title, a meta description, exactly one main heading, the city or region in the title or heading, and local business structured data (3 points each) |
| Easy for everyone to use | 10 | No critical accessibility errors (5), descriptions on images (3) and readable colour contrast (2), tested with axe-core |
Most builder websites score a D or an F
The average builder website scored 56.3 out of 100, an F. The middle website scored 57. Only 4 of 153 earned a B, and none earned an A. 136 of 153 scored a D or an F.
Show the numbers as a table
| Grade | Websites |
|---|---|
| A | 0 |
| B | 4 |
| C | 13 |
| D | 40 |
| F | 96 |
Show the numbers as a table
| Score | Websites |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | 7 |
| 40 to 49 | 39 |
| 50 to 59 | 50 |
| 60 to 69 | 40 |
| 70 to 79 | 13 |
| 80 to 89 | 4 |
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Websites scored | 153 |
| Average | 56.3 |
| Median (the middle website) | 57 |
| Lowest | 37 |
| Highest | 86 |
| Bottom quarter scores below | 48 |
| Top quarter scores above | 64 |
Where builders lose the most points
Builder websites mostly work on a phone. Where they fall down is the part that turns a visitor into a call: making it easy to get in touch, and showing proof.
What the best builder websites do differently
The top quarter of websites averaged 70.4; the bottom quarter averaged 42.6. The biggest gaps weren't speed or design. They were contact and proof: a phone number and a quote button up top, and reviews on the page.
| Category | Top quarter | Bottom quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Loads fast on a phone | 12.4 | 10.2 |
| Easy to call or ask for a quote | 14.6 | 5.3 |
| Shows proof you're the real deal | 13.4 | 5.6 |
| Works well on a phone | 12.6 | 10.5 |
| Easy for Google to understand | 10.9 | 6.1 |
| Easy for everyone to use | 6.3 | 4.9 |
What this means for builders: the gap between a D and a B is mostly free to close. Moving your phone number and a quote button into the first screen and adding reviews to the home page are an afternoon of work for most websites.
Speed: how fast do builder websites load on a phone?
Builder websites are slow on phones. On Google's own speed test, the middle builder website scored 57 out of 100, and only 5% scored 90 or more, the "good" mark. The main picture on the home page took 12.1 seconds to show on a test phone; Google counts 2.5 seconds or less as good, and only 2% of builder websites got there.
| Measure | Middle builder website | Google's "good" |
|---|---|---|
| Speed score | 57 out of 100 | 90 or more |
| Main picture or text shows (LCP) | 12.1 seconds | 2.5 seconds or less |
| First thing shows (FCP) | 3.4 seconds | 1.8 seconds or less |
| Page size | 4.4 MB | The smaller the better |
| Layout jumps while loading (CLS) | 0.001 | 0.1 or less |
What this means for builders: the usual cause is huge photos and videos at the top of the page. Builders' best asset, their photos, is what slows the site down. Resize photos before they go on the website, and don't autoplay a full video on phones. You can test your own website free with Google PageSpeed Insights.
Contact: can a buyer reach you from their phone?
Most builder websites have a contact form, but on a phone, the way to reach the builder is often hidden. Only 19% showed a phone number without scrolling, and 41% had a contact or quote button in the first screen. 44% had no tap-to-call phone number anywhere on the home page.
What this means for builders: put your phone number in the header on phones, make it tap-to-call, and add one clear button, like "Book a consultation", above the fold. Keep the form short: the middle builder form had 5 fields, and 12% asked for more than 8. In our survey of 1,113 homeowners, "an easy way to get in touch" was the thing that made a contractor's website most trustworthy.
Proof: do builder websites show buyers they can be trusted?
Builders are good at showing their homes: 82% have a gallery or project photos. They're much worse at showing what other buyers say. Only 39% show reviews or testimonials on the home page, and only 7% mention their new home warranty there (16% at least link to it).
What this means for builders: new homes in most provinces come with a warranty by law, like Tarion in Ontario, BC Housing's home warranty insurance in BC, Alberta's new home warranty and Manitoba's. Saying who your warranty is with costs nothing and answers a buyer's biggest fear. And show reviews: reviews are the first thing 87% of homeowners check. See how many reviews you need.
Phones: do builder websites work on a phone?
This is where builders do best. Almost every website fits a phone screen without sideways scrolling. The weak spots are small text on 28% of websites and buttons too small to tap comfortably on about half.
Google: can Google tell what you build and where?
Google reads your page title, your main heading and your structured data to understand your business. Only 44% of builder home pages had exactly one main heading: 35% had none, and 22% had several. Only 42% named their city or region in the title or main heading, and 24% used local business structured data.
What this means for builders: give your home page one main heading that says what you build and where, like "Custom home builder in Kelowna", and use the same words in the page title. These are some of the cheapest fixes on this list. Our local SEO and Google Business Profile pages explain the rest.
Accessibility: can everyone use builder websites?
46% of builder websites had at least one critical accessibility error, and 87% had at least one serious one, using axe-core, the open-source test most audits use. The most common problems were links and buttons with no readable name and text that's hard to read against its background.
What this means for builders: accessibility is also good business: older buyers, and anyone reading on a phone in the sun, need readable text and clear buttons. In Ontario, the AODA sets accessibility rules for many businesses' websites.
What else builders put on their websites
Few builders show prices (11%), even though price is one of the first things buyers want to know. Floor plans or show homes appear on 29%, video on 29%, and online booking on just 7%.
What this means for builders: a "homes from" price filters out people who aren't in your budget before they call, and a way to book a consultation online catches buyers who browse at night. If you run ads, make sure the Google Ads tag and Meta pixel are on your site, or you can't tell which ads sold homes.
Which website platforms do builders use?
Half of builder websites run on WordPress. The platform matters less than how it's set up: there were fast and slow websites on every platform.
Builders by region
Scores were close in every region. There's no part of the country where builder websites are much better or worse.
| Region | Websites | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 45 | 57 |
| Prairies | 31 | 55.3 |
| Ontario | 61 | 56.9 |
| Quebec and Atlantic | 16 | 54.3 |
How to move your website up a grade
These ten fixes are what separate the top quarter from the bottom. Most cost little or nothing. If you'd rather have it done for you, see how we market home builders and the websites we build.
| Fix | How many builders already do it | Points it's worth |
|---|---|---|
| Put your phone number in the header on phones | 19% | Up to 5 |
| Add a "Book a consultation" or "Get a quote" button to the first screen | 41% | Up to 5 |
| Show three to five reviews on the home page | 39% | Up to 6 |
| Name your new home warranty provider | 7% | Up to 4 |
| Use exactly one main heading that says what you build and where | 44% | Up to 6 |
| Make your phone number tap-to-call | 56% | Up to 5 |
| Shrink your photos so the page loads fast | 5% pass | Up to 20 |
| Make buttons and links big enough to tap | 50% | Up to 4 |
| Add local business structured data | 24% | Up to 3 |
| Describe every image for screen readers and Google | 78% | Up to 3 |
Part 2: 140 duplex and multiplex builders, websites and Google profiles
Everything above comes from the 153 home builders in the CHBA member directory, tested on October 4, 2026. This second part is a separate sample from the Debut Trades Index: 140 duplex and multiplex builders found on Google Maps in Debut's 21 markets, tested on October 6 and 7, 2026. Their websites were scored on the same six categories and weights as the study above, and their public Google profiles were scored too. The two halves make one Debut Digital Score.
Because the samples were found in different ways, compare the two parts by category, not by the overall average. The CHBA sample is every kind of builder that joins the association; this one is the builders a homeowner sees first when they search Google Maps for a duplex or multiplex builder.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Businesses scored | 140 duplex and multiplex builders |
| Markets | 21 Debut markets in BC, the Prairies, Ontario and Atlantic Canada |
| Average Debut Digital Score | 64.4 / 100 (D) |
| Average Website Score | 62.6 / 100 |
| Average Profile Score | 66.1 / 100 |
| Range (Digital Score) | 29.4 to 94.9 |
| Collection dates | October 6 to October 7, 2026 |
| Report ID | DTI-Multiplex-2026-v1 |
Key findings from the duplex and multiplex sample
- The average duplex and multiplex builder business scored 64.4 out of 100 on the Debut Digital Score, a D, across 140 businesses in 21 Canadian markets.
- 71% of the 140 duplex and multiplex builders we scored earned a D or an F; 9 earned an A or a B.
- About 1 in 4 duplex and multiplex builder websites (23% of 140) show a phone number in the first screen on a phone.
- Only 6% of duplex and multiplex builder websites score 90 or better for mobile speed on Google Lighthouse; 21% score under 50.
- The median multiplex builder has 17 Google reviews ; 9% of the 140 have 100 or more.
- The check that most separates the best from the rest is reviews or testimonials on the home page: 89% of the top quarter have it, against 26% of the bottom quarter.
- 31% of duplex and multiplex builder websites have at least one critical accessibility error under the main web accessibility standard (WCAG 2.1 AA).
How we scored the 140 duplex and multiplex builders
Every business gets two scores out of 100, and the Debut Digital Score is the average of the two. Scoring is rules only: the same checks and points for every business, with no manual adjustments.
Debut Website Score (100). Same six categories and weights as the 153-builder study above, so every trade compares with it.
| Category | Points | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Loads fast on a phone | 20 | Lighthouse mobile performance scaled to 20; LCP, CLS and TBT recorded |
| Easy to call or ask for a quote | 20 | Tap-to-call link, phone in the first phone screen, quote or contact button in the first phone screen, form on the home page or one click away (5 each) |
| Shows proof you're the real deal | 20 | Reviews or testimonials (6), project photos (4), warranty or guarantee (4), licences, memberships or certifications (3), years in business (3) |
| Works well on a phone | 15 | Mobile viewport (4), no sideways scrolling (4), readable text (4), tap targets 24 px or larger (3) |
| Easy for Google to understand | 15 | Title, meta description, exactly one H1, city or region in the title or H1, LocalBusiness structured data (3 each) |
| Easy for everyone to use | 10 | No critical axe-core errors (5), image alt text (3), colour contrast (2) |
Debut Profile Score (100). From the business's public Google Maps listing. This edition scores the 60 points a signed-out visitor can see, then scales them to 100.
| Category | Points | Thresholds |
|---|---|---|
| Review count | 25 | 100+ = 25, 50 to 99 = 20, 25 to 49 = 15, 10 to 24 = 8, under 10 = 0 |
| Rating | 15 | 4.8+ = 15, 4.5 to 4.79 = 10, 4.0 to 4.49 = 5, under 4.0 or no rating = 0 |
| Profile completeness | 20 | Website linked, hours listed, primary category matches the trade, phone number (5 each) |
Grades: A 90+, B 80 to 89, C 70 to 79, D 60 to 69, F under 60.
Duplex and multiplex builder proof items. Licences and certifications count when the page names a BC Housing licence, Tarion or Alberta New Home Warranty registration, CHBA membership, or Energy Star or Net Zero labels. A general licence, membership, accreditation, BBB, WorkSafeBC, WSIB or WCB mention also counts. Warranty counts for any warranty or guarantee, including 2-5-10 home warranty coverage.
Most duplex and multiplex builders score a D
41% of the 140 duplex and multiplex builders we scored landed in the D band, and the median Digital Score was 65.0. On the Website Score alone the average was 62.6, a D. One business earned an A. The best scored 94.9 and the lowest 29.4.
Show the numbers as a table
| Grade | Share (businesses) |
|---|---|
| A (90+) | 1% (1) |
| B (80-89) | 6% (8) |
| C (70-79) | 22% (31) |
| D (60-69) | 41% (57) |
| F (under 60) | 31% (43) |
On the website alone, 75% of duplex and multiplex builder sites score a D or F, against 50% on the Google profile alone. 59% of duplex and multiplex builders score higher on Google Maps than on their own website.
Show the numbers as a table
| Score bin | Businesses |
|---|---|
| 20 to 24.9 | 0 |
| 25 to 29.9 | 1 |
| 30 to 34.9 | 0 |
| 35 to 39.9 | 2 |
| 40 to 44.9 | 2 |
| 45 to 49.9 | 11 |
| 50 to 54.9 | 8 |
| 55 to 59.9 | 19 |
| 60 to 64.9 | 27 |
| 65 to 69.9 | 30 |
| 70 to 74.9 | 22 |
| 75 to 79.9 | 9 |
| 80 to 84.9 | 5 |
| 85 to 89.9 | 3 |
| 90 to 94.9 | 1 |
| 95 to 99.9 | 0 |
| Score | Businesses | Average | Middle score (median) | Middle half scored between | Lowest | Highest | Spread (standard deviation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debut Digital Score | 140 | 64.4 | 65.0 | 57.4 and 70.7 | 29.4 | 94.9 | 10.9 |
| Website Score | 140 | 62.6 | 63.5 | 55.6 and 69.9 | 33.8 | 89.8 | 11.1 |
| Profile Score | 140 | 66.1 | 69.2 | 58.3 and 75.0 | 25.0 | 100.0 | 16.3 |
Where do duplex and multiplex builders lose the most points?
Duplex and multiplex builder businesses lose the most points on review count (41% of points earned) and contact (51%). They do best on profile completeness (96%).
| Category | Points | Average earned | Share earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loads fast on a phone | 20 | 12.0 | 60% |
| Easy to call or ask for a quote | 20 | 10.1 | 51% |
| Shows proof you're the real deal | 20 | 11.3 | 56% |
| Works well on a phone | 15 | 12.7 | 85% |
| Easy for Google to understand | 15 | 9.8 | 66% |
| Easy for everyone to use | 10 | 6.7 | 67% |
| Review count | 25 | 10.2 | 41% |
| Rating | 15 | 10.3 | 69% |
| Profile completeness | 20 | 19.1 | 96% |
Review count is the first thing a customer compares on Google Maps, right next to the star rating. If a customer can't find a number or a quote button without scrolling, many leave and call the next multiplex builder on the list.
In 14 of the 16 trades we scored, the website half of the score trails the Google profile half. A Google profile fills in most of its basics as soon as you set it up. A website only earns its points if someone built it to.
What do the top quarter of duplex and multiplex builders do differently?
The top quarter of duplex and multiplex builders (35 businesses) averaged 77.3, and the bottom quarter 50.2. The widest gap is in review count.
| Category | Top quarter | Bottom quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Loads fast on a phone | 61% | 61% |
| Easy to call or ask for a quote | 64% | 41% |
| Shows proof you're the real deal | 78% | 34% |
| Works well on a phone | 88% | 80% |
| Easy for Google to understand | 81% | 57% |
| Easy for everyone to use | 69% | 64% |
| Review count | 70% | 16% |
| Rating | 80% | 36% |
| Profile completeness | 98% | 91% |
The top quarter's median business has 49 Google reviews, against 8 in the bottom quarter. The median Lighthouse score is 62 against 57. Speed is a weak spot at both ends, so the top quarter wins on the basics a customer sees and Google reads.
What the top quarter does, ranked by the gap in adoption:
- Reviews or testimonials on the home page: 89% of the top quarter vs 26% of the bottom quarter.
- Warranty or guarantee stated: 63% of the top quarter vs 11% of the bottom quarter.
- Project photos or gallery: 97% of the top quarter vs 60% of the bottom quarter.
- Meta description: 97% of the top quarter vs 60% of the bottom quarter.
- Tap-to-call phone link: 91% of the top quarter vs 57% of the bottom quarter.
What duplex and multiplex builder websites say about themselves
We read the words on each home page and counted the trust claims. These are the lines a homeowner uses to decide if you're safe to let into their home.
| Claim on the home page | All duplex and multiplex builders | Top quarter | Bottom quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eco-friendly or low-impact claim | 24% | 23% | 11% |
| Names an award, "best of" or "top rated" | 23% | 34% | 17% |
| Free estimate or quote | 16% | 23% | 11% |
| Says "licensed" | 9% | 17% | 3% |
| Says "insured" or "liability insurance" | 8% | 17% | 0% |
| Family-owned or family-run | 7% | 6% | 9% |
| Locally owned, or owned and operated | 5% | 6% | 3% |
| WorkSafeBC / WCB / WSIB mentioned | 4% | 6% | 6% |
| Emergency or 24/7 service | 4% | 3% | 0% |
| Financing offered | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Mentions the BBB | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Same-day service | 1% | 6% | 0% |
Debut page script, home page text, 140 websites. A claim counts when the words appear anywhere on the home page.
The claims that most separate the top quarter are names an award, "best of" or "top rated" (34% against 17%), saying "insured" or "liability insurance" (17% against 0%) and saying "licensed" (17% against 3%). Only 8% of duplex and multiplex builder home pages say the business is insured, and 9% say it's licensed. Those are two of the first questions a careful homeowner asks.
A claim works better when it's specific. "Fully insured" is fine. "$5 million liability insurance and WorkSafeBC or WSIB coverage, certificate on request" is better, because the homeowner can check it. The same goes for awards: name the award and the year.
What to do:
- Say you're insured (and licensed, where your trade needs it) near the top of the home page, then give the details on your About page.
- Name your safety coverage (WorkSafeBC, WSIB or your provincial WCB).
- If you put estimates or warranties in writing, say so. Only 1% do.
Google profiles and reviews: how do duplex and multiplex builders show up on Maps?
The median multiplex builder has 17 Google reviews and an average rating of 4.54. 9% have 100 or more reviews and 24% have fewer than 10. 30% hold a perfect 5.0, and 31% sit under 4.5.
Show the numbers as a table
| Google reviews | Businesses |
|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 33 |
| 10 to 24 | 52 |
| 25 to 49 | 29 |
| 50 to 99 | 14 |
| 100 to 249 | 8 |
| 250+ | 4 |
A strong Google profile does not mean a strong website. The two scores were only loosely linked (a correlation of 0.24, where 1 would mean they always move together).
Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking4, along with complete and accurate profile details. Keep in mind these are the businesses Google showed first for "duplex multiplex builder" in each market. Their profiles likely run stronger than the average multiplex builder's.
What to do:
The first page of Google Maps: what duplex and multiplex builder customers see
Besides the 140 businesses we scored, we kept every listing Google Maps showed for "duplex multiplex builder" in each of the 21 markets. That's 431 listings, not counting ads, and they show what a homeowner sees when they search.
6% of those listings had no website. 35% had fewer than 10 reviews, and 11% showed no hours.
| Position on the map list | Listings | Median Google reviews | Average rating | No website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spots 1 to 3 | 57 | 19 | 4.58 | 5% |
| Spots 4 to 10 | 133 | 15 | 4.52 | 6% |
| Spots 11 to 20 | 151 | 13 | 4.56 | 5% |
Google Maps public results, signed-out view, 431 organic listings in 21 markets, October 6 to October 7, 2026.
The top 3 spots had a median of 19 reviews, against 15 for spots 4 to 10 and 13 for spots 11 to 20. Ratings barely change from spot to spot. Google says ranking depends on relevance, distance and prominence, and that reviews help with prominence (Tips to improve your local ranking on Google4). Distance from the searcher still matters, so treat this as a pattern, not a formula.
A perfect 5.0 usually means few reviews. 33% of rated listings show 5.0 stars, with a median of just 7 reviews.
| Star rating | Share of rated listings | Median reviews |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 33% | 7 |
| 4.8 to 4.9 | 17% | 33 |
| 4.5 to 4.7 | 16% | 29 |
| 4.0 to 4.4 | 23% | 21 |
| Under 4.0 | 12% | 11 |
To most homeowners, a 4.8 with 200 reviews looks more solid than a 5.0 with 12.
Primary categories. The 140 businesses we scored used 12 different primary categories on Google. The most common:
| Google category | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Home builder | 45 | 32% |
| Custom home builder | 39 | 28% |
| Construction company | 28 | 20% |
| Not shown in the list view | 15 | 11% |
| General contractor | 5 | 4% |
| Contractor | 2 | 1% |
| Property management company | 1 | 1% |
| Design agency | 1 | 1% |
In Whitespark's 2026 survey of 47 local search experts, the primary category ranked as the #1 factor for showing up in the map results (Local Search Ranking Factors 20267). Pick the one that matches the work you want most, following Google's Guidelines for representing your business on Google6.
Ads on the map. We saw 3 sponsored listings in 3 of the 21 market searches. We searched signed out, so a homeowner searching on their own phone may see different ads.
What to do:
- Link your website from your Google profile. It's a free edge over the 6% who don't.
- Check your hours. Turn off "Open 24 hours" unless you really answer at 3 a.m.
- Send every happy customer your direct review link. Google suggests sharing a link or QR code (Tips to get more reviews8).
Duplex and multiplex builders: strong website, strong profile, or both?
We split the 140 duplex and multiplex builders by whether each half of the score reached 70 (a C or better).
| Google profile 70+ | Google profile under 70 | |
|---|---|---|
| Website 70+ | 16% (both strong) | 9% (website only) |
| Website under 70 | 34% (profile only) | 41% (neither) |
Where only one half is strong, it's usually the Google profile, sending people to a weaker website. 34% of duplex and multiplex builders fall in that box. Their reviews earn the click, then the site has to earn the call. 16% are strong on both. The biggest group, though, is neither: 41% of duplex and multiplex builders score under 70 on both halves. That's how much room there is in this trade.
Social media and review sites: duplex and multiplex builders
We counted the social and review sites each home page links to.
| Site linked from the home page | All duplex and multiplex builders | Top quarter | Bottom quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76% | 86% | 74% | |
| 71% | 89% | 60% | |
| 29% | 40% | 17% | |
| YouTube | 28% | 46% | 20% |
| X (Twitter) | 13% | 23% | 17% |
| 9% | 14% | 9% | |
| Houzz | 9% | 11% | 0% |
| BBB | 7% | 11% | 3% |
| TikTok | 1% | 6% | 0% |
Debut page script, links on the home page, 140 websites.
Facebook is the most linked at 76%. 21% of duplex and multiplex builder home pages link to no social media at all, and 44% link to three or more. A link is only the starting point. It doesn't tell us whether anyone posts there.
Google is the review site that matters most, and few link to it. 29% of duplex and multiplex builder home pages link to their Google profile or map (51% of the top quarter against 20% of the bottom quarter). Only 3% link straight to the "write a review" box.
What to do:
- Link your Google profile from the footer, so visitors can check your reviews in one tap.
- Make a short review link and put it in your invoice email and on a card you leave at the job.
- Link only the social accounts you actually keep up. A Facebook page with no posts since 2021 can do more harm than no link.
How do duplex and multiplex builders compare with other trades?
Duplex and multiplex builders rank 14 of 16 trades we scored with the same method in the same window.
| Rank | Trade | Businesses | Digital Score | Website Score | Profile Score | D or F | Median reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plumbers | 126 | 82.2 | 72.7 | 91.6 | 12% | 189 |
| 2 | HVAC Contractors | 136 | 82.0 | 72.5 | 91.5 | 10% | 215 |
| 3 | Roofers | 131 | 78.7 | 73.3 | 84.1 | 22% | 77 |
| 4 | Electricians | 132 | 77.5 | 69.8 | 85.2 | 23% | 85 |
| 5 | Painters | 132 | 76.7 | 71.2 | 82.1 | 29% | 61 |
| 6 | Arborists | 126 | 75.7 | 67.6 | 83.8 | 29% | 69 |
| 7 | Renovators | 126 | 74.4 | 70.6 | 78.1 | 32% | 34 |
| 8 | Landscapers | 129 | 74.3 | 68.1 | 80.5 | 26% | 45 |
| 9 | General Contractors | 128 | 73.1 | 69.5 | 76.6 | 35% | 29 |
| 10 | Flooring Contractors | 115 | 72.4 | 67.4 | 77.3 | 43% | 33 |
| 11 | Construction Companies | 133 | 69.9 | 66.3 | 73.5 | 48% | 26 |
| 12 | Concrete Contractors | 131 | 67.2 | 65.9 | 68.4 | 60% | 18 |
| 13 | Demolition Contractors | 131 | 65.5 | 66.7 | 64.3 | 63% | 14 |
| 14 | Duplex and Multiplex Builders | 140 | 64.4 | 62.6 | 66.1 | 71% | 17 |
| 15 | Carpenters | 130 | 63.2 | 63.0 | 63.4 | 76% | 15 |
| 16 | Excavation Contractors | 120 | 62.2 | 63.5 | 60.8 | 74% | 14 |
Our home builder study scored websites only: 153 builders averaged 56.3 on the same six categories. It drew its sample a different way and ran in its own window, so compare it with the trades above with care.
10 fixes that move a multiplex builder up a grade
Ranked by the Digital Score points the average multiplex builder in this study would gain. Website points count half in the Digital Score, and profile points are scaled.
| Rank | Fix | Points on its scale | Duplex and multiplex builders already doing it | Average Digital points gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Move up one Google review band | 25 | 9% | 5.0 |
| 2 | Get Lighthouse mobile speed to 90+ | 20 | 6% | 3.0 |
| 3 | Phone number in the first screen on a phone | 5 | 23% | 1.9 |
| 4 | Quote or contact button in the first screen on a phone | 5 | 29% | 1.8 |
| 5 | Reviews or testimonials on the home page | 6 | 58% | 1.3 |
| 6 | Warranty or guarantee stated | 4 | 39% | 1.2 |
| 7 | LocalBusiness structured data | 3 | 34% | 1.0 |
| 8 | Licences, memberships or certifications | 3 | 49% | 0.8 |
| 9 | No critical accessibility errors | 5 | 69% | 0.8 |
| 10 | Years in business stated | 3 | 49% | 0.8 |
Most fixes on this list are content changes a business can make in a week; speed usually needs a developer or a lighter website.
What a better builder website is worth
The score is a stand-in for something you care about more: how many visitors turn into calls and forms. Our Contractor Website Statistics 2026 study looked at 750+ Canadian contractor websites with data from more than 20 marketing agencies. The bottom quarter of sites turned 1.4% of visitors into leads, the typical site 3.7% and the top 10% 8.9%.
| For every 1,000 visitors | Conversion rate | Leads |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom quarter of contractor sites | 1.4% | 14 |
| Typical contractor site | 3.7% | 37 |
| Top 10% of contractor sites | 8.9% | 89 |
Debut Contractor Website Statistics 2026, 750+ Canadian contractor websites, January to September 2026.
Same traffic, same ad spend, six times the leads at the top. In that study, sites with a page for each service and sites with reviews, real project photos and team photos converted far better than sites without them, and those are the same things that separate the top quarter of duplex and multiplex builders here. These figures show what goes together, not proof that one change causes another. But the direction is clear.
A 30-day plan for a multiplex builder
Here's how I'd use this study if I ran a duplex and multiplex builder business. It follows the fix list above, cheapest first.
Week 1: your Google profile.
- Check your primary category, hours and phone number.
- Turn off "Open 24 hours" if it isn't true.
- Text your last 20 happy customers your review link. The median multiplex builder here has 17 reviews, and 39 puts you in the top quarter.
Week 2: your phone screen.
- Put a tap-to-call number and one "Get a quote" button at the top of every page.
- Cut the form to five fields.
- Add your email address and hours to the footer.
Week 3: your proof.
- Put three real reviews and 6 to 12 photos of your own jobs on the home page.
- Say you're insured, name your safety coverage and any licence, and state your warranty in plain words.
- Add the year you started.
Week 4: speed and Google basics.
- Shrink your photos and test the home page on PageSpeed Insights.
- Fix the page title, write a meta description and make sure there's one H1.
- Give your main services their own pages.
For the average multiplex builder in this study, the fix worth the most is "Move up one Google review band" (about 5.0 Digital Score points), and only 9% already do it.
Questions contractors ask
What is the average score of a Canadian home builder website?
56.3 out of 100 in our test of 153 websites, an F. The middle website scored 57, the best 86 and the lowest 37.
What should a home builder website include?
A phone number and a quote or consultation button in the first screen on a phone, reviews, photos of your homes, your new home warranty, your process and timelines, and one clear heading that says what you build and where. It should load fast on a phone.
How fast should a home builder website load?
Google counts 2.5 seconds or less for the main picture or text as good. In our test, only 2% of builder websites got there on a test phone.
Do home builders need reviews on their website?
Yes. Reviews are the first thing most homeowners check, and only 39% of builder home pages showed any.
Which website platform is best for a home builder?
Any of the big ones can work. We found fast and slow sites on WordPress, Squarespace and Wix. How it's built matters more than the platform.
How did you choose the websites?
At random, from builders in the Canadian Home Builders' Association member directory, with the number from each province matching the directory. We didn't choose or skip anyone by name.
Can I get my own website scored?
Yes. Send us your website and we'll test it the same way and send you your score, your grade and the three fixes worth the most.
How many Google reviews does a multiplex builder need?
The median multiplex builder in this study has 17. 9% have 100 or more, which is where our review points top out.
How were the businesses chosen (duplex and multiplex sample)?
We searched Google Maps for "duplex multiplex builder" in each of Debut's 21 markets and took the first 8 eligible results in Google's order. We skipped ads, directories, businesses with no website and duplicates.
Do I need a website if I have a good Google profile (duplex and multiplex sample)?
Yes. 6% of the duplex and multiplex builder listings we saw on Google Maps had no website, and only 5% of the top 3 spots were missing one. A website is also where homeowners check your work, warranty and insurance before they call.
How many reviews do I need to show up in the top 3 on Google Maps (duplex and multiplex sample)?
There's no fixed number, because distance and relevance matter too. In our data the top 3 spots had a median of 19 reviews, against 15 for spots 4 to 10.
What social media should a multiplex builder link to?
Facebook and Instagram are the most linked by duplex and multiplex builders (76% and 71%). Link only the accounts you keep up, and link your Google profile, which few do.
Glossary
- Debut Digital Score
- The average of the Website Score and the Profile Score, out of 100
- Lighthouse
- Google's free tool that tests how fast a page loads, here on a simulated mid-range phone over a slow 4G connection
- Google Business Profile
- The listing that shows a business on Google Maps and in local search results
- Median
- The middle value when every score is lined up from low to high
- Top quarter
- The 35 businesses with the highest Digital Scores
- Percentile
- The share of businesses that scored lower. The 75th percentile is the score that beats 3 in 4
- Sponsored listing
- A paid ad shown among Google Maps results
Methodology
- Part 1
- 153 home builder websites (CHBA directory), October 4, 2026
- Part 2
- 140 duplex and multiplex builders, websites and Google profiles, October 6 to 7, 2026
Sample. We took every member listed as a Builder in the Canadian Home Builders' Association member directory with a website: 2,155 unique websites. We drew 186 at random (stratified by province, so each province's share matches the directory) and tested them all. 33 were left out: 13 didn't load, 7 were parked or placeholder pages, 11 had almost no text, and 2 failed the speed test. That left 153.
Testing. On October 4, 2026, each home page was opened in Chromium on an iPhone-size screen (390 by 844), scrolled to the bottom so every section loaded, and checked automatically. Speed is Google Lighthouse 12 in its standard mobile test. Accessibility is axe-core 4.13 against WCAG 2.1 AA. When the home page had no form, we followed its contact link and checked that page too.
Scoring. Six categories, 100 points, as in the table above. Grades follow the school scale: A 90+, B 80 to 89, C 70 to 79, D 60 to 69, F under 60.
Limits. We tested the home page (and the contact page when needed), not the whole website, so a builder whose reviews or warranty sit deeper in the site lost those points or got half. Automated checks can miss things a person would see, and lab speed tests use a slow phone connection, so real visits are usually faster. Builders in the CHBA directory may differ from builders who aren't members. No builder is named; results are only shown in aggregate.
Part 2: duplex and multiplex builders (DTI-Multiplex-2026-v1)
Sample. We searched Google Maps for "duplex multiplex builder [city] [province]" in each of Debut's 21 markets and took the first 8 results in each that passed eligibility, in Google's order, skipping ads. Eligible means an independent business with its own website, serving customers in Canada, with a Google profile we could find. A local franchise counts when its profile links to its own location page. 150 businesses passed. 10 of those could not be measured, leaving 140 scored.
Exclusions (28).
| Reason | Businesses |
|---|---|
| No website on Google profile | 10 |
| Not a contractor in this trade (store, supplier, school) | 5 |
| Placeholder page (coming soon or parked) | 5 |
| Duplicate (another location of a business already in the sample) | 3 |
| Site wouldn't load in the collection window | 2 |
| Lighthouse could not complete a mobile test | 2 |
| Accessibility test could not run on the page | 1 |
Collection. One window, October 6 to October 7, 2026, Pacific time. Google Lighthouse 13.5.0 in its default mobile profile (simulated mid-range phone, slow 4G throttling), performance category, one run per site; any score more than 2 standard deviations from the mean was rerun twice and the median kept. axe-core 4.14.0 with WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 A and AA rules on the desktop home page. Our Playwright page script loaded each home page at 390 x 844 (phone) and 1440 x 900 (desktop) in Chrome, saved screenshots and page data, and opened the first contact or quote link when the home page had no form. Google profile fields were read from the public Google Maps results list on the same days.
Scoring. Rules only, as set out in "How we scored each business". The measured page is the one the Google profile links to, which is usually the home page.
Changes from the standard method. (1) Google now shows signed-out visitors a limited Maps view without the reviews tab, so review recency (15 points), owner replies (15), the business description (5) and photo count (5) could not be read. The Profile Score uses the remaining 60 points scaled to 100. (2) Lighthouse ran once per site with outlier reruns, not three times, to keep about 2,000 sites inside one window. (3) The duplex and multiplex builder proof items use the trade list above.
Quality checks. We hand-checked 42 randomly drawn websites from across the index against the script's phone first-screen answers (phone number visible, quote or contact button visible): 84 checks, 1 disagreement (1.2%), under our 5% limit. An earlier hand check found misses on sites built inside an iframe; we fixed the script and reran every site before this one. A quote or contact button counts when its words include quote, estimate, contact, book, schedule, request, consult, get started or inquire. Failures (timeouts, bot blocks, placeholder pages) are counted above. Every number in this report is generated by script from the collected data.
Extra measures in this edition. Contact options, trust claims, founding years, pages linked and social links come from the home page's text and links (and the first contact page for forms), matched with fixed word patterns that are the same for every trade. A claim counts when its words appear anywhere on the home page, so we searched all 2,066 home pages for negative wording such as "not insured" or "not licensed" and found none. Structured data types are read from the home page's JSON-LD. The Google Maps first-page figures use every organic listing Google showed for each market search (431 listings), not just the businesses we scored. Map position is the order in the signed-out results list on the day we searched.
Limits. This is one point in time. We measured the home page (or the page the profile links to), not the whole site. Google profiles were matched from the Maps result, and Maps results vary by searcher and day. The sample is the first Google Maps results in each market, which lean toward established businesses with strong profiles, so these scores likely run higher than the trade as a whole. It covers Debut's 21 markets, not all of Canada, and leaves out Quebec. "Linked with" in this report never means "causes".
What we didn't measure. Review recency and owner replies, profile photos and descriptions, AI assistant visibility, paid ads, and whether the business answers the phone.
Cite this report
Striemer, E. (2026, October 8). Home Builder Website Statistics 2026: 153 Canadian Home Builders Scored. Debut Marketing. Report ID DTI-HomeBuilders-2026-v1. https://debutmarketing.ca/home-builder-website-statistics
Publications, associations and individuals are welcome to use these findings, charts and data. Please credit Debut Marketing and link to this page.
Sources
- 1 Debut Marketing (2026). Debut Trades Index: Canadian Home Builder Websites 2026. 153 Canadian home builder websites from the CHBA member directory, tested and scored on October 4, 2026.
- 2 Google (2025). Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Google's guide to Largest Contentful Paint: 2.5 seconds or less is "good".
- 3 Debut Marketing (2026). Debut Trades Index: Digital State of Canadian Duplex and Multiplex Builders 2026. 140 Canadian duplex and multiplex builders scored on their websites and Google profiles in 21 markets, October 6 to 7, 2026 (report DTI-Multiplex-2026-v1).
- 4 Google. Tips to improve your local ranking on Google (Google Business Profile Help).
- 5 Google Business Profile Help. Manage customer reviews. Replying to reviews, and the ban on discounts in exchange for reviews
- 6 Google Business Profile Help. Guidelines for representing your business on Google. Rules for names, categories, hours and phone numbers
- 7 Whitespark (2026). Local Search Ranking Factors 2026. 47 local search experts rank the primary Google Business Profile category as the #1 factor for map rankings
- 8 Google Business Profile Help. Tips to get more reviews. Asking customers to leave a review through a Google link or QR code
Other links in this guide
- pagespeed.web.devpagespeed.web.dev
- tarion.comtarion.com
- bchousing.orgbchousing.org/licensing-consumer-services
- alberta.caalberta.ca/new-home-warranty
- gov.mb.cagov.mb.ca/finance/cca/cpo/newhomewarranty.html
- github.comgithub.com/dequelabs/axe-core
- ontario.caontario.ca/page/how-make-websites-accessible
- hub.chba.cahub.chba.ca/member-directory
- developer.chrome.comdeveloper.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/overview
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