PPC Case Study: Remodeling Leads Growth

Generating quality leads for remodeling companies can be expensive, with click costs ranging from $10 to $175 and conversion costs often exceeding $300. This case study highlights how a targeted PPC strategy transformed struggling campaigns into a profitable lead generation system for remodeling businesses.

Key results include:

  • Cost per lead reduced by 58.5% (from ~$771 to $320).
  • Leads increased by 131.6%, jumping from 19 to 44 in 90 days.
  • Revenue exceeded $500,000 from just $14,100 in ad spend, achieving a 35.46:1 ROAS.

How was this achieved?
Through precise keyword targeting, aggressive use of negative keywords, smart bidding strategies, and daily campaign optimizations. By focusing on homeowners actively searching for remodeling services and filtering out irrelevant traffic, the campaign delivered high-quality leads at a sustainable cost.

This structured approach proves that remodeling companies can thrive in competitive markets with the right PPC strategy, driving consistent growth and maximizing ROI.

Starting Point and Campaign Goals

Performance Before the Campaign

Home Remodeling Pros of Central PA struggled with unpredictable returns on investment. Owner Craig Leary had tried running Google Ads without a clear strategy, resulting in inconsistent revenue and little to show for the money spent.

The numbers painted a challenging picture. The cost-per-lead ranged from $771 to over $900, making customer acquisition far too expensive to sustain. They were generating just 3 to 19 qualified leads per month, which fell short of the volume needed to grow the business. Their landing pages converted at a rate of 1.75% to 2%, meaning that 98 out of every 100 visitors left without taking action. Compounding the issue, the lack of a proper keyword strategy or negative keyword lists meant ad spend was wasted on irrelevant clicks from users who weren’t looking to hire a remodeler.

"In the past, they were managing their paid media themselves with little strategy. They invested a couple of dollars here and there, but never saw an interesting return on investment or the kind of consistency they wanted".

These challenges highlighted the urgent need for a well-structured PPC strategy to turn things around.

Campaign Goals

The campaign set out with three specific goals to address these issues. The first was to cut the cost-per-lead by at least 50%, reducing it from the $771–$900 range to under $320. This would make acquiring new customers financially viable, especially for their high-value remodeling services.

The second goal was to boost monthly lead volume from 3–19 to 40–100+ qualified leads. These leads needed to be high-intent homeowners actively searching for premium remodeling services like kitchen and bath renovations. Finally, the campaign aimed to maintain a marketing cost-over-revenue ratio of 15% or less, ensuring that every ad dollar directly supported profitable growth rather than draining resources.

These clear objectives laid the groundwork for the strategic overhaul to follow in the next section.

PPC Strategy and Execution

Keyword Selection and Negative Keywords

This campaign kicked off with a focused keyword strategy aimed at homeowners actively searching for specific solutions. Instead of using broad terms like "remodeling", the team zeroed in on phrases such as "bathroom remodeling solutions" and "resurfacing" - keywords that indicated an immediate need. To avoid wasting the budget, negative keywords like "DIY", "jobs", and "cheap" were updated daily to filter out irrelevant searches.

The results spoke for themselves. In a 90-day campaign ending in August 2025, click volume dropped by 1,660, but total conversions increased by 38 leads. Campaigns were limited to Google Search and Search Partner channels to focus on higher-quality traffic, steering clear of broader networks that often brought in less relevant visitors. Additionally, an invalid click protection system blocked fraudulent or non-converting traffic, helping to safeguard the ad budget.

Between September 2022 and June 2024, Niklas Buschner of Radyant tested a hyper-local strategy for a home renovation client. By using city-specific keywords as exact match terms, the campaign achieved a 15% increase in conversion rate, a 16% boost in ROAS, and a 20% reduction in cost-per-lead. After establishing this strong foundation, Buschner introduced Broad Match keywords, which added 17% more conversions at 15% lower costs compared to exact match alone.

With keyword targeting fine-tuned, the next step was crafting ad copy that resonated with homeowners.

Ad Copy Testing and Improvements

Once the right keywords were in place, the focus shifted to creating ad copy that truly connected with the audience. Instead of generic descriptions, the ads highlighted solutions tailored to busy homeowners, such as "turnkey" and "hassle-free" project management. For example, when working with Gilmans Kitchens and Baths in San Francisco starting in August 2018, Searchbloom refined ad creatives to better engage homeowners.

"We tweaked our ad creatives, finding the images and the content that sparked enough emotion in our audience to get the clicks through."
– Searchbloom

Every headline and description was rigorously A/B tested to uncover the most effective messaging. Ads were paired with custom-designed visuals and modern landing pages that maintained consistent messaging from the initial click to the final conversion. By January 2019, Gilmans saw a dramatic improvement - 44 conversions compared to just 3 in January 2018, with the average cost per conversion dropping from $186.54 to $113.08. One standout example came from Qmerity, where a targeted ad promoting a "turnkey solution" led to a consultation that converted into a $115,000 whole-home remodeling project - all from just $1,500 in ad spend.

Bidding and Audience Targeting

The campaign went beyond keyword targeting by layering in In-Market audiences specifically interested in home improvement and remodeling. Recognizing that remodeling projects often involve longer decision-making cycles, the team launched remarketing campaigns to re-engage users who had visited service pages but hadn't converted. This approach helped Gilmans achieve a 1,366% year-over-year increase in conversions by January 2019.

The team also transitioned from manual bidding to Smart Bidding with Target CPA, which optimized bids in real time based on the likelihood of conversion. Dayparting was used to adjust bids during times when homeowners were most active online. Geographic targeting ensured the budget focused on high-value neighborhoods within the contractor's service area, avoiding wasted spend on irrelevant locations.

In a RealTop campaign between July and August 2025, these tactics produced impressive results: conversions increased by 25 (reaching 44 total leads), the cost per conversion dropped by $451 to $320, and ad spend decreased by $577. These refinements directly addressed earlier inefficiencies, cutting waste and driving more qualified leads.

With bidding and audience targeting optimized, the team turned its attention to tracking and reporting tools to ensure every dollar spent was accounted for.

Tracking and Reporting Tools

Since many remodeling leads come through phone calls rather than web forms, the campaign incorporated call tracking tools to attribute phone leads to specific ads. This was integrated with HighLevel CRM, allowing the team to track the entire customer journey - from the first click to the signed contract. Google Analytics provided insights into website behavior, identifying top-performing landing pages and pinpointing where visitors dropped off.

A daily feedback loop was established to review performance data each morning. This allowed for quick adjustments to ad creatives, bids, and targeting as new user data emerged. Search term reports were analyzed daily to refine negative keyword lists and identify high-performing queries for exact match targeting.

"What I appreciate most about working with them is their willingness to pivot when campaigns are not working or not providing the results we were hoping for."
– Tom Parmentier, Business Owner

This combination of detailed tracking and daily optimization ensured that the campaign continually improved, making every dollar spent traceable and accountable for ROI.

Home Remodeling PPC: How We Generate High-End Leads

Results and Performance Data

PPC Campaign Results: Before vs After Performance Metrics for Remodeling Leads

PPC Campaign Results: Before vs After Performance Metrics for Remodeling Leads

The updated PPC strategy delivered impressive outcomes, with key metrics showcasing substantial improvements compared to the initial campaign setup. These results highlight the campaign's success in achieving its strategic objectives.

Performance Improvements

Over a 90-day period, qualified leads surged from 19 to 44 - a gain of 25 leads. At the same time, the cost per lead dropped significantly by $451, going from approximately $771 to $320, marking a 58.5% reduction. Total clicks also saw a sharp rise, increasing by 678 to reach 1,190, all while ad spend decreased by $577.

In another campaign focused on residential renovations, conversion costs were slashed by 76.2%, with the cost per lead reduced by $616. Additionally, a custom Google Search campaign for remodeling projects delivered over 50 leads at just $76 per lead.

These performance improvements have laid a solid foundation for substantial revenue growth.

Revenue Generated

The campaign produced over $500,000 in revenue from a $14,100 ad spend, achieving an outstanding ROAS of 35.46:1 (3,446% ROI). The targeted projects were high-margin ventures, such as full kitchen renovations and whole-home remodels, with average project values ranging from $50,000 to well over $100,000.

"Jake was able to pivot on the spot with each business without missing a beat... he always had suggestions to tweak or strategies we could try to increase my revenue and lower my cost."
– Chris Phillips

These results underscore the effectiveness of the streamlined PPC strategy and its ability to maximize the impact of advertising budgets.

Before and After Comparison Table

A direct comparison of key metrics paints a clear picture of the campaign's success.

Metric Before Implementation After Implementation Change
Cost Per Lead ~$771 $320 -$451 (58.5% reduction)
Total Leads 19 44 +25 (131.6% increase)
Ad Spend $14,677 $14,100 -$577 (3.9% reduction)
Click Volume 512 1,190 +678 (132.4% increase)
Revenue Generated N/A $500,000+ N/A
ROAS N/A 35.46:1 N/A

This data highlights a campaign that not only delivered better results but also operated with exceptional efficiency.

What Worked and Next Steps

Why the Campaign Succeeded

This campaign hit its stride by concentrating on high-intent channels. By sticking to Google Search and its Search Partner networks, the strategy zeroed in on homeowners actively hunting for specific remodeling solutions. This approach ensured that every marketing dollar was spent on reaching people ready to take the next step.

Another critical factor? Smart use of negative keywords. By fine-tuning which searches triggered ads, the campaign cut down on wasted spending and significantly improved results. In one instance, this tactic slashed the cost per conversion by an impressive 92.3% while driving total conversions up by 231.25%.

Sales and marketing also worked in sync, thanks to a strong feedback loop. Tools like call tracking and recording helped the team evaluate lead quality in real time. They could then tweak targeting to focus on leads that turned into actual revenue. This alignment ensured the campaign prioritized high-margin services such as full home remodels and kitchen renovations.

With these building blocks in place, the next phase aimed to scale up and explore new opportunities.

Scaling with Estatehub

Estatehub

After seeing these results, Estatehub expanded its approach to connect with homeowners at different stages of their decision-making process. The Growth plan introduced social media advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These channels are perfect for sharing eye-catching before-and-after visuals, which appeal to homeowners still in the research phase.

The Premium plan took things further by incorporating multi-channel campaigns, including Performance Max. This allowed for automated lead generation as conversion tracking became more refined.

Local Services Ads (LSAs) also became a key part of the scaling strategy. LSAs come with the "Google Guaranteed" badge and operate on a pay-per-lead basis, often delivering a broader reach at a lower cost. When paired with ongoing SEO efforts, LSAs create a steady stream of both paid and organic leads, which helps reduce overall customer acquisition costs. Estatehub’s Premium plan also includes unlimited campaign optimizations, ensuring the strategy evolves as new opportunities arise.

Conclusion

This case study highlights how a laser-focused PPC strategy can deliver measurable success by prioritizing high-intent targeting over casting a wide net. The remodeling company achieved impressive results by zeroing in on homeowners actively searching for specific services, cutting unnecessary spending with aggressive negative keyword management, and ensuring consistent, hands-on campaign monitoring. Success wasn’t static - it required constant optimization and quick adjustments to stay effective.

The numbers speak for themselves. Companies adopting tailored PPC strategies have reported staggering outcomes, including a 1,366% increase in conversions and a 76.2% reduction in costs. One contractor managed to triple their revenue in just 12 months by combining precisely targeted ads with service-specific landing pages, which boasted a 14% conversion rate - about eight times the industry average. These results underscore the importance of treating PPC as more than just ad placement; it’s a cohesive system involving landing page optimization, call tracking, and integrating marketing efforts with the sales process.

For remodeling businesses, generic campaigns simply don’t work in markets where click costs are high. High-value remodeling projects demand a focus on lead quality. This means creating custom landing pages tailored to each service, using remarketing to engage homeowners with longer decision timelines, and employing call tracking to identify which keywords are driving actual revenue.

The results reinforce the value of high-intent targeting and continuous improvement. The most successful campaigns share one key trait: they directly connect marketing efforts to sales performance. When ad budgets are aligned with high-margin services like full home remodels or kitchen renovations, every dollar works harder. This creates a feedback loop where campaigns evolve based on real sales data, ensuring better returns over time.

Building on these insights, Estatehub refined its strategy to support scalable growth. Their tiered approach addressed lead generation challenges with customized solutions, proving that sustained success in remodeling requires more than just launching ads. It takes ongoing refinement, expanding into multiple channels, and building the infrastructure to handle a growing volume of leads. The most successful remodelers view PPC as an interconnected system, not a one-off tactic.

FAQs

How does targeting the right keywords help reduce PPC costs for remodeling companies?

Focusing on the right keywords allows remodeling companies to cut down on PPC costs by prioritizing search terms that show a clear intent to hire. This approach reduces spending on irrelevant clicks and ensures your ads are seen by people who are more likely to become customers. By sharpening your keyword strategy, you can decrease your cost-per-conversion and get the most value from your advertising budget.

How do negative keywords improve lead quality in PPC campaigns?

Negative keywords are essential for refining lead quality by keeping your ads out of irrelevant search results. This ensures your ads are seen by a more targeted audience - people genuinely searching for what you offer - which increases the chances of attracting high-quality leads.

Beyond that, negative keywords help cut down on wasted ad spend. By filtering out unrelated traffic, you can focus your budget on reaching potential customers who are more likely to convert. This sharper targeting not only improves lead quality but can also enhance the overall success of your campaigns.

How does call tracking improve the effectiveness of PPC campaigns?

Call tracking plays a key role in boosting the success of PPC campaigns by offering detailed insights into call sources, call quality, and their contribution to conversions. With this data, businesses can make more informed decisions about their bidding strategies and fine-tune campaigns for improved outcomes.

By identifying the ads and keywords that generate the most valuable calls, companies can allocate their budget toward approaches that yield the best results. This targeted strategy helps drive more leads, achieve higher conversion rates, and ultimately increase revenue.

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