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      Google Ads for roofers: how small roofing firms stop wasting budget

      By Roofer Leads team, 28 September 2026. 3 min read

      Short answer

      Google Ads works for roofers when the account is split by job type, limited to the areas your teams can reach, cleaned of irrelevant searches every week and measured on jobs won rather than clicks. Most wasted spend comes from three places: DIY and job-seeker searches, loose location settings, and calls and forms that are not tracked.

      Key points

      • Split campaigns by job type so re-roofs and repairs get their own budgets.
      • Add negative keywords for DIY, jobs, courses and materials from day one.
      • Target people in your area, not people interested in it.
      • Track calls and forms, and feed jobs won back to Google.
      • Review the search terms report every week.

      For a roofing company with two or three teams, Google Ads can fill the diary or quietly burn money. The difference is rarely the budget. It is the set-up.

      Here is the structure we use, and the mistakes we see most in roofing accounts.

      Split campaigns by the job, not the business

      One campaign called "Roofing" with every keyword in it is the most common mistake. A £150 ridge repair and a £12,000 re-roof are different jobs with different searches, and they deserve different budgets.

      A simple structure for a small firm:

      • Repairs and emergencies: "roof repair", "roof leak repair", "emergency roofer".
      • Re-roofs: "new roof cost", "re-roof", "roof replacement".
      • Flat roofs: "flat roof replacement", "GRP roof", "EPDM roof".
      • Roofline: "fascias and soffits", "guttering replacement".

      You can then put more money behind the work that keeps teams busy for days.

      Add negative keywords on day one

      Roofing searches attract a lot of people who will never hire you. Add these as negatives before you spend a penny, then keep adding from the search terms report:

      • Job seekers: jobs, vacancies, apprenticeship, salary, course, training.
      • DIY: how to, DIY, video, YouTube, yourself.
      • Materials: felt, B&Q, Screwfix, Wickes, price per tile, supplier.
      • Wrong services: car roof, roof box, roof rack.

      Get the location settings right

      By default, Google can show your ads to people who are "interested in" your area, not just people in it. For roofing, change the setting to presence: people in or regularly in your locations.

      Then draw your area around where your teams can realistically work, and lower bids or exclude areas where jobs rarely turn a profit.

      Run ads when someone can answer

      If nobody answers the phone after 6pm, either turn call ads off in the evening or make sure enquiries go to WhatsApp with an instant reply. Urgent repair searches spike when the weather turns, so be ready to raise budgets on the days that matter.

      Track calls, forms and jobs won

      Without tracking, Google is guessing. Set up:

      • Call tracking on your ads and website, counting calls over 60 seconds or so as leads.
      • Form and WhatsApp tracking on the site.
      • Offline conversions: when a lead becomes a job, send it back to Google, so the system learns which searches bring paying customers, not just enquiries.

      Consider Local Services Ads alongside

      Google lists roofers as a category for Local Services Ads, which appear above the normal ads and charge per lead rather than per click. Businesses that pass Google's checks now show a single Google Verified badge. Google has also ended its money-back guarantee for services booked from December 2025, so do not promise homeowners a "Google Guaranteed" cover.

      Check it every week

      Ten minutes a week is enough for a small account: read the search terms, add negatives, pause keywords that spend without leads, and check that the phone number on every ad still works.

      If you would like us to look over your account, ask for a free 15-minute audit. We will show you where the budget is leaking and what we would change first.

      Questions and answers

      How much should a roofer spend on Google Ads?

      Start with a budget you can sustain for at least three months in a tight area, track cost per job won, and only increase spend on the campaigns that bring paying work.

      What are good negative keywords for roofing ads?

      Jobs, vacancies, apprenticeship, course, training, DIY, how to, felt, B&Q, Screwfix, car roof and roof box are a good start. Add more every week from the search terms report.

      Should roofers use Local Services Ads or Search ads?

      Many use both. Local Services Ads charge per lead and show above normal ads, while Search ads give more control over job types and keywords. Track jobs won from each.

      Why does my roofing ad budget run out by lunchtime?

      Usually because the campaign is too broad, targeting people interested in your area rather than in it, or paying for irrelevant searches. Tighten the location setting and add negative keywords.

      Sources

      1. Google, Local Services Ads help: about Local Services Ads
      2. Google, Local Services Ads help: Google guarantee changes
      3. BPCA, Google Local Service Ads verified check, September 2025
      4. Google Ads help: about advanced location options
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