This guide explains how restoration contractors can evaluate PPC, LSA, SEO, and pay-per-call options—and why a job-only, exclusive water damage lead model at a flat $300 per paying job outperforms traditional “pay-per-lead” approaches.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
| Theme | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| Billing Model | You pay only for valid, exclusive live calls that turn into actual paying jobs. Flat price: $300 per job. |
| Why It Wins | Eliminates wasted spend on shared/invalid leads and “good luck converting” models. CAC is fixed at $300, making forecasting simple. |
| Math to Know | Cost per booked job = CPL ÷ Booking. CAC = CPL ÷ (Booking × Close). For job-only billing: CAC = $300; effective CPL = $300 × Booking × Close. |
| Starter Strategy | Run LSA + job-only exclusive calls to get phones ringing; layer Google Ads (call-only) + SEO/GBP for compounding ROI. |
| Quality Control | Invalid (wrong #, out-of-area, non-service, duplicates) are not billable. You’re never charged for calls that don’t become jobs. |
Lead-Gen Models at a Glance
| Model | Exclusivity | What You Pay For | Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job-Only Exclusive Calls (Our Model) | 100% Exclusive | $300 only when a call becomes a paying job | Low — spend tracks sold work | No charges for invalid calls or non-job outcomes. |
| Typical Pay-Per-Lead | Often Shared | Each “lead” regardless of outcome | High — you still must convert | Pay for tire-kickers, wrong services, or out-of-area. |
| DIY PPC / LSA | N/A | Clicks or platform “leads” | Variable — depends on intake | Great at scale, but requires tight QA and scripting. |
Benchmarks & Apples-to-Apples Math
Formulas you’ll use: Cost per booked job = CPL ÷ Booking • CAC (cost per sold job) = CPL ÷ (Booking × Close)
| Channel | CTR | Conv. to Lead | CPL | Booking Rate | Close Rate | Cost / Booked | CAC (Cost / Sold) | Effective CPL* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads (Emergency) | 6–12% | 15–30% | $120–$250 | 35–55% | 45–65% | $218–$714 | $336–$1,587 | $120–$250 |
| Local Services Ads (LSA) | — | — | $90–$200 | 40–60% | 45–65% | $150–$500 | $231–$1,111 | $90–$200 |
| SEO & GBP (Organic) | — | — | $70–$150* | 40–60% | 45–65% | $117–$375 | $179–$833 | $70–$150 |
| Pay-Per-Call (Exclusive) | — | — | $140–$260 | 40–60% | 45–65% | $233–$650 | $359–$1,444 | $140–$260 |
| Job-Only Exclusive Calls ($300) | — | — | — | 40–60% | 45–65% | $300 × Close = $135–$195 | $300 (flat) | $300 × Booking × Close = $54–$117 |
*“Effective CPL” is shown for an apples-to-apples comparison. For job-only billing, it’s implied from your conversion rates because you pay per sold job, not per lead.
The 2-Rate Profit Model (Copy This)
Why it matters: most “lead cost” debates ignore the two levers you control—booking rate and close rate.
Formulas
- Cost per booked job = CPL ÷ Booking
- CAC (cost per sold job) = CPL ÷ (Booking × Close)
- Job-only billing = CAC is fixed at $300; effective CPL = $300 × Booking × Close
Worked Example (using $300 job-only)
- Booking = 45%, Close = 55%
- CAC = $300 (fixed)
- Cost per booked job = $300 × 0.55 = $165
- Effective CPL = $300 × 0.45 × 0.55 = $74.25
Bottom line: when you only pay for jobs, you remove most of the volatility. Your spend scales with sold work, not with clicks or raw leads.
Quick ROI Calculator (In-Page)
Adjust the sliders to see the implied CPL and cost per booked job under a $300 per paying job model. This is fully client-side—no downloads needed. Booking Rate (%)
Close Rate (%)
Average Job Revenue ($)
Price per Paying Job ($)
Effective CPL:
$74.25
Implied lead cost from a job-only program.
Cost per Booked Job:
$165.00
Price per paying job × close rate.
CAC (Cost per Sold Job):
$300.00
Flat under job-only billing.
Marketing % of Revenue:
12.0%
CAC ÷ Avg. Job Revenue.
Channel Setups That Actually Convert
Google Ads (Emergency Intent)
- Structure: separate call-only campaigns for after-hours; exact/phrase clusters around “water damage,” “flooded,” “leak,” “near me/24/7.” Tight geo with ad schedules.
- Ad assets: call + location + structured snippets (e.g., “Emergency Service, 60-Min Arrival, IICRC-Savvy Intake”). Test 3–5 variants; lead with speed and exclusivity.
- Landing: click-to-call hero, 24/7 badge, service-area map, trust strip, short form as backup.
- Negatives: “jobs,” “training,” “DIY,” “fan rental,” “salary,” competitor brand names (as policy allows).
- Bidding: Max Conversions or tCPA with phone-call values; add after-hours bid adjustments.
Local Services Ads (LSA)
- Setup: Water Damage + relevant sub-services; keep job types aligned to profit centers; expand during storms/freezes.
- Review velocity: target 3–5/month; automate post-mitigation requests.
- Ops: respond fast, keep call recordings, dispute wrong-number/out-of-area/non-service promptly.
SEO & Google Business Profile (Compounding ROI)
- Architecture: Hub → Service → City pages. Cover emergency (burst pipe, ceiling leak) and non-emergency (mold remediation) intent.
- On-page: Clear CTAs, FAQ sections, service schema; add photos and before/after proof.
- GBP: fill Services/Products, weekly Posts, Q&A seeded with real customer questions.
Pay-Per-Call (Exclusive)
- Demand in writing: exclusivity, minimum call duration, geo targeting, and spam filtering.
- Billing rules: credits for wrong number, out-of-area, non-restoration, duplicates (14–30 days), obvious spam.
- QA loop: weekly call reviews; tag Booked / Not Booked reasons; feed insights back into PPC/LSA.
Quality Policy: Only Valid Calls & Only Paying Jobs Are Billable
Valid (billable) definition
- In-area caller requesting water, flood, sewage, or related emergency restoration.
- Live call connected to your team and results in the customer hiring you (signed work authorization or equivalent) and work commencing.
- Exclusive to your company (not shared with competitors).
Invalid (never billable)
- Wrong number, dead air, spam/sales calls.
- Out-of-area or outside listed services.
- Non-restoration intent (e.g., appliance repair, carpet-only cleaning).
- Duplicates from the same caller within 14–30 days without a new incident.
- Any call that does not become a paying job.
Result: your spend aligns to sold work, not to clicks or questionable “leads.”
Intake & Routing: The Hidden Multiplier
- Answer speed: aim for <10s during business hours; rollover to a 24/7 team after hours.
- Routing logic: round-robin or skills-based to your best closer; never send to generic voicemail.
Script highlights (emergency water damage)
- “Are you safe? Is there active water?”
- “What areas are affected? About when did it start?”
- “Address + best callback number.”
- “We can dispatch in X minutes. I’ll text a confirmation—can you send a quick photo?”
- “We’ll help with documentation for insurance.”
Quality loop: tag every call Booked / Not Booked with a reason (price, schedule, coverage, competitor, other). Review weekly to refine keywords, ads, and service areas.
FAQs
How much do your leads cost?
We don’t sell “leads” in the traditional sense. We deliver exclusive live calls and bill only when they become actual paying jobs at a flat $300 per job.
Are the calls exclusive?
Yes. Every opportunity is yours alone—no competing with other contractors for something you already paid for.
What counts as a “paying job”?
The customer hires you (e.g., signed work authorization or equivalent) and work begins. If a call doesn’t become a job, you’re not billed.
Do you credit invalid calls?
We remove invalid calls (wrong number, out-of-area, non-service, duplicates/spam) before billing. Our model is built on validity + job outcomes, not volume.
Can we still run PPC/LSA/SEO?
Absolutely. Many contractors blend LSA and PPC with job-only exclusive calls for steady volume while SEO/GBP compounding kicks in.
Takeaway: if you’re tired of paying for shared or low-quality “leads,” a $300 job-only, exclusive program simplifies planning: fixed CAC, clean books, predictable growth.
