Construction Web Design: How to Build a Brilliant Website

If you’re a contractor or construction firm looking to design — or redesign — a website, you’ve probably started looking at examples and coming up with a general idea for your site. Maybe you’ve checked out templates or have started to talk with a web design agency about your construction web design.

Regardless of where you’re at, there a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to construction web design that you should be aware of. Check them out below.

Do’s of Construction Web Design

1. Do Integrate Your Logo

Your logo is part of what sets you apart from the competition. Your potential customers may be familiar with your logo before they even have a conversation with you; this is what branding is all about. Because of this, integrating your logo into your site’s design is critically important. This can take on a variety of forms, including color schemes, images and more.

Caterpillar construction equipment is a staple of the industry. Ziegler CAT uses this fact to its advantage by using the trademark yellow and black throughout its website, even down to the navigation and form fields, as demonstrated in the screenshot below:

Alpine Construction takes a different angle as it relates to integrating its brand’s logo by bringing the natural imagery in its logo and name to life throughout its homepage in natural settings within images:

2. Do Showcase Your Work

Completed projects demonstrate your company’s ability to deliver on promises. Potential customers want to know you’re able to bring their visions to life and that you’ve worked on projects like theirs in the past. Because of this, showcasing your work — or your products at work — is an important aspect of a successful construction website.

JMWilliams, a commercial construction agency, has completed projects for many big-name car dealers. Because of this, highlighting completed projects, along with customer testimonials, is a crucial selling point for its home page. If a potential customer has doubts about what the company is capable of, the home page should be able to quell them.

Unlike construction firms that have completed projects to highlight, construction equipment dealers should focus on highlighting their products and their capabilities. Fabick CAT uses its home page to illustrate pieces of equipment that are available along with what they are designed for. This is a solid idea for any equipment dealer in the construction industry.

3. Do Focus on Navigation

If a customer can’t find his or her way around your website, or can’t make a decision whether or not to contact you from a glance at your home page, your efforts are useless. This is why focusing on a simple navigational structure is important in construction web design. Focus on what sets your company apart and what you’d like your customers to do after visiting your site — then design a simple top navigation accordingly.

Scott + Reid, a general contractor in Dallas, TX, simplified its website by keeping the navigational options to a minimum. Its home page highlights past projects and, by using the top navigation bar, visitors can learn about the company, see additional projects, learn about the company’s approach, and make contact.

Ransome CAT, a Caterpillar equipment dealer, uses a simple double navigation system. The top bar displays important contact information, employment details and locations, and the bottom allows visitors to search for specific pieces of equipment, learn about the industry, and find out more relating to financing options. This double structure is clean and simple, even while conveying complex details and information.

Don’ts of Construction Web Design

1. Don’t Settle for “Standard”

Just because you found a web design agency that focuses exclusively on construction firms, or found a template that’s designed for the industry, doesn’t mean that it’s right for you. Your website should highlight your strengths and should set you apart from the competition. When you use something that’s already used on a massive scale, you risk blending in.

Instead, look for designs that fit how you see your company and how you’d like potential customers to see your company. Look for a web designer that shares that vision and is willing to try something a little different. Your business might depend upon it.

2. Don’t Use Stock Photos

Stock photos are great options for some industries; this is simply not true of the construction industry. If you have experience, you should be willing to showcase it. If you do not have professional images of completed projects, now is the time to hire a photographer and start collecting them.

Ask a photographer to take photos that highlight various angles of completed projects, both inside and out. Get pictures of your team members and of satisfied customers who are willing to provide testimonials for your site. The more personalized your website is, the more comfortable potential visitors will feel.

3. Don’t Over Sell

You want site visitors to call you or to complete your form. This doesn’t mean you need to ask them to do so 20 times on your home page alone. It also doesn’t mean an abundant use of sales language offering special deals and promotions, accompanied by too many exclamation points to count, is going to do your brand any good.

Instead, let your work speak for itself. Use the previously mentioned photos to showcase your capabilities. Ask customers for testimonials. Use a clean navigational structure to allow visitors to find the information they’re searching for without a hassle. A solid web design should eliminate the need to over sell.

By paying attention to the do’s and don’ts of construction web design, you can ensure your next web design project will be off to a great start.