Stupid Simple System
SSS
DIY

Stupid Simple System vs DIY Website Builders

Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy seem cheap. But are they really? Here's what contractors need to know before going the DIY route.

Stupid Simple System

$997 + $397/mo

First month included

DIY Builders

$15-50/mo

+ your time + extra tools

The Real Cost of "Cheap" DIY

That $15/month price tag doesn't include everything you actually need.

DIY True Cost (Year 1)

Your time building (40-80 hours)

At $50-100/hr opportunity cost = $2,000-8,000

Premium templates/themes

$50-200 one-time

Premium plugins (forms, SEO, etc.)

$100-500/year

Stock photos

$100-300/year

Separate CRM tool

$50-300/month = $600-3,600/year

Review management tool

$50-150/month = $600-1,800/year

SEO tools/courses

$100-500/year

Realistic Year 1 Total: $3,500 - $14,000+

*Includes opportunity cost of your time at $50-100/hour

Stupid Simple System (Year 1)

Monthly fee x 12:$4,764
30-40 page website:Included
CRM system:Included
Lead automation:Included
Review management:Included
Your time:2-3 hours
Year 1 Total:$4,764

Everything included. Focus on your business, not your website.

DIY isn't actually cheaper when you factor in your time and all the tools you need. And you still end up with a basic site that doesn't generate leads.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

What you get with each option.

Monthly Cost

$997 setup + $397/mo

Everything included. First month included in setup. No contracts.

$15-50/month

Just hosting. Everything else is extra or DIY.

Your Time Investment

2-3 hours total

Quick demo call, then live in ~10 days

40-80+ hours

Learning, building, tweaking, troubleshooting

Website Pages

30-40 pages

Service pages + location pages for full SEO coverage

5-10 pages (typical)

Most DIY builders create minimal sites

SEO Optimization

Built-in local SEO

Each page targets specific keywords contractors need

Basic/None

You need to learn SEO or pay for plugins/courses

Lead Capture

Forms + chat + automation

Multi-channel capture with instant response

Basic forms only

No automation. Leads go to your email and wait.

Missed Call Text Back

Included

Automatic text when you miss a call

Not available

Would need separate service ($30-100/mo)

Review Management

Included

Automated review requests + monitoring

Not included

Would need separate tool ($50-150/mo)

Ongoing Support

Full support included

Updates, changes, questions answered

You're on your own

Forums, YouTube, trial and error

Mobile Optimization

Professional mobile design

Designed for mobile-first from the start

Template-dependent

Quality varies. Often looks amateur on phones.

Common DIY Mistakes Contractors Make

We see these issues constantly on DIY contractor websites.

Picking a template based on looks, not conversion

Reality: Pretty doesn't equal leads. Many templates look great but have terrible UX for contractors.

Creating only 5 generic pages

Reality: Each service and location needs its own page to rank. 5 pages = 5 chances to appear on Google. 40 pages = 40 chances.

Skipping mobile optimization

Reality: 70%+ of your visitors are on phones. If it doesn't work perfectly on mobile, you're losing leads.

No clear call-to-action

Reality: Visitors don't know what to do next. Every page needs an obvious 'Call Now' or 'Get Quote' button.

Ignoring page speed

Reality: Slow sites = high bounce rates. DIY sites are often bloated with unnecessary features.

No lead follow-up system

Reality: Getting a lead is only half the battle. Without automation, most leads go cold.

Which Is Right for You?

Choose Stupid Simple System if:

  • Your time is worth more than $50/hour
  • You want leads coming in, not a side project
  • You need more than just a basic website
  • You want SEO without learning SEO
  • You'd rather focus on your actual business
  • You want results, not a hobby

DIY might work if:

  • You genuinely enjoy building websites
  • You have 40-80 hours of free time
  • You're okay with a basic 5-page site
  • You don't care about ranking on Google
  • You're tech-savvy and love learning new tools
  • You're just starting out and testing the waters

Frequently Asked Questions

Isn't $997 setup + $397/month expensive compared to $15/month for Wix?
It seems that way until you add up what you actually need: CRM ($50-300/mo), review management ($50-150/mo), lead automation ($100-300/mo), plus your time (40-80 hours worth $2,000-8,000). And Wix/Squarespace sites typically get 5-10 pages while we build 30-40 custom pages for you. The $997 setup covers all that build-out work plus your first month. After that, $397/month gets you everything vs $500-1,000+/month cobbling together separate tools - plus dozens of hours of your time.
I'm tech-savvy. Can't I just learn to build a good site myself?
You probably can. The question is whether you should. If you bill $50-100/hour for your contractor work, spending 60 hours on a website costs you $3,000-6,000 in lost income. Even if you enjoy it, is building websites really the best use of your time? We've built hundreds of contractor sites and we'll do in days what might take you months to learn.
Will a Wix site rank on Google?
It can rank for your business name (brand searches), but ranking for 'plumber near me' or 'AC repair Austin' is much harder. DIY builders have SEO limitations, and most DIY sites have too few pages targeting too few keywords. Our 30-40 page sites give you more opportunities to rank for what customers actually search.
What if I've already built a Wix/Squarespace site?
You can keep it and see how it performs. Or see how a purpose-built contractor system works for your business. Many customers come to us after realizing their DIY site wasn't generating leads. We can work with your existing domain when you're ready.
I only need a simple website. Isn't DIY enough?
If you just need an online business card (people can look you up and call), DIY works. If you want your website to actually generate leads (people finding you on Google, filling out forms, getting automatic follow-ups) you need more than DIY offers. Most contractors who say 'I just need something simple' actually need lead generation.
Can I start with DIY and switch to you later?
Absolutely. Many of our customers started with Wix or Squarespace. When you're ready for something that actually drives business, we're here. We can usually transfer your domain and help with the transition.

Skip the DIY Struggle

Get a professional, lead-generating website without spending 60 hours learning web design. See how it works. No sales call required.

30-40 pages included
Built for you in days
No DIY required

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