Decide whether commercial work is a real service line
A decorating firm that occasionally paints a small office alongside domestic rooms may only need a well-written commercial services page. A contractor regularly quoting for schools, retail units, landlords and facilities managers needs much more operational detail. Avoid building a commercial section simply because it sounds impressive.
Start with actual capability: project scale, team availability, working hours, access requirements and whether you can plan around occupied premises. The website must reflect how you really operate, not imply you have a larger workforce than you do.
Write for the person assessing a contractor
A homeowner might start with colour choices, protecting furniture and seeing examples of finished rooms. A commercial buyer might first ask whether you can attend a site survey, work out of hours, supply relevant documents and coordinate access. Organise the page around those questions.
Useful detail might include what happens during initial scoping, who provides the specification, how disruption is considered and what information you need to prepare a proposal. Only mention insurance limits, memberships or site certifications you can substantiate.
Separate evidence without creating duplicate websites
Keep one trustworthy brand and domain where practical. Use navigation such as “Domestic Decorating” and “Commercial Decorating”, each with its own examples and enquiry route. A commercial portfolio might discuss floor areas, phases, access restrictions and handover; a domestic portfolio can focus on surface preparation and finish.
If your firm truly has separate divisions, teams and customer journeys, distinct sites may occasionally make sense. But two thin websites double the maintenance and often dilute useful content. A good structure on one domain is usually easier for prospective customers to understand.
Make commercial enquiries worth responding to
A business enquiry form can ask for site postcode, premises type, scope, preferred start window and whether a site visit or tender response is needed. Keep additional fields optional until a conversation is established. Avoid collecting confidential procurement documents through an unprotected general form.
A realistic next step is often “Discuss a commercial decorating project”, not a generic “Get your free quote in 30 seconds”. Explain when you will respond and who handles commercial enquiries. Clear expectations help your business screen opportunities while showing buyers they are dealing with an organised contractor.
Example: one firm, two different customer journeys
Consider an illustrative firm that repaints occupied homes and also decorates small offices. A householder arriving on the homepage should find rooms, preparation, protection of belongings and representative photographs. A facilities manager may need to know whether the team can discuss site access, phased works and out-of-hours restrictions. Sending both buyers to a generic “painting” page leaves too many questions unanswered.
One domain could offer separate Domestic Decorating and Commercial Decorating landing pages. The commercial page would describe only the premises and programme types the firm has actually handled; its form might ask for a site address, the organisation, access windows and whether a specification is available. This is an editorial illustration, not a claim about an LLTT Media customer. Two entirely separate sites only become sensible when there are genuinely separate brands, audiences or operational needs.
- Create a separate commercial service journey if the offer merits one.
- Give commercial buyers scope and access information.
- Do not claim certifications, teams or project history without evidence.
- Use a business enquiry form rather than a household questionnaire.
Further reading
Related guide: Painter and Decorator Website Design in the UK: The Complete Guide