- Google Ads has two separate costs: your ad spend, which goes to Google, and the management fee you pay whoever runs the account.
- Agencies usually charge a flat monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend, or a mix of both. Some add setup fees or long contracts, so read the terms.
- Fully Armed charges a $500 one-time setup fee with the first month’s management and ad-spend fees waived, then $700 per month plus 10% of ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done. No long-term contract, and 30 days’ notice to cancel.
- Hiring makes sense when your time is worth more on roofs than in the dashboard and you can’t tell which ads bring in good leads.
If you’re thinking about handing your Google Ads to someone else, the first question is usually what it’s going to cost. It’s a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on how the manager prices their work and how much you plan to spend on ads. What you can do is understand how pricing works, so you can compare offers on equal terms.
This guide explains what goes into the cost, how agencies typically charge, how Fully Armed charges, and how to decide whether hiring someone is worth it for your roofing company.
How much does Google Ads management cost for roofers?
It depends on your ad budget and how the manager prices their work. There are always two parts: the ad spend you pay Google for clicks, and the management fee you pay the person or agency running the account. Compare both parts, plus any setup fee and contract terms, before you decide.
Keep those two costs separate in your head and on paper. Your ad spend buys clicks and calls. Your management fee buys the work that decides which searches you pay for, what your ads say, where people land, and whether your budget goes to homeowners who need a roofer or to people who never will.
What goes into the cost of Google Ads management?
The cost covers the work that keeps your budget pointed at real homeowners: building campaigns, setting up call and form tracking, reviewing search terms, adding negative keywords, testing ads, adjusting bids and budgets, and reporting results. More services, more locations and a bigger budget usually mean more hours of work each month.
- Setup. Account structure, conversion tracking, location targeting and the first round of ads.
- Ongoing upkeep. Daily search term reviews and negative keywords so you stop paying for junk searches.
- Testing. New headlines, offers and landing page feedback to raise the share of clicks that call.
- Budget pacing. Moving spend toward the services and areas that bring in the best leads.
- Reporting. A plain summary of spend, leads and what changes next.
How are Google Ads agencies usually priced?
Most agencies use a flat monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend, or a combination of the two. Some charge a one-time setup fee, and some offer pay-per-lead or performance deals. Contract lengths range from month-to-month to long commitments, so the fee structure and the exit terms both matter.
- Flat monthly fee. Easy to budget, though it may not change much if your spend grows a lot.
- Percentage of ad spend. The fee scales with your budget, which tracks the extra work a larger account needs.
- Flat fee plus a percentage. A base fee for the core work, plus a share that scales with spend.
- Pay-per-lead or performance deals. These can sound safe, but read how a lead is defined and who owns the account and data.
Whatever the model, ask whether your ad spend is billed by Google directly to your card or passed through the agency. Paying Google directly lets you see exactly what went to ads.
How does Fully Armed charge for Google Ads management?
Fully Armed charges a $500 one-time setup fee, and the first month’s management fee and 10% ad-spend fee are waived. After that, it’s $700 per month plus 10% of ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done. Your ad spend goes straight to Google. There’s no long-term contract, and you can cancel with 30 days’ notice.
- Setup: a $500 one-time setup fee.
- First month: the management fee and the 10% ad-spend fee are waived. Your ads still run, and you pay Google for clicks as usual.
- After that: $700 per month plus 10% of your ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done.
- Ad spend: paid straight to Google from your own account.
- Terms: no long-term contract. Cancel with 30 days’ notice.
Try the Google Ads cost calculator on our homepage to see an estimate based on your budget. You also keep your Google Ads account, because it’s built in your business’s name.
Is it worth hiring someone to run Google Ads for your roofing company?
It’s usually worth it when your time is better spent running jobs, when you can’t tell which ads bring in good leads, or when your account hasn’t had regular attention. If you have the time to review search terms at least weekly and keep an eye on lead quality, running it yourself can work.
Here are signs it’s time to get help:
- You can’t tell which campaigns are bringing in calls and form fills.
- Too many calls are for work you don’t do or areas you don’t serve.
- Nobody has reviewed which searches triggered your ads in weeks.
- Storm season catches your ads unprepared every year.
- You’re logging into Google Ads at night instead of resting or quoting jobs.
A good manager should be able to explain what they changed and why in plain English. If they can’t, the fee isn’t buying you much.
What costs should roofers watch for when hiring a Google Ads manager?
Watch for long contracts with steep exit terms, setup fees that aren’t explained, ad spend billed through the agency with no visibility, and accounts the agency owns instead of you. Also watch for the hidden cost of wasted clicks, which pile up quickly when nobody reviews search terms or blocks junk searches.
The cheapest management fee isn’t always the cheapest option. An account that keeps paying for job seekers, DIY questions and towns you don’t serve can cost far more in wasted spend than a better manager would charge.
How do you choose the best Google Ads agency for your roofing company?
Look for a manager who works with roofers, gives you ownership of your account, counts every call and form fill, reports leads in plain numbers, and puts the fee structure and cancellation terms in writing. Ask for a sample report and how often they review your search terms before you sign anything.
We put the full list together in 7 questions to ask before hiring someone to run Google Ads for your roofing company. Bring those questions to every agency you talk to, including us.
If Local Services Ads are part of your plan, remember that they’re priced per lead and depend heavily on your reviews and responsiveness. Our guide to setting up and optimizing Local Services Ads explains how they work, and our comparison of Local Services Ads vs. Search ads for roofers covers when to run each one. If you’re in northwest Pennsylvania, see our page on Google Ads management in Erie, PA.
Is your Google Ads account set up to bring in the jobs you want?
Get the free Roofing Google Ads Health Checklist: 8 quick checks you can run in about five minutes, with no login or technical skills needed.
Rather talk it through? Call (888) 593-9326 for a free account review.
Frequently asked questions
Is ad spend included in a Google Ads management fee?
Usually not. Ad spend is what you pay Google for clicks, and the management fee is what you pay the person running the account. With Fully Armed, your ad spend goes straight to Google, and our fee is $700 per month plus 10% of ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done.
Do Google Ads agencies require long-term contracts?
Some do and some don’t. Always ask how long the contract runs and how you cancel before you sign. Fully Armed has no long-term contract, and you can cancel with 30 days’ notice, so we have to keep earning your business every month.
How much does Fully Armed charge for Google Ads management?
Fully Armed charges a $500 one-time setup fee, and the first month’s management fee and 10% ad-spend fee are waived. After that, it’s $700 per month plus 10% of ad spend, billed after the month’s work is done. Ad spend goes straight to Google. There’s no long-term contract, and you can cancel with 30 days’ notice.
Can a roofing company run Google Ads without an agency?
Yes, if someone has the time to review search terms at least weekly, add negative keywords, keep tracking working, and keep an eye on which leads are good ones. Many owners start on their own and bring in help when the account grows or their time is better spent on crews and sales.
Want to see what it would cost you?
Use the Google Ads cost calculator on our homepage for an estimate based on your budget, or call (888) 593-9326 to talk it through. We’ll give you a straight answer about whether hiring help makes sense for your roofing company, even if that answer is to keep doing it yourself.
Know a roofer who’d benefit? Refer them to Fully Armed and get paid every month they stay. See the referral program →
