How Two Family Construction Companies Dominated Page 1 of Google After Surviving Hurricane Harvey
Problem:
Stephen Box wasn’t just running one business—he was co-owner of two family construction companies with very different specialties. GAP Custom Homes focused on custom homes, additions, remodels, and barndominiums. Contender Construction specialized in disaster restoration and roofing services.
The challenge? Neither company had the digital presence needed to compete in today’s market. Potential customers couldn’t find them online, and their existing websites weren’t converting visitors into leads. Stephen needed two distinct websites that would showcase each company’s portfolio while driving organic traffic through SEO.
Then Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August 2017—just one month into our project.
Everything changed overnight. GAP Custom Homes had to pause their custom building services while Contender Construction pivoted into overdrive, providing disaster restoration services for thousands of hurricane-damaged properties throughout the Houston area. The original timeline? Out the window.
Approach:
Instead of abandoning the project, we adapted.
While Contender Construction handled the immediate hurricane relief efforts, we redesigned their existing website to be more user-friendly and SEO-optimized. This meant Houston residents searching for disaster restoration services could actually find them when they needed help most.
As the cleanup efforts wound down, GAP Custom Homes found themselves in a unique position. The hurricane had created massive demand for custom home rebuilding—exactly their specialty. We seized this opportunity.
We built both companies’ robust WordPress websites featuring:
- Portfolio galleries showcasing completed projects
- Social proof integration with Houzz to display real customer reviews
- SEO optimization targeting local search terms
- Social media integration for easy project sharing
- Mobile-responsive design for on-the-go browsing
The strategy was simple: position GAP Custom Homes as the trusted local expert for custom building while Contender Construction became the go-to disaster restoration provider—all while Hurricane Harvey recovery was still top-of-mind for Texas homeowners.
Success:
Both companies didn’t just survive Hurricane Harvey—they emerged as leaders in their respective markets.
The numbers speak for themselves:
- GAP Custom Homes now ranks on page 1 of Google for “reliable custom home builders in Texas” (as of May 2024)
- Contender Construction established itself as a leading disaster restoration provider throughout the Houston area
- Both websites now serve as powerful lead generation tools, converting visitors into qualified prospects
But here’s what matters most: these aren’t just websites—they’re digital assets that continue driving business growth years after launch. When the next major storm hits Texas (and it will), Contender Construction is positioned to serve the community while GAP Custom Homes captures the rebuilding opportunities that follow.
The lesson? Sometimes the biggest challenges create the biggest opportunities. Hurricane Harvey could have derailed these businesses. Instead, it became the catalyst that transformed them into industry leaders in their respective markets.
