On this page
- The numbers behind missed calls
- Why construction companies miss so many calls
- Your options for missed calls
- How a missed call text back works for a construction company
- How much are missed calls costing you?
- Example text back templates for builders and contractors
- Is there an AI answering service for contractors?
- Which TextbackFast plan fits a construction company
- How to set it up
- Frequently asked questions
The numbers behind missed calls
Sources: 411 Locals study; CallRail 2025 survey.
One in five callers who hit voicemail dials your competitor next. A text in seconds keeps them talking to you.Based on the CallRail 2025 survey
Why construction companies miss so many calls
Construction work does not happen at a desk. Owners and project managers spend the day on job sites, on ladders, in trucks, running saws and meeting inspectors. A phone ringing in a pocket next to a compressor often goes unheard, and even when you notice it, you cannot always stop to answer. Meanwhile, a homeowner or property owner looking for a contractor is often calling several companies from the same search.
Most callers do not wait. In a 2025 survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, only 42% said they leave a voicemail when a business does not answer, and 21% said they call another business right away (CallRail 2025 consumer survey, summarized by Local Voice). People even search "why don't contractors call back", which shows how common the frustration is. The company that responds first has a real advantage.
Your options for missed calls
- A live answering service. Operators answer every call with your company name, take messages, and can follow a script for new estimates or urgent issues. It is the most complete option, and it is usually priced per minute or per call, so the cost moves with your call volume.
- An office manager or shared office phone. Great when someone is at the desk, but calls still go unanswered at lunch, after hours and on weekends, and many smaller builders do not have a full-time office person.
- Voicemail. Free, but many callers hang up without leaving a message, and you may not listen to it until the end of the day.
- A missed call text back. Your phones ring exactly like they do now. Any call you do not answer gets an immediate text from your number, so the caller knows you got it and can describe the project in writing.
These can work together. A company might keep an office manager for business hours, use a live service for overflow, and add a text back so no missed caller is left with silence.
How a missed call text back works for a construction company
You keep your existing business number. You set up conditional call forwarding so that only calls you do not answer go to your TextbackFast number. Calls you or your office pick up ring as usual.
When a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a short text right away, written in your voice. They can reply with what they need, such as an addition, a remodel, a new build or a repair, plus the address and a good time to talk. You can read that between tasks and decide which calls to return first. Messages are plain text with no emojis, and callers can reply STOP at any time. TextbackFast keeps automatic texts under 160 characters, so each one goes out as a single standard text.
How much are missed calls costing you?
Drag the sliders to estimate the revenue construction companies leave on the table from calls that never get answered.
Estimate only: missed calls × 4.33 weeks × job value × booking rate. Your numbers will vary.
Example text back templates for builders and contractors
These are examples only. You write your own messages in TextbackFast.
- On a job site: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed your call, we are on a job site. What kind of project are you planning?"
- After hours: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed you, our office is closed. What is the project and the address?"
- Current clients: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed your call. Is this about a current job or a new project?"
- Commercial work: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed you. Is this about a bid, a current project or something else?"
A good first text says who you are, says sorry you missed the call, and asks one easy question. Leave pricing, scheduling details and contracts for the call or the estimate visit.
Is there an AI answering service for contractors?
Some tools use AI to answer or reply to calls. TextbackFast works by text. On the AI plan, the reply runs from your playbook: it can ask about the project, the address and a good time for a call or estimate, and it hands the conversation to you for anything it is not sure about, upset callers, or anyone who wants to talk to a person. If you would rather handle every conversation yourself after the first text, the Starter and Pro plans work that way.
Which TextbackFast plan fits a construction company
Every plan includes the 7-day free trial. Compare them in the pricing section.
- Starter ($49/mo) sends one automatic text per missed call and forwards replies to your cell. A good fit for an owner-operator who wants to keep it simple.
- Pro ($99/mo) adds a two-way texting inbox, follow-ups for repeat callers, quick replies, CRM or Google Sheet sync, and review requests. Useful when an office manager and several project managers share incoming leads.
- AI ($199/mo) runs the conversation from your playbook and hands it to you whenever a person is needed.
A one-time carrier registration fee also applies when you sign up ($35 for a sole proprietor, $69 with an EIN), which is required to send business texts in the U.S.
How to set it up
Setup takes a few minutes. Pick your plan and reserve a local number at signup. Then forward unanswered calls from your current phone. Most contractors run the business from a cell, so start with the cell phone setup guide. If your office uses a landline or a VoIP system, see the landline guide or the VoIP guide. Then call your own number from another phone, let it ring out, and confirm the text arrives.
Want to see it work? Read about our text back app for contractors and what missed call text back is, visit the TextbackFast homepage to try the live demo, or start your 7-day free trial.
Stop losing jobs to missed calls
Starter $49, Pro $99, AI $199 a month, plus a one-time carrier registration fee: $35 one-time ($69 for businesses with an EIN). Your 7-day free trial starts once texting is approved. Keep your number by forwarding unanswered calls.
Start free trial →Compare plansFrequently asked questions
What is an answering service for construction companies?
It is any setup that responds to people who call your company when no one can pick up, such as while you are on a job site or after hours. That can be a live answering service, an office manager, voicemail, or a missed call text back that texts every caller you miss.
Is there an AI answering service for contractors?
There are AI tools that answer or reply to calls. TextbackFast's AI plan replies by text from your playbook, asks about the project and a good time to talk, and hands the conversation to you when a person is needed.
What is the best AI answering service for contractors?
It depends on how you work. If you need every call answered live by voice, a live or voice AI service fits. If you mainly want every missed caller to get a fast reply you can follow up on between jobs, a missed call text back is simpler and works with the phone you already use.
What do you call an automated answering service?
Common names include auto attendant, virtual receptionist, AI receptionist and AI answering service. A missed call text back is a related tool that replies by text instead of answering by voice.
Why don't contractors call back?
Usually because they are busy on job sites and calls pile up. An instant text back gives the caller a response right away and helps you see which calls to return first.
Does TextbackFast change my company's phone number?
No. You keep your number and forward only unanswered calls to your TextbackFast number. Calls you answer ring as usual.