Loft Conversions, Extensions and Bathroom Renovations: Which Trade Gets the Most Google Searches in South London?

One of the most common questions we get from South London trades businesses is some version of: 'Is it even worth doing SEO for my trade?' The answer is almost always yes — but the opportunity varies significantly depending on what you do.

Here's what the search data actually shows for South London — and what it means for where you should be investing your marketing budget.

The search volume breakdown by trade

Our own Google Keyword Planner research (August 2025 to July 2026) gives these monthly search levels. Keyword Planner shows ranges, so read them as ballpark figures:

• Plumber: 1,000 to 10,000 searches a month in each of Bromley and Croydon on their own. The highest or joint-highest trade search in all 21 areas we researched.
• Electrician: 100 to 1,000 a month in each of Bromley and Croydon, and highest or joint-highest in 16 of the 21 areas we researched.
• Builder, roofer, loft conversion and kitchen fitter: 100 to 1,000 a month each in Bromley and Croydon.
• Bathroom renovation: 10 to 100 a month in each of Bromley and Croydon. Lower volume, but each job is high value.

What this means in practice

If you're a kitchen fitter or bathroom renovator in South London, job value matters alongside search volume when deciding where to invest in SEO.

If you're a loft conversion or extension specialist, the volume is lower but each lead is worth more. A loft conversion or extension is a large job, so even a handful of enquiries a month from Google can be worth a lot to the business.

If you're a general builder, the opportunity is real but the strategy needs to be specific. Searches that name a place, such as 'builder Clapham' or 'builder Dulwich', are smaller (10 to 100 a month each in our research), but they come from people looking for someone local.

The competition picture

Search volume only tells half the story. The other half is how many other businesses are competing for those searches. Google's Keyword Planner rates the competition for most trade searches in Bromley and Croydon as medium or high, plumber searches included.

This doesn't make them impossible to rank for. It means the businesses that invest properly in SEO — complete Google Business Profile, strong reviews, well-optimised website, consistent content — will consistently outperform the majority who don't.

If the businesses you compete with have done little SEO, the bar to outrank them may be lower than you think. A free audit shows how you compare.

The geographic factor

Search volume also varies a lot by area. In our research, plumber searches reach 1,000 to 10,000 a month in Bromley and Croydon but 10 to 100 in Cheam and Banstead, while roofer searches reach 100 to 1,000 in Kingston and Sutton but 10 to 100 in Clapham and Brixton.

If you're targeting multiple South London boroughs, it's worth knowing which ones generate the most searches for your specific trade — and prioritising your local SEO and Google Ads targeting accordingly.

How to use this data

Understanding the search landscape for your trade and area is the starting point for any serious marketing strategy. It tells you how big the opportunity is, how competitive it is, and which channels — SEO, Google Ads or both — are most likely to deliver results in your timeframe.

At OM Marketing, we build a custom keyword map for every client before we start any SEO or paid media work. We pull the actual search volume data for your specific trade, your specific area, and your specific services — so your strategy is based on real numbers, not guesswork.

If you'd like to know what the search landscape looks like for your trade and area, book a free 20-minute audit. We'll show you the numbers and where we see the opportunity.