Architect website: showing your completed works to attract residential projects
An architect website attracts residential projects when it shows projects, not just photos: the context of each completed work, the stages of a mandate, the architects and the area served. The Code of ethics of architects governs how you say it: no endorsement (an honorary mention included) and a clearly stated role for each project. Once the site is live, it still has to be found by clients looking for a residential architect near them.
- A completed work that convinces reads like a project: the context, the brief, the constraints, the choices and your role.
- Section 70 prohibits endorsements in advertising, including through a mention or an honorary title: client quotes and awards are checked before the site goes live.
- Google ranks Business Profiles by relevance, distance and prominence. Pages by region or project type complement the profile when they show real projects.
On this page
What your future client looks for on your website
We are writing for architects and small architecture firms in Quebec who live mostly on word of mouth and would like more requests for residential projects: a new house, an addition, a major renovation.
Whether they arrive through a referral or through Google, visitors check three things: do your projects look like theirs, does your way of working suit them and do you work in their area. A portfolio made only of beautiful images answers poorly: the photo shows the result, not the starting point. The principle of designing a site for its real readers applies here to a family about to entrust its home to a professional it has never met.
Presenting each completed work as a project
The project page (the page devoted to a single completed work) is the page most likely to turn a visitor into a request. It always follows the same order.
The context. The type of project, the region, the lot or the existing building, in one line.
The brief. What the occupants wanted to live there, in their own words: more light, a room to work in, a house that ages with them.
The constraints. Zoning, orientation, budget, the existing structure. This section shows your work, because it explains the result.
The choices. Two or three decisions explained simply, with the image that shows them.
Your role and the team. What your firm did, the other professionals on the project and the architect in charge.
The fifth point touches an obligation: section 15 of the Code of ethics of architects prohibits any false, misleading or incomplete representation about the work for which the architect claims credit. For a project carried out in a consortium or within a firm where you practised before, it requires you to state your role and to name the other architects or architecture firms involved.
The approach and the stages of a mandate
For a homeowner, hiring an architect is sometimes a first. Describe the stages as your firm lives them: the first meeting, the sketch, design development, the drawings for the permit and for construction, then your presence on site if you offer it. For each stage, say what the client receives and what is expected of them.
What the code of ethics changes on your website
Chapter VI of the Code of ethics of architects covers advertising done “by any means whatsoever.” The prudent reading therefore treats a firm's website as advertising. The framework common to all professions is covered in our article on advertising for firms governed by a professional order. Here is what applies specifically to an architect.
| Section | What it provides | On the website |
|---|---|---|
| 68 | No false or misleading advertising, or advertising likely to mislead | Every claim can be verified |
| 69 | The Ordre's graphic symbol stays true to the original | It does not suggest the Ordre approves the site |
| 70 | No endorsement or statement of recognition, including through a mention, a merit or an honorary title | No client quotes; awards are checked with the Ordre |
| 71 | Associated architects are jointly responsible for advertising, unless it names the architect responsible | Name the architect responsible for the content |
| 72 | An architect's name in advertising is followed by the word “architect” | The team page does it for each one |
| 73 | Fees are given no more importance than the service offered | A price comes after the description of the service |
Awards and distinctions call for the most caution. Section 70 lists the granting of a mention, a merit or an honorary title among the endorsements prohibited in advertising. In a text dated April 2, 2026, the Ordre's Office of the syndic also notes that a display must not suggest the architect won awards they did not win. Before publishing a list of awards, ask the Ordre.
Photos of a residence call for another reflex. Section 42 requires secrecy about any confidential information. The prudent reading is to get the client's written consent before publishing, without an address or a plan that would make the house recognizable.
Ethical responsibility stays with the architect, never with the vendor who wrote the site. Reposting a satisfied client's Google review on your site or in an ad brings you back to section 70: ask the Ordre before soliciting reviews.
Who the architects are and which area you serve
The team page presents each architect with their name followed by the word “architect,” their background and the projects they sign. Section 15 also prohibits any false representation of your level of competence: verifiable facts describe an architect better than adjectives.
The area served is stated clearly, on the home page as on the contact page: a visitor in Saint-Jérôme wants to know whether your Montreal firm works where they live.
Getting found in your area after launch
Google's Keyword Planner shows that searches for “architecte résidentiel” (residential architect) in Quebec break down by city and region. Two tools can answer that search.
The Google Business Profile. Google ranks local results by relevance (does the profile match the search), distance and prominence (is the business well known). Complete and accurate information increases the chances of appearing. The profile name is your firm's real name, with no keyword or city added. A virtual office address does not qualify for a profile. The settings that matter are detailed in our article on the Google Business Profile.
Pages by region or project type. A “new house” page, an “addition” page, a page for each region where you often work. Each uses the client's words and shows the matching completed works. The structure of these pages is covered in our article on local pages.
An architect website keeps living after launch: each new completed work is added to it. Our article on web design pricing in Quebec details the costs to plan for.
What this changes for you
Before redoing your website, answer these questions as partners.
- Which residential projects look most like the mandates you would like to receive? Do you have their owners' written consent?
- For each project, can you write the context, the brief, the constraints, the choices and your role?
- Which architect is named responsible for the site's content?
- Have you asked the Ordre about awards and reviews before publishing them?
- In which regions do you want to receive requests, and do you have projects to show there?
Designing a site that presents your completed works as projects is part of our web design offer. The general framework is in our article on website design.
Do you serve an area wider than the surroundings of your office? Read our article on local SEO for a service area.
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Frequently asked questions about an architect website
Can I put client testimonials on my website?
Section 70 of the Code of ethics of architects prohibits using, in advertising, an endorsement or statement of recognition about yourself. To be prudent, treat your website as advertising: a client quote has no place there. A factual description of the project does the same work.
Can I show the awards our projects have won?
Ask the Ordre before the site goes live. Section 70 lists the granting of a mention, a merit or an honorary title among the endorsements prohibited in advertising. Where fact ends and endorsement begins is something to confirm with the Ordre.
Do I need the client's permission to publish photos of their home?
The code requires secrecy about any confidential information (section 42). The prudent reading is to get the client's written consent before publishing, without an address or a plan that would make the home recognizable.
Can we show our fees on the site?
The code does not prohibit it, but section 73 forbids giving fees more importance than the service offered. A general price range can appear on the site, after the description of what the client receives.
- Code de déontologie des architectes (Code of ethics of architects), CQLR c A-21, r 5.1, sections 15, 42 and 68 to 73, LégisQuébec, text up to date as of May 1, 2026, accessed September 28, 2026.
- Ordre des architectes du Québec, Office of the syndic, Publicité et rabais d'honoraires : bien comprendre les enjeux, April 2, 2026, accessed September 28, 2026.
- Google, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google, Business Profile Help, accessed September 28, 2026.
- Google, Guidelines for representing your business on Google, accessed September 28, 2026.
- Google Ads, Keyword Planner: searches for “architecte résidentiel” and its city variants in Quebec, Falia survey, September 2026.
Geneviève puts the strategy for your engagement into action. She leads all our web development projects: Shopify, WordPress and the new ways of building a site with AI. She manages our team of developers and translates your business needs into technical language. She runs your organic search (SEO), your visibility in AI answers (GEO) and your site's conversion rate optimization (CRO). Her work is at the heart of three goals: Attract customers with SEO and AI, Improve your site's conversion, and Strengthen your visibility in AI answers. With Gabriel, she also builds the landing pages for your advertising campaigns. She writes mainly about SEO, AI visibility and web design.
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