Masonry Contractor Google Ads/PPC Campaign

Google Ads / PPC Specialist Needed for Virginia Masonry Contractor
I am looking for an experienced Google Ads/PPC specialist to research, build, launch, and potentially manage a lead-generation campaign for a Class A masonry contractor in Virginia.

The objective is to generate qualified homeowner leads for profitable masonry projects, not simply maximize clicks, impressions, or low-quality leads.

Services
The primary services I am considering advertising are:

Patio construction
Paver and masonry patios
Outdoor kitchen construction
Hardscaping
Related higher-value masonry projects
Target Markets
The initial geographic markets I am interested in include:

Stafford, VA
Woodbridge, VA
Fredericksburg, VA
I am open to recommendations for nearby markets if your research identifies better opportunities.

Budget Research
I am not providing a predetermined advertising budget because part of this project is determining what budget would realistically be required to generate meaningful results.

Before recommending a campaign structure, I want research into factors such as:

Local keyword search volume
Estimated CPCs
Competition
Search intent
Geographic demand
Expected cost per lead
Likely number of clicks required to generate conversions
Seasonality
Competition between the target locations
Whether patios, outdoor kitchens, or another masonry service represents the strongest PPC opportunity
Based on this research, I want you to recommend a realistic monthly ad budget rather than simply building a campaign around a number I provide.

Please explain what level of spending you believe would be necessary to conduct a meaningful test and why.

Scope of Work
I am looking for someone capable of handling:

PPC and market research
Keyword research
Competitor research
Google Ads Search campaign setup
Geographic targeting
Keyword and match-type strategy
Negative keyword development
Ad copy
Bidding/budget strategy
Search-term monitoring
Conversion tracking
Phone-call and form tracking
Campaign optimization
Landing-page recommendations
Performance reporting
I am primarily interested in Google Search Ads.

Experience with Microsoft Advertising/Bing Ads is a bonus. I am interested in discussing Microsoft Ads as a possible alternative or secondary channel if the research suggests that it could be profitable for this market. I do not necessarily want to launch both platforms simultaneously.

Preferred Experience
Strong preference will be given to freelancers with previous PPC experience involving:

Contractors
Home services
Masonry
Hardscaping
Landscaping
Outdoor living
Remodeling
Roofing
Other high-ticket local service businesses
Experience generating qualified local leads, rather than e-commerce traffic, is particularly important.

When Applying
Please answer the following:

What experience do you have with contractor or home-service PPC campaigns?
Can you provide examples or results from similar campaigns?
How would you research the appropriate advertising budget for this project?
What tools would you use to estimate keyword volume, CPCs, competition, and geographic demand?
Based on the services and locations above, how would you determine which services should be advertised first?
How would you measure whether the campaign is actually generating qualified leads?
What conversion and call tracking would you implement?
How long would you recommend running the initial test before deciding whether PPC is viable?
Do you have experience with Microsoft Ads? If so, would you consider it for this type of business?
What do you charge for initial research/setup and ongoing monthly management?
Important
Please do not send a generic copy-and-paste proposal.

I specifically want someone who can research this local market first and use the data to recommend the campaign strategy and appropriate advertising budget.

I am not looking for guarantees or promises of a specific number of leads.

I am looking for someone who can explain the economics, build a properly tracked campaign, test it intelligently, and make decisions based on actual data.

If the initial campaign performs well, there is an opportunity for ongoing monthly management and increased advertising spend.