job site recommendations

[SparkyAndGeorge]

Does anyone use any sites like mybuilder, check a trade, rated people etc. Are they worth it? Knew someone a while back who was on check a trade said he never got his money worth from it. I am interested in signing up to the right one but not interested in paying for expensive leads for timewasters.

 

[telectrix]

trouble is most of these parasites take your money: customer goes for cheapest quote, so you either lose the work or end up in race to the bottom.... busy but skint.

 

[Spoon]

Wasn't it 'Checkatrade' that doubled your fee after the first year?
I seem to remember reading something on here about it.

 

[Andy78]

Wasn't it 'Checkatrade' that doubled your fee after the first year?
I seem to remember reading something on here about it.

I think they changed ownership and promptly doubled their fees.

 

[Dustydazzler]

i Heard it something like a grand to now advertise on checkatrader which seems ludicrous

 

[Andy78]

I have tried a few free trials from some of these sites and found them to be unprofessional, expensive, and serving no purpose to customer or tradesman.
I have found these sites to be full of chancers, but with the sites not caring. They hide behind the rating systems as customers find it nearly impossible to leave a bad review.

I went to a job the other week, customer had taken down a living room light and now the kitchen lights did not work. Walked in and the cables at the the living room light point were exposed and the neutrals clearly parted. Simple £50 job, light fitting put up, neutral continuity reinstated, and a couple of lamps in the kitchen replaced.
Mr Ratedpeople had been down the day previous, seen exactly the same as me. Quoted £100 to put the light fitting up, then said that the kitchen lights would be another kettle of fish, but would probably have to replace all 8 downlights. Then left site with the energised exposed live ends hanging out the ceiling. Nice.

There are also those who claim that these sites fake job leads to extract money from traders. How true that is I have no idea.

 

[telectrix]

few years ago, i was with rated people for a time. half the leads i could not contact customer, loads of leads were for £40 - £50 jobs at 40 miles away, waste of space. only good thing was if you were unable to quote, they refunded your lead fee with a free lead. this worked when the original lead was £4, and i got a £25 lead in it's place. apparently they've stopped that now.

there's one site called expert trades. apparently they don't charge for leads. not sure how it all works. might be an idea to check them out.

 

[Andy78]

few years ago, i was with rated people for a time. half the leads i could not contact customer, loads of leads were for £40 - £50 jobs at 40 miles away, waste of space. only good thing was if you were unable to quote, they refunded your lead fee with a free lead. this worked when the original lead was £4, and i got a £25 lead in it's place. apparently they've stopped that now.

there's one site called expert trades. apparently they don't charge for leads. not sure how it all works. might be an idea to check them out.

One of my customers started a free referral site. Voluntary contributions from tradesmen. I've not had one call from it yet.

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

i Heard it something like a grand to now advertise on checkatrader which seems ludicrous

I didnt believe that at first but had to see it for myself and you are correct. £69.99 + Vat per month = £84 per month = £1008 per year. Wow.

 

[Andy78]

I didnt believe that at first but had to see it for myself and you are correct. £69.99 + Vat per month = £84 per month = £1008 per year. Wow.

What would an annual budget of £1k paid into other advertising channels yield in terms of increased business. That's the choice you have to make I suppose.

 

[Dustydazzler]

What would an annual budget of £1k paid into other advertising channels yield in terms of increased business. That's the choice you have to make I suppose.

If checkstrader brings you in plenty of leads then a grand is probably money well spent...
However im not convinced all that glitters is gold

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Signed up for check a trade in september on a 2 month free trial, got nothing for the 2 months not a single call.

Phoned up to cancel it and was put through to a manager. She said the more work i do for customers on the site and more reviews i get the higher up the list i will go... Cue me asking, well of i dont get any calls, how do i get reviews... She said, get all your friends and family to leave 10 star reviews, the more the better as you will become high on the list woth a top score.

So basically the star rating is a load of shyte anyway cause its full of peoples mates. The fee is a joke and i really dont want to be adding a socket in mrs jones back bedroom for 20 quid when it has no RCD protection or Bonding cause thats what the cowboys charging her.

 

[Yozza19]

Get some stickers printed with your phone number on and stick them on every db ect when you do a job first place they look

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I have dabbled with these sites at various times.
Mybuilder has no monthly fee and you pay for the job lead if shortlisted. ultimately most customers go with just the person with highest ratings or cheapest. due to no regular fees it attracts allsorts.
have got a couple of good local jobs from it so not all bad. there are a couple firms who go for every cu change and rewire going. am also told the prices they quote you would struggle to match, suspect not all is being declared to hmrc..
Ratedpeople is a bit better, there is a fee of 20+vat per month. you get that back in lead credit, i complained about an outfit on there and threatened to cancel, result my unused credit rolls over now. it has paid for itself several times over. Just yesterday i picked up a nice £400 job literally a couple hundred meters away to install some sockets and move some lights in a nice new build. The monthly fee does filter out some of the cowboys. it still can at times be a race to the bottom
I was a quite sceptical of checkatrade.com and know a few people who have had bad experiences, likewise I know a plumber and heating engineer who gets most of his work from it and swears by it.
I joined myself on a 12 months for 10 deal and you can it seems subject to a few criteria can get your money back after 12 months if you play the game. I have been told by other trades that if you call there bluff after the first year they will keep fees broadly the same in order to keep you signed up, the membership team has a lot of leeway to keep you.
in the month or so I have been on it I have got a partial rewire in a 3 bed semi, a garage/outbuilding to wire up, an EICR for a house, got a shop to install track lighting and some other bits and bobs, in all I have booked in over £2000 of work excluding materials from it. so seems to being paying for itself.
Have just quoted for an EICR for a whole school, they found me via checkatrade.com. not sure if i will get it to be honest and not 100% i actually want it as it will take 2 weeks being so big.
These sites can work but you have to have your wits about you, checkatrade the customer comes to you, the jobs are in my view larger and better value/paid.
Mybuilder seems to be the wild west but given its free to join then the online presence can only help boost your company.
Ratedpeople less of the wild west but early bird catches the worm rules on there.