Checkatrade

[Millsy 82]

Is checkatrade worth it? I've had a quick search and there is virtually nobody in the area I want to be covering.

How much should I be looking to pay?

Is it 1 of these pay for leads?

Is it full of people wanting the cheapest quote?

 

[TomLane]

Mike Jackson is Mr Checkatrade. He'll be able to give you some info!

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

You dont have to pay for leads, just an annual fee, think its 600 quid

 

[Phil]

The adverts on Absolute radio say something like there there 1000's of qualified tradesmen ready to go.

You have to ask yourself why are they ready to go, why don't they have jobs booked in?

 

[gasmanrob]

Round where I am there is no point there are 30 results in my area so not worth it for me but the boys on it are reasonably busy. It's just another 3rd party dipping into our profits but for some it works

 

[Millsy 82]

The adverts on Absolute radio say something like there there 1000's of qualified tradesmen ready to go.

You have to ask yourself why are they ready to go, why don't they have jobs booked in?

But that's just putting the name out their though as if they said there's 1000's of trades waiting to go in 3-4 weeks because they are so busy then people would go to yell or something else. Or that's my way of looking at it.

 

[Millsy 82]

Round where I am there is no point there are 30 results in my area so not worth it for me but the boys on it are reasonably busy. It's just another 3rd party dipping into our profits but for some it works

Around the area I'm looking there are no registered for plumbing or central heating so I'm thinking it could be worth it. If it is 600 a year that's not hugely expensive and should pay back in a year even if it doesn't get loads of work in.

 

[Mike Jackson]

It's just another method of advertising really. 90% of my work is through checkatrade.

 

[smtplumbing]

i have just joined i should of used mike as a recommend a friend as he woukd of got some money of them next year lol.

2 job so far been online for 1 week, boiler serviced turned into boiler repalcement, and leak under the floor turned into ripping thr full floor up so far so good

 

[cr0ft]

Around the area I'm looking there are no registered for plumbing or central heating so I'm thinking it could be worth it. If it is 600 a year that's not hugely expensive and should pay back in a year even if it doesn't get loads of work in.

If there is no one in the area doing your trade already then jump at the chance matey. Being first on there is a huge advantage, it really is. If a competitor has a 100 review or so head start on you in your area then you would be wasting your money. The sort of customers who use Checkatrade are most likely to go with the person with the most reviews from my experience.

It is around £800 per year now as they have massively stepped up their tv advertising etc. This is of course a double edged sword as it also brings more contractors on board.

I'm the only one on their as a plumber in Lincoln. There is another electrician on there but he is struggling by comparison as we can get twice as many reviews as him because we do both trades.

 

[cr0ft]

But that's just putting the name out their though as if they said there's 1000's of trades waiting to go in 3-4 weeks because they are so busy then people would go to yell or something else. Or that's my way of looking at it.

People regularly wait 2 - 3 months for me off there. In general you get a very good class of customer on Checkatrade which is why I like it so much. The sort of customer who takes the time to look for a quality tradesperson is happy to pay well.

 

[AlexGas]

Checkatrade or not Checkatrade?

 

[Rickster123]

It's just another method of advertising really. 90% of my work is through checkatrade.

90%?! That's unbelievably successful mike. Is it a basic advert you have with them? Are you on the leaflet?

 

[cr0ft]

I would say about the same figure with me too. Almost all of my new customers come to me off Checkatrade.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

i have just joined i should of used mike as a recommend a friend as he woukd of got some money of them next year lol.

2 job so far been online for 1 week, boiler serviced turned into boiler repalcement, and leak under the floor turned into ripping thr full floor up so far so good

I'm Just about to join them, i'll use you as a reference again mate

 

[smtplumbing]

perfect ian i have a boys contact details to the rep up here colin

 

[Leo21]

Tbh I'd be a little concerned if 90% of my work was from one source.
I prefer word and mouth, firms like this can move there goal posts any time they feel like it. And usually do.

 

[cr0ft]

Yes, that does concern me a little bit but to be honest once the customers have used you once (if you look after them) they tend to keep using you. It's a quick way to grow a business.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Tbh I'd be a little concerned if 90% of my work was from one source.
I prefer word and mouth, firms like this can move there goal posts any time they feel like it. And usually do.

On the other hand, if you were getting so much work from a £600 advert, it would be a bit strange to cancel it, just because you didn't want all your eggs in one basket.

A couple of years ago, I needed a bit of building work done, and didn't want to use a customer to work in my own house - so I used checkatrade to find this guy.

He turned out to be excellent, and went on to do a couple more minor jobs - nothing more than a few hundred quid a time.

Then when we wanted a more significant job doing, we didn't even ask anyone else for a price, so he got a decent job with a five figure pricetag, and I presume made good money on it. He has also done a job for my mother in law, and her neighbour.

Now were these later jobs "word of mouth" or "from checkatrade"? What Mrs S posted on the checkatrade review IS word of mouth isn't it?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Might be signing up on Monday sounds pretty decent

 

[SimonG]

How do you what competition is in your area?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

How do you what competition is in your area?

The lass on the phone told me.... I have 1 in a 20 miles radius (which I presume is steve from smtplumbing) and 2 in a 30 mile radius. .... supposedly

 

[TBServices]

How do you what competition is in your area?

Just go on and search.

The nearest to me on there is 6 miles away, then 8, then 20. Which either means, it doesn't work and people have let their advert lapse, or no one has jumped on it yet. I'm wondering whether to give it a shot.

It's basically just like a yell listing with in depth reviews, not like rated people who you pay for leads.

 

[smtplumbing]

You will have me and blackhall which is under 20. Rest are glasgow. Mind use me as a ref as u did a job for me

 

[Mike Jackson]

Tbh I'd be a little concerned if 90% of my work was from one source.
I prefer word and mouth, firms like this can move there goal posts any time they feel like it. And usually do.

Perhaps I could have phrased it better. 90% of my work has originated from Checkatrade. A lot of the work is repeat work or recommendations from people that originally contacted me through checkatrade. next week Monday is a job for a friends father, Tuesday job for a customer who first found me on checkatrade last June followed by a boiler service for a guy who saw me outside Wickes and was attracted by the checkatrade logo on the beast, Wednesday boiler repair first from checkatrade then gas checks for a friend who has a number of properties, Thursday leaking pipe to repair for another checkatrade repeat customer, Friday about half a day of minor bits and pieces for another customer who first found me on checkatrade. The gaps in my diary will be filled by calls from customers via checkatrade.

It probably depends on area but Hastings has a lot of people moving into the area from London. These people don't know any local trades so checkatrade is a good way for them to find reliable tradesmen. I also work alongside a couple of local builders/developers both of whom are on checkatrade. One of them contacted me having seen my feedback on checkatrade, I got to know the other working alongside him on a job where the customer used checkatrade to find us both.

If checkatrade were to cease now I would still have a reasonable bank of work but it's a very good way of advertising and I'd have to find another way of advertising.

 

[cr0ft]

Just make sure anyone thinking of joining up does a quick search on the competition first. It will be a bit of a waste of time and money if there's already 10 established plumbers (or even one potentially) in your area. Like anything else, if there's a gap in the market then jump in there before someone else does.

 

[Linkyplumb]

I joined back in 2011. Never looked back. I am similar to mike and keiran, in the fact that 75% of my new customers come to me through checkatrade.

For me it has worked well, and has enabled me to build up a very big customer base, in quite a short time.

Just looking through my diary, and have averaged 8 calls a week though it, since January,

 

[lame plumber]

£10 plus vat a week, is same as a couple of ads I use now, so dropping them and trying something else may benefit me, only 3 plumbers/2 gas and 1 oil lad within 9 miles, then no more within 30! However, I would think that being rural, the benefits will be less for me than the likes of those living near Pompie where the lemmings are all squashed in on a little island

 

[Mike Jackson]

There's quite a few in my area now but because I've been on a while I've got a lot of feedback which people like. I think it's one of those things that benefits the early adopters.

 

[Linkyplumb]

There are loads in my area, but still get lots of work from it.
Get loads of jobs in Petersfield an Midhurst from it £££££

 

[IDCHAPPY]

You will have me and blackhall which is under 20. Rest are glasgow. Mind use me as a ref as u did a job for me

Excellent idea dude

 

[smtplumbing]

the more jobs you get the better checkatrade will improve for you. No word of a lie thats one week mine has been live and i have complete 2 day which have turned into other job and got a further two calls today.

It does work i will see how i get on the next month or so, Ian one thing i will say is you also get a rep any hassle just give them a call they have been really good customer service.

The one thing you will have a problem with is the part p paper which we dont have in scotland which falls under our sqa, but that is easy sorted.

I got a nice wee pack from them today with new feedback cards, stickers etc so really hoping this takes off..

PS wish ray would open a branch in scotland lol your fittings prices are half the prices up here.

Steven

 

[Ray Stafford]

wish ray would open a branch in scotland lol your fittings prices are half the prices up here.

We deliver...

 

[smtplumbing]

yes i no cant beat your service, btw tell amy in accounts thanks for scaring me with saying my card was declined when she entered the wrong number lol,

See you accepted my challenge with bath and the cyclinder lol

 

[LPC]

I've got one guy in my very large town. He already has 7 positive reviews having joined in August 2013. Would it be worth me even joining because he'll always have more reviews?

What worries me about these sites is, you pay your £800, everything goes well for 6 months etc then some numpty has a misunderstanding and posts a bad review. Bang, that one bad review will make any potential customer look elsewhere. You know what customers are like, we've all fell out with 1 or 2 but if that messed-up my Checkatrade page I paid 800 for, i'd be peeved.