A Checkatrade alternative that you actually own
Directories and lead sites rent you visibility. Your own website and Google profile build an asset that keeps bringing work.
- London-based
- You own your site
- Security monitored
Directories, lead sites and your own website
Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Bark and similar sites can bring work, especially when you’re starting out. But they have the same weakness: you’re listed next to your competitors, and you’re paying for access to customers who aren’t really yours.
On lead sites like Bark, several businesses can buy the same request. You’re racing other firms to the phone, and price usually decides it. On directories, homeowners compare you side by side with every other firm on the page.
What a Checkatrade alternative looks like
The alternative isn’t one more directory. It’s owning your own route to customers:
- A website that shows your projects and takes quote requests
- A Google Business Profile with real reviews
- Pages that rank for the jobs you want, in the areas you cover
- Optionally, Google Ads that send enquiries only to you
You don’t have to quit directories overnight. Many firms keep them for reviews and use their own website to win the bigger, better-paid work directly. Over time, the balance shifts towards work you don’t pay per lead for.
What about Bark leads?
Bark leads can work for small, quick jobs. For high-value home-improvement work, buyers tend to research more, and an exclusive enquiry through your own site is usually worth more than a shared one. See Google Ads for trades or our website prices.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Should I cancel my Checkatrade membership?
Not straight away. Keep what’s working while your own website and Google profile build up. Then compare the cost per job from each and decide.
Can my directory reviews go on my website?
We can link to your profiles and show your Google reviews. Each directory has its own rules for displaying their reviews elsewhere.
How long until my own website brings in work?
With Google Ads, it can be days. With SEO, usually 3 to 6 months. Most firms use both while the site builds up.
Do I own the website?
Yes. It’s built on WordPress, the domain is registered in your name, and you get full admin access. If you ever leave, you take everything with you.
See your new homepage before you pay a penny
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Get your free homepage mockup
Tell us about your business and the jobs you want more of. We’ll come back with a mockup of your new homepage and a fixed quote.
- Free, no obligation
- Real mockup of your homepage, not a template
- Fixed price before any work starts
- You talk to the person who builds it