How to get more work as a tradesperson in the UK without paying for every lead
What Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Bark, Houzz and Google charge UK tradespeople, and the free channels that bring in work you own: Google Business Profile, reviews, repeat customers and referrals.
Por Wesley Sing, Fundador de Newbi6 min de lectura
If you are an electrician, plumber, builder or decorator in the UK, you have probably been asked to pay for leads: a monthly membership here, a fee per job there, a credit to unlock a customer's phone number. Some of these platforms bring in good work, especially when you are starting out. But leads you pay for are leads you rent. The moment you stop paying, they stop.
This guide sets out what the main platforms charge, using their own figures, and the free channels that bring in work you keep.
What the lead platforms charge
Figures from each platform's own website on 8 October 2026. Many do not publish full prices, and say so.
| Platform | How you pay | Published prices |
|---|---|---|
| Checkatrade | Monthly membership | A basic listing "from £30 + VAT per month", which Checkatrade says brings no leads by itself; lead plans priced by trade, area and volume, on request. 12-month fixed plans; no joining fee |
| MyBuilder | A fee each time a customer shortlists you | Set by the job's likely size, value and location, shown before you commit; payable even if you do not win the job. No membership fee |
| Bark | Credits to contact each customer | £1.80 per credit, less in bigger packs; each lead costs a number of credits that depends on the job. Credits expire after three months |
| Houzz | Free listing, or a paid Pro plan | Free basic listing; Pro £139 a month after a 30-day trial, on a 12-month minimum contract |
| Google Local Services Ads | Pay per lead | Available in the UK for plumbers, electricians and general contractors; cost depends on location and job type, with a weekly budget you set. No UK prices published |
| TrustATrader | Membership | Price not published on its site |
These platforms can work. The questions to ask before you sign are: how much does a job you actually win cost you, once you count the leads that go nowhere? And what happens to your work if you stop paying?
The free channels that bring in work you own
1. A complete Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is free, and it is how most people find a local tradesperson: "electrician near me", "boiler repair Stockport". The trades that show up have done the basics well:
- your service area, hours, phone number and a link to contact or book you,
- every service you offer, listed by name, because people search for the job, not the trade,
- photos of real, finished work, added regularly, and
- reviews, with a reply to each one.
2. Reviews, asked for every time
Reviews decide which name a stranger rings. Ask every happy customer, at the moment they are happiest: when you have finished, tidied up and shown them the work. Send the review link by text or WhatsApp the same day.
3. Your credentials, shown plainly
Customers worry about cowboys. Make trust easy:
- Electricians: show your competent person scheme, such as NICEIC or NAPIT. Registration lets you self-certify notifiable work, so customers do not need to involve building control themselves (gov.uk).
- Gas work: anyone doing it must be on the Gas Safe Register (HSE). Show your Gas Safe number.
- Everyone: your public liability insurance, and your name and face.
4. Repeat customers and maintenance
The cheapest job to win is the next one from a customer you already have. Offer annual boiler services, electrical inspections or gutter clears, and remind past customers when they are due. Make sure every customer has saved your number before you leave.
5. Referrals from people who see your customers first
Letting agents, property managers, kitchen fitters, builders and other trades meet your future customers before you do. Be reliable when they call, return the favour, and they become a steady source of work you never pay for.
6. Your van, your invoices and your details
Every job is an advert. A clean van with a clear name, a QR code that leads to your details, and invoices that make it easy to book again all bring in work while you are on site.
Where Newbi fits
A Newbi card is a single link with everything a customer needs to trust and hire you. It shows your photo, your trade, your scheme and Gas Safe details, your area, photos of your work, and buttons to call or WhatsApp you. Customers can save your details to their phone in one tap, so you are the first name they find next time. Every card has a form where a customer can describe the job and leave their details, which land in your leads inbox, and on the Pro plan they can book a quote visit or a service straight from the card.
Put the QR code on your van and your invoices, and add the link to your Google profile. Pro costs £9 a month, and you can try it free for 14 days. Every enquiry it brings in is yours, with no fee per lead.
Quick answers
Is Checkatrade worth it? It depends on your trade, area and how many of its leads you win. Ask for the price of a lead plan for your postcode, and compare it with what a won job is worth to you.
What is the cheapest way for a tradesperson to get customers? A complete Google Business Profile with plenty of reviews, plus repeat work and referrals from past customers. All three are free.
Do I need to be registered to do electrical work in the UK? In England, notifiable electrical work must either be notified to building control or carried out by someone registered with a competent person scheme. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.