CheckaTrade | MyBuilder | RatedPeople | TrustaTrader etc - Who's with what and why?

[Eddie1]

I've used both mybuilder and ratedpeople to find tradesmen for a refurb I did after moving to a new area and not having any recommendations or knowing anyone.

I can only comment on using them as a user rather than a provider as i'm a DIYer.

I found a totally mixed bag from total cowboys (you really couldn't make some of the stories up) to decent qualified tradesmen.

People are reassured by the rating system and seeing feedback from previous 'customers'. I found this to be fairly worthless in actuality as it is easy to game the system (for the unscrupulous) by getting friends/family to leave you feedback or creating fake accounts and leaving yourself feedback. In reality, i'd say as a user, it's as much a stab in the dark as doing a google search or any other random localised search.

I heard from a couple tradsemen that they were always battling with the fact that most people just went with the lowest quote (by no means the main factor for me personally). I'd recommend sticking to your usual pricing and if the customer just wants the cheapest they're probably not the customer you want to work for. They'll soon find out it's not the best tactic when hiring!

When customers told me they could get it cheaper, I agreed with them. I then asked for a pen an paper, they thought I was going to give them my quote. After they gave me them I picked up my case and turn and said, make sure you get there name and address because you will get a cheap job and possibly dangerous. I then started walking away. The number of customers that called me back. If you can drop you price you overcharged to start with. I never dropped the price.

 

[Admin]

If registering with mybuilder, be aware that your registered name will be linked to them via google searches (which are usually towards the top of the listings) for years !, even if you never do any jobs through them. To get your name removed from their database is v.hard work which requires letter writing/signatures and its a pita. Moral of the story is dont bother in the first place !

Or rank your website higher than theirs. Which should be easy to do for your own business name. I assume some of your customers were trying to contact you via their website rather than your own or something?

 

[Marti]

In my early days I tried My Builder and Rated People. You have got to start SOMEWHERE to build the fabled word-of-mouth that everyone talks about. Both were a poor return. Race to the bottom prices and on occasions, I'd call a client, having paid for the contact, and discover the job wasn't worth anybody's time (repair a standard lamp). My profiles ticked all the boxes (photo's, reviews etc) but lost to price; the thing that really mattered.

I have heard a few good comments about Check-a-trade (one of the threads above is mine) but JEEZ! They need to review their fees 'cos I can't see they are worth it.

My cheapest work winner is a sign written van, followed by recommendation from friends or when I do a little job well. In the very early days; it's tough!

Also, you tend to drive nicely when your name and number are in bloody great letters on the van

 

[Admin]

When customers told me they could get it cheaper, I agreed with them. I then asked for a pen an paper, they thought I was going to give them my quote. After they gave me them I picked up my case and turn and said, make sure you get there name and address because you will get a cheap job and possibly dangerous. I then started walking away. The number of customers that called me back. If you can drop you price you overcharged to start with. I never dropped the price.

That's the way to do it. Well done.

 

[powercare]

We use our own Website and a local Internet marketing company to help promote our website for natural listings. We have been advised against the rating sites like that because they charge money for membership. any company does that will prioritise cash flow above all else. We were always advised to think what would I do in this situation and more often than not if you need something now you search on Google direct from your phone. I would chose a link relevant to my search rather than a website that requires further searches. It has worked well for us. but nothing beats good word of mouth for business so always go that extra mile for a client and they will remember.

 

[daz1965]

Hi Dan,
Fortunately never had to use any.
As others have said,I’ve heard good and bad regarding most of them.
If I have a quiet spell I normally stick an add in the local rag,and it brings in the small jobs to fill the diary up.
Another vote for word of mouth.

 

[haptism]

Or rank your website higher than theirs. Which should be easy to do for your own business name. I assume some of your customers were trying to contact you via their website rather than your own or something?

If I googled my own business name it would come up towards the top linked to mybuilder. Even after deleting the mybuilder account, I found the name stays on google for years until you write a letter (not an email or phone call). I dont do CEO optimisation ectect so have not tried to rank my website higher than theirs. But still that how it is, I thought there was a law against that sort of stuff but it aint sunk in with mybuilder

 

[Admin]

If I googled my own business name it would come up towards the top linked to mybuilder. Even after deleting the mybuilder account, I found the name stays on google for years until you write a letter (not an email or phone call). I dont do CEO optimisation ectect so have not tried to rank my website higher than theirs. But still that how it is, I thought there was a law against that sort of stuff but it aint sunk in with mybuilder

Did you end up needing to write to google to do a result removal? Or write to mybuilder to get them to remove the name from pages?

 

[sham]

CheckaTrade | MyBuilder | RatedPeople | TrustaTrader etc - Who's with what and why?

Thought I'd start a poll off to see if we can see who's with what type of rate-my-builder website, if at all. And which ones seem to work, and if they do, why etc.

I've also put some other options there to see where people are spending their time and money on marketing right now, should they not be spending it with the big few common names.

Current options are:-

• MyBuilder.com - MyBuilder.com - Find trusted builders and tradesmen - https://www.mybuilder.com/
• Federation of Master Builders - https://www.fmb.org.uk/
• CheckaTrade.com - Checkatrade: Find a tradesperson you can trust - https://www.checkatrade.com/
• RatedPeople.com - https://www.ratedpeople.com/
• TrustaTrader.com - Find Trusted Traders and Local Tradesmen - https://www.trustatrader.com/
• TrustedTraders.Which.co.uk - Find traders near you with Which? Trusted Traders | Which? - https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/
• MyJobQuote.co.uk - MyJobQuote.co.uk - Get quotes from Local Builders and Tradesmen. - https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/
• Yell.com - Yell.com - the UK's leading online business directory - https://www.yell.com/
• Google Adwords (Google Paid Listings) - Google Ads - Get More Customers With Easy Online Advertising - https://ads.google.com/
• Own Website with Natural Google Listings (No Ads Bought)
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc)
• Reply with any other options and I'll add them to the list.

My personal opinion on this, after reading so many threads on all our forums, is that they're a middle-man where one isn't needed. People who need jobs doing on their homes could search Google before they came about, and they'd find tradespeoples own websites. And it all worked fine. The full amount of money that the tradesperson charged went to their business. And it wouldn't cost much to get a website online and running well.

Now though, there's an annual charge, or a percentage of the job, going to a company that's spending millions on advertising and has directors driving around in expensive cars, salesmen on commission selling to existing customers and new ones, trying to get more listing features or whatever.

You can get yourself a website using Wordpress, and update it yourself. Optimise it quite easy. Rank in Google naturally (no paying for ads), and get business coming in from it.

Or you can work on getting your listing with one of these companies up. Some of them encourage you to email your existing customers. Which obviously means there's no assurances the feedback actually comes from genuine customers then, you just get 20 free gmail accounts and send yourself the link to leave 10 star feedback so that when people search the website, your listing looks awesome and your feedback is spot on. Not seen a single listing ever with bad feedback on any of them.

That all said, I've not got a listing with a single one of them.

So I thought I'd run a poll, and have this handy thread for others to read and contribute to ongoing.

Feel free to discuss anything at all, pricing, experience, feedback, customers, type of work coming from them, whatever.

Please be constructive should you have criticism.

If a company you're with isn't in the poll, let me know, and I'll add it.

Please feel free to vote on as many of the options as you use yourself for your marketing.

CheckaTrade | MyBuilder | RatedPeople | TrustaTrader etc - Who's with what and why?

Non, don't use any, but would consider my own website and advertising.

 

[timberfinn]

I have dealt with many sites over the last 10 years as a consumer, HomeAdvisor, Angieslist, Houzz, Porch, Thumbtack, etc. They are all pretty much the same. Here in the states the problem is always the same. They are great if you live in a large city where there are many reviews but in the country, where I live, reviews are view and far between. Also I wish they would make it easy to find ratings for contractors instead of wanting to know what job I need done and then contacting contractors to contact me. Hope this helps.

 

[haptism]

Did you end up needing to write to google to do a result removal? Or write to mybuilder to get them to remove the name from pages?

TBH its still there, I emailed mybuilder and the response was i need to write to them asking for removal, I did write but no response and no action. I have not pursued it since but will do

 

[Admin]

TBH its still there, I emailed mybuilder and the response was i need to write to them asking for removal, I did write but no response and no action. I have not pursued it since but will do

You can fill in a form with Google and get them to remove any personal details from their listings. And then the page you say you want taken out of Google rankings will not be shown for the particular personal detail you were being shown for (i.e. your name).

That hits the website where it hurts then, it's rankings. That's the way I'd go about it.

 

[sln8458]

Hi All,
Here's my view as a 'customer' (yes a DIYer)

First me:
In the past I have re-wired my home, before part P was introduced. I have an HNC in electrical engineering, so not a total novice. The work was inspected by the local electricity board and was considered first rate.


Now we own 2 rentals, which need various jobs doing by qualified tradesmen/women in order to keep all the certification all above board. So far in 10 years we have used probably 10 different electricians. Each time I searched the internet for a local businness, checked for website, looked for reviews ... Each time I then go back for the next job no reply to my emails or messages. You could say that it must be me!

To counter that we use the same heating engineer that we have always used, the same goes for the plasterer, roofing work, windows/doors.

I am about to contact the latest electrician, found via MyBuilder, for the next job, we'll see.
All the tradesmen I have used via MyBuilder have all been excellent.

SteveN

 

[MJPD29]

I have not used any of them as luckily I've never needed them however I know people who have used them and I haven't heard a single good thing from them. They take money from you at sometimes extortionate rates in return for very little work. Not for me I'm afraid.

 

[FatAlan]

Not used any. Chucked a few leaflets out six months ago and have had several jobs. Builder that worked on my house is chucking work my way and I also appear to have lots of friends with dodgy wiring, sheds, garden lights etc that need sorting.

 

[JK-Electrical]

If registering with mybuilder, be aware that your registered name will be linked to them via google searches (which are usually towards the top of the listings) for years !, even if you never do any jobs through them. To get your name removed from their database is v.hard work which requires letter writing/signatures and its a pita. Moral of the story is dont bother in the first place !

The easiest way to beat MyBuilder at their own game is to have your own website and do whatever you need to do to get your website ranked above theirs in Google. It's not that difficult to achieve.

 

[Old Tiler 43192]

CheckaTrade | MyBuilder | RatedPeople | TrustaTrader etc - Who's with what and why?

Thought I'd start a poll off to see if we can see who's with what type of rate-my-builder website, if at all. And which ones seem to work, and if they do, why etc.

I've also put some other options there to see where people are spending their time and money on marketing right now, should they not be spending it with the big few common names.

Current options are:-

• MyBuilder.com - MyBuilder.com - Find trusted builders and tradesmen - https://www.mybuilder.com/
• Federation of Master Builders - https://www.fmb.org.uk/
• CheckaTrade.com - Checkatrade: Find a tradesperson you can trust - https://www.checkatrade.com/
• RatedPeople.com - https://www.ratedpeople.com/
• TrustaTrader.com - Find Trusted Traders and Local Tradesmen - https://www.trustatrader.com/
• TrustedTraders.Which.co.uk - Find traders near you with Which? Trusted Traders | Which? - https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/
• MyJobQuote.co.uk - MyJobQuote.co.uk - Get quotes from Local Builders and Tradesmen. - https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/
• Yell.com - Yell.com - the UK's leading online business directory - https://www.yell.com/
• Google Adwords (Google Paid Listings) - Google Ads - Get More Customers With Easy Online Advertising - https://ads.google.com/
• Own Website with Natural Google Listings (No Ads Bought)
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc)
• Reply with any other options and I'll add them to the list.

My personal opinion on this, after reading so many threads on all our forums, is that they're a middle-man where one isn't needed. People who need jobs doing on their homes could search Google before they came about, and they'd find tradespeoples own websites. And it all worked fine. The full amount of money that the tradesperson charged went to their business. And it wouldn't cost much to get a website online and running well.

Now though, there's an annual charge, or a percentage of the job, going to a company that's spending millions on advertising and has directors driving around in expensive cars, salesmen on commission selling to existing customers and new ones, trying to get more listing features or whatever.

You can get yourself a website using Wordpress, and update it yourself. Optimise it quite easy. Rank in Google naturally (no paying for ads), and get business coming in from it.

Or you can work on getting your listing with one of these companies up. Some of them encourage you to email your existing customers. Which obviously means there's no assurances the feedback actually comes from genuine customers then, you just get 20 free gmail accounts and send yourself the link to leave 10 star feedback so that when people search the website, your listing looks awesome and your feedback is spot on. Not seen a single listing ever with bad feedback on any of them.

That all said, I've not got a listing with a single one of them.

So I thought I'd run a poll, and have this handy thread for others to read and contribute to ongoing.

Feel free to discuss anything at all, pricing, experience, feedback, customers, type of work coming from them, whatever.

Please be constructive should you have criticism.

If a company you're with isn't in the poll, let me know, and I'll add it.

Please feel free to vote on as many of the options as you use yourself for your marketing.

CheckaTrade | MyBuilder | RatedPeople | TrustaTrader etc - Who's with what and why?

Apart from Yell.com and my Own website, I use Trading Standards 'Buy With Confidence' scheme and also a local homewatch scheme

 

[Tuxornot]

I'll just pop this here, it may add something.

I'm retired from the trade so wont use a middle man to drum up work but I sometimes need to search out different trades due to being a house owner, gas fitters, decent brickies and so on as the need arises. I would rather wait until word of mouth gives me a heads up on a decent trades person then use a middle man site.

I have my reasons but the main one is as stated by a few here, its another chunk out of your earnings that is simply making someone else rich from your hard work, there's enough hands in pockets already. Word of mouth or the ability to show your work as on these forums cant be beat.

--

 

[James]

you have missed out the option to vote for none of the above.
so I cant vote in this poll.

 

[JK-Electrical]

I've used MyBuilder and Rated People in the past, but for a variety of reasons, I haven't used either website for quite a while and never will again. I have no need as I'm now in a position where I can pick and choose which jobs I take on, and am fully-booked until the end of March next year. Word of mouth recommendations and repeat business is the way to go!

For those starting out, my advice would be to stay away from the parasite sites and invest your money in a website instead. Even a very basic site with two or three pages will suffice at the outset. You can always develop your website further down the line. Utilise Google My Business to the maximum. Ask your customers to post feedback for you on Google+. You'll soon get noticed by new customers, I assure you. This approach has worked wonders for me and paid handsome dividends.