Contractor Aggregator Sites
Several sites exist for the sole purpose of connecting homeowners with contractors. Among the most popular are HomeAdvisor, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), Houzz, and Yelp.
HomeAdvisor
This incredibly popular site allows homeowners to quickly find contractors. Contractors must pass a screening process in order to be visible on the site, and they must pay a yearly and per-lead fee. Furthermore, leads are sold to multiple contractors at once, making competition intense. Despite its many cons, however, contractors need to go where the customers are.
Angi, Formerly Angie’s List
Formerly HomeAdvisor’s top competitor, Angi is now owned by the same parent company. It is an advertisement and directory platform and operates similarly to HomeAdvisor with a few key distinctions. Unlike HomeAdvisor, contractors do not need to pay to start a profile or pay per-lead, but they do pay for advertisements. Another key difference between Angi and HomeAdvisor is the popularity amongst homeowners; Angi is less popular due to the fact that homeowners need to pay and complain of poor customer service. Note that the shared lead pool between HomeAdvisor and Angi means that if you are paying for both, you might have some overlap in leads.
Houzz
Houzz is unique in that it is a Pinterest-like platform on which homeowners can directly buy products and connect with contractors. Contractors create profiles for their business and showcase their work, which customers can then add to idea boards. Having an account is free, but contractors have the option to pay to advertise and become more visible to people in the local area. Advertisements are charged by the amount of time they are up, not the click or view.
Yelp
While we typically associate Yelp with restaurants, any type of business can be listed on the platform. Customers are even able to create a profile for a business without permission of the business owner and leave a bad review. It is free to sign up for Yelp, but like Houzz you can pay to be more visible. Be mindful that you are charged per click. Yelp might not be able to secure you new leads, but being on the service is crucial for reputation management. You can respond to negative reviews and flag fake ones, and ultimately the program is free, so there is little to lose.
PCA - Preferred Contractors Association
1811 Aston Ave., Ste. 200
Carlsbad, CA 92008