Literature Review

Existing Apps/approaches

Checkatrade

Lauding itself as the UK’s no. 1 website for finding tradespeople, Checkatrade gives

tradespeople the ability to create a profile, upload photos of their work and display verified
customer reviews.

They’re currently offering free listings until 31st May 2021, which will cost £25 a month
thereafter. Signing up for free now could be a good opportunity to build up your profile and
reviews before upgrading to a full membership which will get you listed in their searchable
online directory.

Expert Trades
Expert Trades gives you the opportunity to list your business in a trusted directory. However, it
goes a lot further than this in terms of helping you to run your business with ease. Expert Trades’
app enables you to keep track of all your jobs, paperwork and schedule in one place - and it can
be synced with all your electronic devices.

It’s free to join their directory, Verified, and unlike many other directories, Expert Trades
doesn’t take fees for leads. What’s more, becoming an Expert Trades member gives you access
to member benefits - from vehicle leasing to phone discounts - not forgetting insurance!

Fixington
Fixington, does feature a directory but its star offering is in its calendar functionality, enabling
you to keep track of work. It’s free package gives you access to this via your phone, but for
£7.50 a month their Fixington Pro package gives you access to your calendar through multiple
devices and browsers - particularly useful if you’re not a one man band and have employees or a
partner that needs to access your admin information.

They’ve also recently launched a bookings system, enabling you to accept local leads that come
through their directory (if you want to), book and schedule them in via the app.

MyBuilder
Unlike more traditional directories, MyBuilder also enables you to pitch for jobs. If a customer
likes your offering, they’ll shortlist you and MyBuilder will enable you to make telephone
contact with the customer (for a fee). To get an idea of how much leads are charged, take a look
at MyBuilder’s recently completed building jobs list, which describes jobs and the lead cost.

Rated People
Similar to MyBuilder, Rated People allows homeowners to post jobs (also known as leads). A
trades membership enables you to access relevant leads. There’s a monthly fee (starting at £35
plus VAT) to join and an additional cost for each lead you follow up (£15 on average).

They also have a pretty great trade advice centre on their website, featuring useful business
content for tradespeople, covering everything from how to brand your van in order to stand
out to customer complaints resolution.

Yell
Sounds familiar? That’s because Yell is the digital incarnation of the Yellow Pages business
directory, which ceased printing in 2019.

These days, Yell offers much more than a free directory listing on the Yell.com website and app
(which also enables your business to appear on Amazon Alexa, Apple Map and more).

They provide a full range of managed digital marketing services such as website design and
online advertising, plus some great free tools including a website performance report, online
visibility checker and downloadable guides focused on helping your business to be found and
chosen online.

Qualified Tradesmen Online

While we’re all big fans of learning to make home improvements ourselves, not everyone is
really cut out for such a thing – at least not immediately. The challenge is always how to find
good tradesmen.  Occasionally, you’ll find yourself in need of a professional who has the sort of
expertise that the job requires. Sure, you might not be living up to externally imposed notions of
being a jack of all trades, but forcing yourself to tackle a situation you honestly know you might
not be prepared to handle is hardly any better. Indeed, looking into securing the services of well-
trained tradesmen is often the best course of action in such circumstances.

Be Choosey Finding Tradesmen

Of course, being choosy at this stage is still well within your rights – as with any field of
expertise, tradesmen aren’t universally reliable as there are occasional bad apples that you might
want to steer clear of so you can work with the better ones. Taking the time to screen and find
good tradesmen will hopefully spare you no end of grief that you might otherwise encounter.
Dodgy tradesmen not only give their craft a bad name – they also result in quite a headache for
you. Here are some things to consider when you look.

1. Consider hiring locals. By local, we mean it’s more important that they do most of their
work in the area rather than live there. This will allow you to negotiate deals without
having to factor in travel times from other towns. Furthermore, if they’ve worked locally
for some time, they’ll have a reputation to think of, which will hopefully translate to a
conscientious work ethic.
 2. Avoid tradesmen who dont have review or cold call out of the blue offering their
services. While this isn’t meant to shun the honest cold-callers, it’s usually best to be the
one initiating the inquiry so you don’t fall for any dishonest rovers.
3. Get a minimum of three quotes for the work. This is standard practice when you’re
getting work done; this gets you a scope of work that you’ll be able to evaluate more
critically in order to find the best deal. Some tradesmen may offer better deals or ways to
get more for the same, and putting them through the rigors of selection allows you to get
to know them, as you should. Do your due diligence, make sure your needs are met, and
look for better value rather than just the lowest price quote.
4. Speaking of due diligence, your screening process should cover the basics. Make sure
you know all about their trade license, insurance cover, health and safety insurance, and
reputation.
5. Take care of contractors who do good work for you. This will preserve the working
relationship and make them eager to work with you again, possibly with the chance of a
better offer next time.

That’s all well and good, but where do you find reputable tradesmen? There are some services
that have sprung up specifically to cater to people looking to be put in touch with awesome
tradesmen who can do the jobs that need doing.
Review of existing apps
Gumtree

Run by Gumtree, a subsidiary of eBay, the eponymous website is a catch-all classified ads site
where one can post ads offering items for sale, or real estate lots for sale, or services for hire.
While the reviews of the service run the gamut from questionable to satisfied, those who say the
latter point out that while there are some duds the service does work. As with all classified ads,
the usual “caveat emptor” must be in place.
OneFlare

While just about five years old (prior to becoming OneFlare it was called PickAQuote),
OneFlare has emerged as a popular and well-liked online marketplace. It connects local service
providers (currently over 70,000 registered local service providers) in over 200 service
categories with customers who may be in need of their services. The site works by matching up
service requests from customers with competitive quotes posted by the tradesmen or service
providers who can do the work that needs doing. Processing the service is also fairly
straightforward, with SMS and email updates sending the five lowest-priced quotes for the
customer to choose from.
Service Seeking

Almost a full decade old, Service Seeking is an online marketplace that goes the extra mile by
offering a price comparison service. It puts consumers in touch with businesses that provide the
needed services by letting would-be consumers post the jobs they need done and businesses
responding by posting job quotations for those jobs. Over $200AUD million worth of jobs were
completed in mid-2012, and about $46AUD million a month worth of jobs were being posted in
2014. It’s worth noting that each business interested in posting on Service Seeking has to be
certified by the site, which even includes a seminar on quoting and responding to customers.
Reviews and possibly previous completed job information help consumers make decisions as
well.
Air Tasker

A Sydney-based company, AirTasker has been around for some five years. Users post a job they
need done along with a proposed payment, and other users signify interest in doing that job along
with their own proposed payment for doing the job, if any. The user who wants the job done can
then make a decision as to who to go with. It’s worth noting that while signing up for the service
is free, a 15% commission is charged to the user/applicant per completed task.
Home Improvement Pages
Also called “hipages”, this 2004-founded company offers a paid service matching up consumers
to registered tradesmen who can do the jobs that are posted. More than 70,000 listed tradesmen
from a variety of skill sets are able to do a variety of home improvement and repair tasks such as
tiling and painting. The website claims to have Australia’s largest network of trade professionals,
and assures users that their customer service team screens the qualifications and job quality of
this large body of tradies. The website even provides informational articles on home
improvement, which could be helpful in aiding a user in making a decision about the job before
seeking trade help.
Local Community Directory

Think of goguide as a friend or neighbour who recommends a local tradie to you.  They are
different from other search listings and directories because goguide focus on targeting local
businesses, so you can find the right person for the job with a simple search. It’s a great directory
focused on bringing local tradies together with local people who need to get a job done quickly,
cheaply and professionally all in just a few mouse clicks!

Checkatrade

What is it?
Checkatrade is one of the most popular tradesman websites – both for tradespeople and
customers. It's an online directory that you pay to be featured on, so people can find and contact
you for work. Clients can also leave you a rating, which is then visible to the public.

What makes it great?

It's so simple to use. To set yourself up, just complete an online form. You'll get a call back,
where you'll be asked to answer a few questions and provide proof of your qualifications,
references and insurance. Then, once your profile is live, you're good to go.
Once you're listed on the site, it's easy for customers to find and contact you, which means you're
more likely to get business from the site. Plus, once you've paid your subscription fee, there are
no other costs to pay – regardless of how many leads or jobs Checkatrade brings you.

Square

What is it?
Square helps sellers start, run and grow their business with hardware and software tools that
improve cash flow. Whether selling online, over the phone, sending invoices to clients, or taking
payments on the go, Square empowers sellers to make a sale anytime, anywhere.

What makes it great?

Get your money the next business day with the Square Reader. The pocket-sized device paired
with the free Square POS app, lets you accept chip and PIN and contactless cards, Apple Pay and
Google Pay at your counter or on the go. It’s affordable and easy to set up, so you can start
accepting payments in minutes. There are no long-term commitments, no monthly fees and no
cancellation charges.
You can also power secure payments even when you don’t use a reader, with your Square
account - send invoices, take over-the-phone payments and make more money through your
eCommerce store.

Rated People

What is it?
There are two Rated People apps – one for customers looking for tradespeople and another for
tradespeople looking for jobs. Rated People works in a similar way to Checkatrade, but is more
focused on helping you find your own work, instead of waiting for clients to contact you.

What makes it great?

With Rated People, you're in control. You can proactively browse, search and filter potential
work, so you decide what type of jobs you take on and where.
Then, if you want the work, you can buy the lead and contact the potential client. Plus, you'll get
access to member benefits like high street discounts. You can also help increase your reputation
by answering the DIY-related questions posted on the site by potential customers.

Makita

What is it?
The trusted power tool manufacturer has created its own mobile app, which turns your
smartphone into a handy, multi-functional device you can use while you're on a job.

What makes it great?

It's the Swiss Army knife of tradesman apps. Mislaid your spirit level? You can use the Makita
app to check your work instead, thanks to its built-in levelling instrument. There's also a flash
light and distance-measuring tool.
If you're worried about what all these clever gadgets will do to your mobile battery, don't. The
app comes with a battery level indicator, so it won't drain without warning.

MyBuilder

What is it?
Following in the footsteps of Checkatrade and Rated People, MyBuilder lets you find work
based on a custom area you set. You only need to pay a shortlist fee once you and a client are
ready to exchange details.

What makes it great?

Unlike Checkatrade and Rated People, MyBuilder doesn't charge a monthly or annual listing fee.
This can be particularly useful when you're first starting out or if cash flow is an issue.
Plus, it's a handy way to fill any last-minute work gaps. The app uses a matching process to
shortlist tradespeople for customers. If you're chosen, you can then make contact with a warm
lead who's already expecting your call.

Fixington

What is it?
Designed for independent tradespeople, the Fixington Calendar app lets you keep track of all
your jobs and appointments. It also has a built-in invoice function, and you can save information
about your jobs and client details to view later.

What makes it great?

It reduces your paperwork and helps you stay organised. One of the best invoice apps for
tradespeople, Fixington lets you send bills through messaging apps, like Facebook or iMessage,
so they'll be easier for your customers to pick up.
Lost your phone? No problem – all your data is synced and backed up, so you can view it on any
desktop or phone.
Powered Now

What is it?
In short, Powered Now is an invoice, estimating and scheduling program for small businesses.
You can use it to create quotes and job sheets, wherever you are. It can also help you manage
your diary and keep track of payments.

What makes it great?

How much it can do! From sending documents via text and pinging you an alert once they've
been opened, to organising all your communications in an easy-to-view timeline – as one of the
best organiser apps out there, Powered Now has got it all.