The home improvement industry is a competitive one, and if you want to stay afloat, you need a steady stream of leads flowing into your business.
While lead generation strategies like paid ads and lead capture forms on your website are effective (and necessary), contractors often supplement their efforts with a lead generation service.
So what exactly is a lead generation service and which ones are the best? This is a loaded question, but lucky for you, this post is loaded with answers.
Read on to find out!
Note: This list is in no particular order
Choosing the best lead generation service for your home improvement business takes careful research and time. There are a lot of factors to consider so that you get the highest return on your investment.
We'll be covering all of that in this post, but for your instant gratification purposes, here is the list:
(Note, these list are in alphabetical order—they're not ranked! The best service for you will depend on your specific business.)
Best lead generation websites:
Best lead generation companies:
Lead generation services are exactly as they sound — they provide you with leads, usually at a higher volume than you can generate on your own, for your business. There are two main forms of lead generation services: directory lead generation services (also known as lead aggregators) and agency lead generation services.
Agency lead generation services help you establish and execute a marketing plan. This may include marketing strategies like website, SEO, PPC, email, listings, social media, and more—all of which are lucrative strategies for generating leads.
While an agency will set you up to generate leads with your own assets, directory lead generation services will collect the leads for you and essentially deliver them to your doorstep. This doesn’t mean you’re completely hands-off, however. You still need to optimize your listing and profile to get the most qualified leads, and manage those leads properly.
An optimized listing is complete, consistent, and contains key elements homeowners look for like reviews and photos.
Lead generation for contractors works the same way as lead generation for any business: interested prospects provide their contact information in exchange for something they consider to be of value.
That could be a quote, information about the business, a consult, an ebook, a free tool, and so on.
But in terms of lead generation websites and solutions (like Porch, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Houzz, etc.), it works differently; and each service has its own ins and outs. In general, however, here's how contractor lead generation sites work:
Porch's process is a good representation of how most lead generation websites work.
Using a lead generation website or company is not like just buying a list of cold leads. When you choose the right provider and employ the right strategies, you can experience:
This post is broken up into two lists: lead generation websites, which are more on the directory end of things, and lead generation companies, which offer additional services and solutions. Let's start with the former.
Angi is a directory (as both an app and a website) for consumers to find a wide range of services. Contractors and home improvement businesses can create a free listing, which will include contact information, reviews, project portfolios, and more. The more complete and thorough you build out your listing, the better Angi can match your business to the right people for you.
Angi also offers two paid options
Angi Pro leads also includes the Angi Pro Leads App which allows you to:
BluePagesPro is an online directory designed to help homeowners find service professionals in their area. Your listing is a robust landing page called a BluePage, which includes:
Its differentiator is “no lead fees or friction” which is accomplished through a suite of conversion tools, robust listing landing pages, integrations, partnerships, and recommendations.
Additional features of the ProPlan include
BuildZoom is a lead gen website specifically for contractors. You fill out an application and profile with your details, requirements and preferences. BuildZoom then refers homeowners to you whose needs are a good fit.
These referrals are free, and you can engage with the ones you see fit. You can also reach out to BuildZoom if you need more information on a project.
Then you only pay if you get hired, through a percentage-based referral fee.
Features of BuildZoom include:
The way Contractor Appointments works is, after the initial implementation/escrow fee, you only pay for sales you close (pay per sale). They deliver 300-1,000 leads directly into your CRM each month. Niches it works in include:
Additional features of Contractor Appointments include:
ContractorClicks specializes in high-intent TCPA-compliant leads in home services for contractors who are seeking to grow their business.
Their service categories include:
HelloProject is another home improvement pro search engine for homeowners focused on bathroom remodeling, epoxy flooring, windows, HVAC, solar, roofing, plumbing, and kitchens.
If you want to apply to become a part of their pro network to buy leads, you can expect a personal interview, background check, and license and insurance verification. They’ll also look at reviews that already exist on your business.
Perhaps the best part about HomeAppointments is their tagline: "If you can't hit your ROI targets with our leads, we’ll fire ourselves."
HomeAppointments sources its leads through digital marketing channels and ads. Homeowners fill out a survey and if they match with your services, you’ll get the lead delivered to you via email, text, and directly into your CRM.
Features of HomeAppointments include:
HomeAppointments also provides some numbers to help you rest assured:
Homeyou connects contractors with homeowners who are actively looking to get work done. Homeowners submit information about their project and request to get an estimate, Homeyou vets and verifies them, then sends them over to you to seal the deal. You’ll also have a profile page to help set your business apart from competitors.
Modernize, acquired by Quinstreet in 2020, is the largest private residential lead generation service in the US. It’s focused primarily on roofing, HVAC and solar, but covers additional niches like:
Modernize offers:
It also offers a variety of contractor resources on its site including articles, ebooks, tools, and templates. If you're in HVAC and looking for more resources, check out our roundup of the best HVAC forums and blogs.
Porch connects homeowners with movers, home insurance, security, and home improvement contractors in their area and is particularly good for higher budgets and more established companies.
Their focus is on giving you the most control over the types of leads you get, when, and how. How it works is:
Like Modernize, Porch also has a solid resources page with guides, insights, and tips for success.
Thumbtack is our final lead generation website where you can create a free listing as well as pay for leads. If you go with the latter, you'll set your targeting preferences, then set a weekly budget. You'll only pay when a lead contacts your business. It's definitely more of a self-service option but it's intuitive.
Additional features of Thumbtack include:
The above list was focused on the more directory-focused lead generation services. The rest of the lead generators on this list offer more robust solutions, whether through a SaaS platform or marketing services.
ActiveProspect is not a lead generation company but we still wanted to include it on our list. Rather, it's a lead verification SaaS platform that is focused on consent-based marketing. It offers contractors a way to safely and efficiently scale their lead generation efforts by helping to identify the leads most likely to convert, ensuring that each lead has given consent, and verifying TCPA compliance.
ActiveProspect breaks its lead generation solutions down into Compliance, Lead Acquisition, Lead Optimization, and Lead Distribution and products include TrustedForm, LeadConduit, LeadsBridge, and SuppressionList.
Buyerlink allows companies to access locally-targeted, category-specific leads through a patented online auction marketplace.
Called the Buyerlink marketplace, you can purchase leads, Enhanced Clicks (a branded term), and/or calls according to criteria like consumer intent, location, volume, and price.
Buyerlink is good for a number of industries, including automotive, home services, home warranty, insurance, legal, real estate, solar.
CraftJack provides real-time, phone-verified leads for contractors across the widest range of jobs in the industry—making it ideal for niche contractors.
Features of CraftJack include:
Speaking of which, have you downloaded our Speed-to-Lead eBook?
EverConnect is a lead aggregator, a platform and an agency all in one that prides itself on advanced technology (AI, algorithms, and APIs) but also simplicity. Consolidation 33 Mile Radius, Remodeling.com, and Keyword Connects.
There are three core solutions that you can mix and match to build a lead generation engine for your business.
Some solid features of Everconnect include:
Houzz is both a lead generation website and lead service provider for contractors, builders and remodelers, interior designers, and architects. You can create a free profile for customers to browse, but their paid options are plentiful. These include:
You’ll have a customer service team to onboard you, access to customer service via phone, chat and email, and a variety of resources including webinars, video tutorials, and Help Center articles.
You can also get a dedicated Client Success Manager for an additional fee.
So great, now you have 16 great options for lead generation services. How to determine which one is right for you? Here are some key considerations to help you:
If you don't have a solid marketing foundation in place, you may want to go with an agency that provides these services as well. Remember that leads will continue to research you once you've reached out to them. You want to have a solid online presence so they can learn about you and build trust. Plus, any marketing strategy you implement works better in conjunction with others. Things to consider here include:
Each lead generation company comes with its own set of products, solutions, and features that you may or may not need depending on your:
Think not just about the current state of your business but the goals and plans you have and where you want to be. Considerations here include:
Of course, you need to make sure you have the right team, tools, and processes in place to be able to handle a high volume of leads. Otherwise, you won't be able to turn these leads into appointments and appointments into sales.
To conclude, here are the best lead generation websites and companies for contractors in 2023 (in alphabetical order):
The right one for you will depend on your current marketing foundation, tech stack, budget and long-term goals—but the most important thing is to have the right processes in place to make the most of these leads.
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Is Angi worth it for contractors? Find out! Plus how it works, costs, how to get listed, Angi Ads vs Angi Leads, and how to get jobs from Angi.