The 16 Best Lead Generation Websites for Contractors in 2023

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

Best lead generation websites for contractors in 2023: The quick list

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:

• Angi Pro Leads
• BluePagesPro
• BuildZoom
• Contractor Appointments
• Contractor Clicks
• HelloProject
• Home Appointments
• homeyou
• Modernize
• Porch
• Thumbtack

Best lead generation companies:

• ActiveProspect (lead verification)
• Buyerlink
• CraftJack
• EverConnect
• Houzz

Types of contractor lead services

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

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.

Directory lead generation services

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.

How does contractor lead generation work?

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:

• Most sites collect from homeowners their project needs and from contractors their expertise—then use technology and human expertise to vet and match.
• For many directory sites, it's free to create a listing and then there are paid options for buying leads, ads, prioritized ranking, and more.
• Pricing models vary. Some have membership fees and then you pay per lead as well. Some offer bulk discounts, credits for leads that aren't a fit. Lead prices vary by industry, project, and service area.
• Some companies deliver leads to your CRM while others come with an app or dashboard for managing those leads.

Porch's process is a good representation of how most lead generation websites work.

Benefits of lead generation companies for contractors

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:

• Volume: You can acquire a lot more leads with a lead aggregator than on your own (but you should still implement your own lead generation strategies!)
• Reduced customer acquisition costs: A higher volume of leads, plus the right  speed-to-lead strategy will result in lower CAC.
• Predictability and scalability: Most lead generation sites give you control over how many leads you have coming in, so you can scale up or back depending on seasonality and stage of growth.
• Higher revenue: When you apply the right tactics to the right leads coming in, you’ll be feeding your funnel, increasing revenue, and of course ROI.
• Focus on what matters: When you don’t have to spend time on lead generation, you can focus on your core competencies and on quality engagement, providing the best experience for your customers at all stages of their buyer journey.

EverConnect

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.

• EverConnect Live: Delivers exclusive leads at a fixed price, great for contractors with a specific coverage area and for urgent needs like home repair, electrician, and plumbers.
• EverConnect Direct: Delivers leads at a pricing system you set, also provides tailored campaigns to generate leads and strengthen brand awareness; great for regional or larger businesses.
• EverConnect Marketplace: Delivers high-volume leads at custom pricing using auction-style bidding; choose between exclusive and shared leads, funneled into your CRM, Great for regional or national franchises

Some solid features of Everconnect include:

• Strategic help: Once you set up your service area and categories, they’ll help you build out a strategy based on your goals.
• Customized pricing strategy: No monthly service fees or long term contracts. Cancel or pause your account whenever. You work with them to come up with a pricing system that works for you: pay by lead, by phone call, by campaign, or a hybrid approach.
• Lead delivery: They screen and qualify each lead and then deliver them via your CRM or by phone. They can arrange appointments on your behalf as well.

Houzz

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:

• Lead generation: Includes Preferred Directory Placement, Lead Generation Program, and Targeted Advertising
• Business management: HouzePro is a CRM tool to manage leads, communicate with prospects and customers, schedule meetings, share project timelines, and generate estimates and proposals.
• Marketing solutions: Premium Profile, photo services, custom website, and email marketing.

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.

How to choose the best contractor lead service

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:

Your marketing foundation

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:

• Your online foundation: do you have a website, social media profiles, and free directory listings set up?
• Advertising: Are you running Google or Facebook ads? Do you need an additional paid channel? Do you have the resources to create the ad copy and creative?
• Listing optimization: Do you know how to optimize your listing and profile? Do you have quality images of your projects and existing reviews and testimonials?

Your tech stack

Each lead generation company comes with its own set of products, solutions, and features that you may or may not need depending on your:

• CRM: Make sure the lead source integrates with your CRM so you're not duplicating your efforts or confusing lists.
• Communication tools: You'll want the ability to reach out to these leads on the channels that perform best for you. Think also about bidding and proposal tools.
• Analytics: It's essential to be able to measure your performance with these leads and your ROI. 
  
  

Your budget, plans, and goals

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:

• Does your average project size match their average project size?
• Do you have seasonal ebbs and flows such that you'll need a flexible option?
• Are you looking to scale and grow or just maintain profitability?

Your communication strategy

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.

The 16 best lead generation companies and websites for contractors: recap

To conclude, here are the best lead generation websites and companies for contractors in 2023 (in alphabetical order):

• ActiveProspect
• Angi Pro Leads
• BluePagesPro
• BuildZoom
• Buyerlink
• Contractor Appointments
• Contractor Clicks
• CraftJack
• EverConnect
• HelloProject
• Home Appointments
• homeyou
• Houzz
• Modernize
• Porch
• Thumbtack

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.