Summary

There are roughly 10 reliable routes for a UK tradesperson to find new work. Most successful sole traders use 3–5 of them in combination. The mistake is over-relying on paid lead-gen platforms because they feel like effort-equals-output marketing. They aren't — they're an expensive way to bid against your competition for low-margin leads.

Lead quality matters more than lead quantity. A repeat customer with a £5,000 kitchen refit is worth 20 one-off £500 enquiries from a lead-gen platform — fewer headaches, no quoting time, no shared bid, no platform fee. Your goal is to build a mix where word-of-mouth and repeat work cover your baseline, and paid channels fill the gaps when the diary is light.

This article reviews all 10 routes honestly. For each: typical cost, conversion rate, time to first lead, and the trade-offs nobody on the platform sales call mentions.

Key Facts

Quick Reference Table

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Route Cost Time to first lead Typical conversion Lead quality
Repeat customers £0 Immediate (existing) 60–80% Highest
Referrals from past customers £0–£50 referral fee 2–8 weeks 50–70% Very high
Google Business Profile £0 2–4 weeks for ranking 30–50% High
Basic website + Google reviews £200–£1,000 setup + £0–£40/mo 1–3 months for SEO 20–40% High
Checkatrade £80–£140/mo + ~£10/lead Days 10–20% (shared lead) Medium
MyBuilder Free to list, £5–£40/lead credits Days 5–15% Medium
Rated People £30–£200/mo + per-lead Days 5–15% Medium
Local Facebook groups £0 Days 10–20% Low–medium
Van signwriting £200–£800 one-off 1–4 weeks 10–30% High (already saw your work)
Leaflet drops £40–£100 per 1,000 1–2 weeks 0.5–2% Low–medium
Nextdoor £0 Days–weeks 15–25% High (hyperlocal)
Builder/architect partnerships £0 + referral fee 1–6 months to build 40–60% Very high
Estate agents (pre-sale refurb) £0–£100 introduction 1–3 months to build 30–50% High but pressure-cooker
Local Marketplace (Facebook) £0 Days 5–15% Low (price-shoppers)
Google Ads £200–£2,000/mo Days 10–25% Medium–high

Detailed Guidance

1. Repeat customers — the foundation

Customers who have used you once and were happy will use you again. The cost of acquiring repeat work is near zero — you already have their phone number. The conversion rate on a "by the way I'm available next month" message is 60–80%.

How to maximise:

Watch-out: GDPR / UK GDPR applies to stored contact details. You need a privacy notice on your quote that says you'll keep details for repeat work, and you must give the customer the right to opt out. Two lines in your quote terms does the job.

Sample follow-up message:

Hi [NAME], hope you're well. I'm in [AREA] next [MONTH] and have some
diary space — wanted to check if there's anything else around the
house you'd like me to look at while I'm local. Pop me a message if
so. Best, [YOUR NAME].

2. Referrals from past customers

A customer recommending you to a friend is the strongest possible lead — the friend has already heard you're good. Conversion is 50–70%.

How to maximise:

Watch-out: Asking too aggressively (multiple texts) damages the relationship. One ask at handover, one polite mention 3 months later, then nothing.

3. Google Business Profile + Google reviews

A free Google Business Profile is the single highest-ROI digital action a tradesperson can take. When anyone searches "plumber near me" or your trading name, your profile shows up with reviews, photos, opening hours, and a phone number.

Set-up checklist:

Watch-out: Fake reviews are a Trading Standards offence and Google will detect and remove them. Real reviews compound — 20 4.8★ reviews beats 5 5★ reviews because the volume signals trust.

4. Basic website + Google reviews

Customers who hear your name will Google you. Without a website, they see only your Google Business Profile (good) or nothing (bad). A basic one-page site with your services, area, photos, contact form, and reviews is enough.

Set-up:

SEO basics:

Watch-out: Beware of agency calls promising "page 1 of Google for £400/month". Local SEO for a single-trade single-city business is achievable with basics and patience.

5. Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People, TrustATrader

Paid lead-gen platforms work like this: customer posts a job, the platform sends it to 3–5 traders, each of whom pays for the lead. You quote, customer chooses one.

Honest pros:

Honest cons:

When to use:

When not to use:

6. Local Facebook groups

Every UK town has 3–10 active Facebook groups: "[Town] Community", "[Town] Mums", "[Postcode] Trades Wanted". Members post asking for recommendations, and traders reply.

How to use well:

Lead quality: Mixed. Some are price-shoppers, some are great. Conversion is 10–20%.

Watch-out: Group rules vary. Many ban repeated self-promotion. Read the pinned rules of each group.

7. Van signwriting

A signwritten van is a moving billboard. Every drive to a job, every parking session, every motorway journey is exposure. One-off cost £200–£800 depending on coverage (single side vs full wrap).

What to put on it:

Watch-out: Phone numbers must be readable from a moving car — make them huge. Email addresses are too small to register. "Find us on Google" is more useful than a website URL.

8. Leaflet drops

Old-school but effective in established neighbourhoods, especially when targeting specific work types.

Response rates:

Cost: £40–£70 per 1,000 leaflets printed; £40–£60 per 1,000 delivered by Royal Mail Door-to-Door, or free if you walk it yourself.

Watch-out: Leaflets must comply with ASA rules — no misleading claims, no fake "limited offers", no fake accreditations. Include a clear address or contact.

9. Nextdoor

Hyperlocal social network organised by postcode. Members ask for recommendations of local tradespeople. Lower volume than Facebook groups but higher trust because everyone is verified to a specific address.

Best for: Handyman, gardening, cleaning, decorating, smaller jobs. Less effective for big-ticket trades (kitchens, extensions).

How to use:

10. Builder / architect / estate agent partnerships

The highest-quality leads after repeat/referral come from other tradespeople who pass on work they can't or don't want to do.

How to build:

Referral fees:

Estate agent partnerships:

Lead route mix — recommended combinations

Starting out (Year 1):

Established (Year 2–3):

Mature (Year 4+):

Tracking what works

The cheapest thing you can do is ask every new customer "How did you hear about us?". Log it. Review monthly. Drop the channels that don't convert. Double down on the ones that do.

A simple spreadsheet column "Lead Source" attached to every quote and invoice tells you within 3 months which channels are profitable.

GDPR / UK GDPR for lead lists

If you keep customer contact details for marketing (follow-up, repeat work, newsletters), you need:

ICO guidance is clear and free at ico.org.uk.

Accreditations as lead drivers

The accreditation logos that meaningfully drive leads:

Faking any of these is a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Trading Standards prosecute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the single best free lead source?

A Google Business Profile with 20+ positive reviews and weekly photo updates. It's free, dominant in local search, and converts well because customers see your work and ratings before they call.

Are paid lead-gen platforms worth it?

Yes for filling diary gaps and building a review base when starting out. No as a primary channel — leads are shared, margins are squeezed, and the monthly cost continues whether you convert or not. A target of <20% of revenue from paid leads is sensible long-term.

How do I get my first Google reviews?

Ask every happy customer at sign-off. Hand them a card with a short URL or QR code linking to your Google review page. Around 1 in 5 will leave one. After 10 jobs, you'll have 1–3 reviews; after 50, you'll have 8–15. See asking for google reviews.

Should I pay for SEO services?

For most sole traders, no — local SEO is achievable with a basic website, Google Business Profile, 5–10 directory citations, and consistent reviews. Pay agencies only when you've maxed out the basics and want to compete in a high-density urban market.

Can I cold-call leads on the doorstep?

You can knock, but: doorstep contracts trigger the 14-day cooling-off period (see cancellation policy template); aggressive sales are banned under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008; leaflet-drop "no cold callers" stickers should be respected (ignoring them is grounds for harassment claims). Most successful tradespeople don't cold-call.

Should I pay referral fees to estate agents or builders?

Yes — 5–10% of job value is standard and transparent. Pay promptly via BACS with a clear reference. Treat as a business expense for tax. Avoid cash payments (they look like bribes).

How long until a new website ranks on Google?

Local SEO takes 2–6 months for a new domain to appear for "[trade] in [town]" searches. Faster if you also have a strong Google Business Profile and citations. Don't expect overnight results — most agency promises are misleading.

Regulations & Standards