Why This Decision Matters to Your Business
If you're running an extension or conservatory company, you've probably noticed these three names pop up constantly. Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Rated People have become the default places where homeowners search for reliable installers. The question isn't whether to use them, but which ones deserve your subscription fees and daily attention.
The problem is that each platform works differently. They charge different rates, attract different types of customer, and demand different amounts of effort from you. Get this wrong and you'll waste time responding to tire-kickers, or worse, miss out on genuine leads altogether.
Checkatrade: The Established Player
Checkatrade has been around since 1997, which means it's got real brand recognition among UK homeowners. If a customer mentions they found you on Checkatrade, they probably thought quite hard about it, because the platform actively promotes its vetting process. That's the main selling point here: trust.
You'll pay around 60-80 pounds per month for a basic listing, though they offer premium tiers that go higher. The leads come through their website and their smartphone app, which gets decent traffic. Homeowners can filter by location, service type and reviews, so a well-optimised profile with genuine reviews carries real weight.
The friction point? Checkatrade takes a while to vet you before you go live. They check credentials, insurance and references. This is actually good for your long-term reputation, but it means you won't be taking jobs immediately. Some installers report that lead quality on Checkatrade has declined slightly over the past couple of years as the platform has grown, but it's still solid for high-value work like conservatory installations where customers genuinely want reassurance.
Checkatrade's review system is detailed and honest. Customers get asked specific questions about workmanship, tidiness and communication. This matters more than raw star ratings because a five-star review with no detail tells you almost nothing.
MyBuilder: Volume and Speed
MyBuilder operates on a different model. You don't pay a subscription. Instead, you pay per quote you submit, usually between 30-50 pence depending on your location and the job type. This changes the psychology completely. You're not paying for access. You're paying for each opportunity to pitch for work.
This attracts a different customer base. MyBuilder users tend to be ready to make decisions faster. They're actively comparing quotes from multiple installers and they expect responses within hours, not days. For an extension company looking to fill the schedule, that's often exactly what you need.
The downside is the volume game. You'll see plenty of spec work, DIY inquiries that aren't quite ready, and homeowners pushing for extremely tight budgets. You have to be willing to sift through more to find the genuine opportunities. Successful installers on MyBuilder treat it like a sales funnel and accept that conversion rates will be lower than Checkatrade.
One advantage: you can be up and running within 24 hours. No vetting period. This makes MyBuilder useful if you're new or you need to boost activity quickly.
MyBuilder also has a job posting option where homeowners can request quotes for specific projects. If you set up notifications properly, you can be among the first to respond, which significantly improves your chances.
Rated People: The Middle Ground
Rated People sits somewhere between the other two in terms of approach. You pay a monthly fee, currently around 50-70 pounds, but the vetting is less rigorous than Checkatrade. You can be active within a few days.
The customer base skews slightly younger and more digital-savvy than Checkatrade, but less frantic than MyBuilder. Homeowners here are still comparing quotes, but they're not necessarily in crisis mode.
Rated People's particular strength is in areas where it has good local saturation. In some regions it performs brilliantly for extensions and conservatories. In others, it's noticeably quieter. This is worth testing before you commit to the annual plan. Their review system is straightforward, perhaps too simple compared to Checkatrade, but reviews do accumulate quickly if you do good work.
The platform's search function allows homeowners to sort by price, location and ratings. Getting your profile to the top of relevant searches means keeping your response rate high and turning around estimates quickly.
The Practical Reality
Most successful extension and conservatory installers use at least two of these platforms, usually Checkatrade and MyBuilder together. Here's why.
Checkatrade gives you credibility and attracts serious customers willing to pay properly for quality work. You typically get fewer leads but higher-value jobs. MyBuilder lets you stay busy and fill gaps in the schedule. You get more inquiries overall, but you'll turn down more of them.
Rated People works well if you're established enough to maintain good response times and your local area has decent activity on the platform. It's less of a no-brainer than the other two for most trades.
Your actual time commitment matters more than the monthly fee. Each platform requires you to respond to inquiries quickly, keep your profile current and actively manage your reviews. If you're too busy to respond to a quote request within a few hours, you'll waste your subscription money.
What to Actually Do
If you're starting out, begin with MyBuilder. The pay-per-quote model means low risk and you'll learn whether there's enough demand for your services in your area.
Once you've built a few reviews and you're confident in your pricing, add Checkatrade. The subscription cost is worth it because the leads are generally more serious.
Rated People is worth testing once you're established, but it's less essential than the first two.
Don't spread yourself too thin. Managing four or five platforms badly is worse than managing two platforms properly. Focus, respond quickly and do good work. That's what generates reviews, which drive everything else.
