Guides
Plain-English guides for UK trades on what a website should cost, what it should include, getting leads, and whether directories like Checkatrade are worth it.
Costs and pricing
- How Much Should a Tradesman Website Cost? UK Prices 2026
What plumbers, electricians, roofers and builders pay for a website in the UK: DIY, freelancer and agency prices, what moves the quote, and the running costs.
Updated 2026-10-07
Planning your website
- What Should a Tradesman Website Include? 12-Point Checklist
A 12-point checklist for a UK trade website: the pages to build, where the Gas Safe or NICEIC badge goes, a quote form that works on a phone, and what you own.
Updated 2026-10-01
Getting more work
- Google Local Services Ads for UK Trades: Costs and Checks
Google Local Services Ads for UK trades: how lead prices are set, what Google checks, no lead credits in the UK, and what replaced Google Guaranteed.
Updated 2026-10-01
- How to Get Roofing Leads: Buy Them or Build Your Own
What UK roofing leads cost from pay-per-lead vendors and directories, checked August 2026, shared versus exclusive explained, and how to build leads you keep.
Updated 2026-08-28
Directories and lead platforms
- Is MyBuilder Worth It? Fees and Terms for Trades in 2026
Is MyBuilder worth it for your trade? The shortlist fee (from £7, set per job), when it is charged, the 2026 credit rules and the sum to do before you join.
Updated 2026-10-02
- Checkatrade vs MyBuilder: Fees, Contracts and Refunds
Checkatrade vs MyBuilder for UK trades: a fixed 12 month membership against a fee every time your details are shared, with the contract terms from both.
Updated 2026-10-02
- Construction Leads: What UK Builders Pay in 2026
Construction leads compared for UK builders: what Planning Pipe, BuildAlert, Buildscout and the tender platforms charge, who will not publish a price, and the free route.
Updated 2026-09-19
- How to Cancel Checkatrade: Notice, Fees and Refunds
How to cancel Checkatrade: the 35 day phone window, why cancelling a Direct Debit will not do it, what refunds you get, and what to set up before you call.
Updated 2026-09-17
- Checkatrade Cost in 2026: Fees, Contracts and Small Print
What Checkatrade costs a tradesperson in September 2026: the three tiers, how Growth lead plans are priced, the 12 month contract and the fees in the terms.
Updated 2026-09-15
- Checkatrade Alternatives for UK Trades: 7 Options Compared
Seven alternatives to Checkatrade for UK tradespeople, compared on how each one charges, who it suits and the catch. Prices checked on 28 August 2026.
Updated 2026-10-07
- Is Checkatrade Worth It? The Trade View in 2026
Checkatrade membership from the tradesperson's side: what you get, fees and terms in September 2026, who it pays off for, common complaints and how to decide.
Updated 2026-09-15
Running the business
- Sole Trader or Limited Company? What Trades Keep in 2026/27
Sole trader or limited company? What a tradesperson keeps from the same profit on 2026/27 rates, plus CIS, vans, insurance, Making Tax Digital and switching.
Updated 2026-10-01
- Customer Refusing to Pay for Work Done? What to Do (UK)
What to do when a customer will not pay for finished work: reminders, the letter before claim, small claims, interest, and why you cannot take materials back.
Updated 2026-09-19
- Self-Employed Allowable Expenses List UK 2026/27 for Trades
The allowable expenses a self-employed tradesperson can claim: the full list by category, van and mileage, tools, workwear, CIS materials and a checklist.
Updated 2026-09-19
Prefer the underlying data?
These guides explain what to do. Our research measures what UK trades businesses actually have, audited first-hand, with the full dataset free to download.
Know the price before you call
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