UnlimitelyConstruction leads in the UK: where to get them, what they really cost
UK builders get construction leads from four places: word of mouth, shared directories, their own marketing, and exclusive lead generation. They differ wildly in cost, quality and how many other builders are quoting the same job. Here's the honest breakdown.
What construction leads cost in the UK
Nobody publishes straight answers on this, so here is how the market actually charges.
Directories
Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and similar platforms charge a membership fee, a per-lead fee, or both. The catch: the same homeowner enquiry is typically sold to five or more trades at once, so you pay for leads you were never going to win. Our Checkatrade alternatives guide covers each platform in detail.
Marketing agencies
Generalist agencies usually charge a monthly retainer plus your ad spend, payable whether leads arrive or not. Some are good. Many take the retainer from a builder one month and a dentist the next, and the results show it.
Exclusive pay-per-lead
Unlimitely charges a fixed price per exclusive lead, agreed with you on a call before anything goes live. No retainer, no contracts, and every lead goes to you alone. The full model is on the how it works page.
Where builders actually get leads, ranked
Ranked honestly, including the option that costs nothing.
- 01
Word of mouth
Still the best lead there is: free, pre-sold, and high-trust. The problem is you can't control the volume. Referrals feast one quarter and famine the next, which is exactly why most builders go looking for a second source.
- 02
Directories
Fast to start, and there's real demand on them. But the same enquiry goes to five or more builders, so every job becomes a price race. Fine as a stopgap; brutal as the main pipeline for a quality builder.
- 03
Your own marketing
A Google Business Profile with fresh reviews, a decent website and social ads you run yourself. Every lead is exclusive and free once it's working. But it takes real time to learn and keep running, and most builders would rather be on site. Our construction marketing guide covers what's worth doing yourself.
- 04
Exclusive lead generation
A specialist runs the whole revenue system for you: the ads, the qualification, and an AI that texts every enquiry the moment it lands, keeps following up, and books the serious ones into phone calls. You pay per qualified lead and get the exclusivity of your own marketing without doing the marketing. That's what Unlimitely does for extension builders: the North Star Framework, run for one builder per 30-mile radius.
How to judge a construction lead
Before you pay anyone for leads, ask four questions. How many other builders receive this same enquiry, and was the homeowner asked about budget, job type and timeframe, or just their postcode? How fast is the follow-up, and do you keep the lead's details if you stop paying?
If the answers are "five", "just the postcode", "whenever you ring them" and "no", you're buying a race, not a lead. With Unlimitely every enquiry is exclusive, qualified on your own criteria, and texted by the AI within moments, then chased until the serious ones are booked into a phone call. Every lead's name, number and details live in a dashboard you can see, yours to keep forever.
"Leads mean nothing. Only revenue. So we build a system that builds revenue." Lewis Ford, founder of UnlimitelyBook a free strategy call
Common questions
Where can I buy construction leads in the UK?+
You can buy shared leads from directories like Checkatrade and MyBuilder, hire a marketing agency on a retainer, or work with an exclusive pay-per-lead provider. Directories sell the same enquiry to several trades at once; exclusive providers like Unlimitely generate leads for one builder per area and charge a fixed price per lead, agreed up front.
How do I get construction leads without a directory?+
Run your own marketing: a Google Business Profile with recent reviews, targeted Facebook and Instagram ads aimed at homeowners planning a project, and fast follow-up on every enquiry. Or have a specialist run that system for you and pay per qualified lead it produces.
What makes a construction lead good quality?+
Four things: it is exclusive to you, it has been qualified on budget, job type and timeframe, it was followed up within minutes of enquiring, and it came from someone actively planning a project rather than idly browsing. A lead with all four converts; a lead with none of them wastes your evening.
Building extensions specifically? The exact offer is on the house extension leads page. For more on winning work, browse the guides.
Want exclusive leads instead of shared ones?
Book a free strategy call with Lewis. If your area is open, you'll get a fixed price per lead before anything goes live, and every lead will be yours alone.
Book your free strategy call