HomeAdvisor, now part of Angi, generally charges contractors for customer leads rather than taking a set percentage of each completed job. A contractor may pay about $15-$100 or more per lead, with monthly spending commonly ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand depending on trade, location, and lead volume.
| Item | Low | Average | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per lead | $15 | $45 | $100+ | Varies by trade, location, and project |
| Monthly lead spend | $150 | $600 | $2,000+ | Based on lead volume and campaign settings |
| Basic profile | $0 | $0 | $0 | Paid leads or optional services may cost extra |
| Cost per acquired customer | $50 | $225 | $1,000+ | Depends on lead quality and close rate |
HomeAdvisor lead prices for common contractor trades
For contractors, the central HomeAdvisor cost is usually the charge for a customer inquiry. A typical range is $15-$100 per lead; specialized or high-value work can exceed $100, while common services in less competitive markets may come in below the midpoint. The exact rate is not a uniform national price list and can change by service category and service area.
Broadly, a small repair inquiry might cost $15-$40, a standard remodeling or installation lead $30-$75, and a major roofing, HVAC, or replacement project $50-$150 or more. These figures are budgeting estimates, not guaranteed quotes. The amount billed can also depend on how the platform defines a qualified request and whether a lead is sent to multiple contractors.
For a first budget, assume roughly $45 per lead and test a limited monthly cap. A contractor buying 20 leads at that rate would spend about $900 before labor, materials, sales time, or any optional marketing service. Assumptions: Typical U.S. market, standard service category, paid customer inquiries, no unusual promotional credits.
What contractor lead charges usually include
A lead charge generally buys access to a homeowner’s project request and contact details, not a booked job or guaranteed sale. Contractors should check the account terms to see what information is provided, how promptly leads are delivered, whether an inquiry can be shared, and what conditions apply to billing disputes.
Beyond individual lead charges, the total account cost can include optional advertising, enhanced placement, or other marketing products. Their availability, pricing, and contract terms may vary. Contractors should request an itemized quote and confirm whether a proposed monthly amount is a spending cap, minimum commitment, or suggested budget.
| Quote item | Typical range | What it covers | Cost check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer lead | $15-$100+ each | Project inquiry and contact details | Ask if it is shared or exclusive |
| Monthly lead budget | $150-$2,000+ | Chosen or expected inquiry volume | Confirm cap and billing cycle |
| Optional promotion | $0-$500+ monthly | Enhanced visibility or marketing service | Request separate line-item pricing |
| Sales handling | $25-$75 per hour | Follow-up, qualification, and estimating time | Include staff time in acquisition cost |
Labor is not necessarily billed by the platform, but it is part of the contractor’s real cost of buying leads. For example, 10 hours of follow-up and estimating at $40 per hour adds $400 to the marketing expense. A lead campaign that looks affordable on an invoice may be expensive when sales time is included.
Separate platform charges from internal selling expenses before comparing channels. If an account includes both paid leads and optional promotion, the contractor should evaluate each item independently rather than treating the full invoice as one lead rate.
Why trade, ZIP code, and project size change the rate
Trade category is a major pricing variable because the value of a completed project differs. A small handyman task and a full roof replacement do not produce the same potential revenue, and their lead prices may differ accordingly. Emergency services can also attract higher bids or faster competition than routine scheduled work.
Location affects both customer demand and contractor competition. A dense metro area may have more homeowner requests but also more businesses pursuing them. A lead in a high-cost market can be 10%-30% above a comparable inquiry in a lower-cost market, though the direction and size of the difference depend on the service and current platform pricing.
Project scope adds another layer. A request for a 100-square-foot bathroom repair is not equivalent to a full 300-square-foot renovation. For roofing, a 1,000-square-foot repair inquiry may have different economics from a 2,500-square-foot replacement; HVAC requests can also vary between a repair and a 3-5-ton system replacement. Project details can affect the lead rate, contractor’s close rate, and eventual revenue.
- Service radius: A 10-mile service area may produce fewer but more workable requests than a 50-mile radius, where travel time can reduce profit.
- Lead sharing: An inquiry sent to several contractors may cost less than an exclusive lead but can require quicker follow-up and more sales effort.
- Season: A seasonal surge in HVAC, roofing, or exterior work may raise competition and increase the value contractors place on each inquiry.
- Customer intent: A request with a defined schedule and scope is generally more useful than a vague research inquiry, but lead descriptions do not guarantee a sale.
Compare rates within the same trade, ZIP code, and job type. A headline price from another contractor may reflect a different service radius or project category and may not be a fair comparison.
How lead volume and close rate affect customer cost
Cost per lead is not the same as cost per customer. If a contractor buys 20 leads at $45 each, the direct lead spend is $900. At a 20% close rate, those leads produce four jobs, making the lead-only acquisition cost $225 per customer before sales labor or discounts.
At a 10% close rate, the same $900 buys about two customers, or $450 in lead spend per job. At a 30% close rate, it yields about six customers, or $150 each. These examples assume every lead is billed and the close rate is measured against all paid leads, including inquiries that may not be reachable or suitable.
Use the full funnel to judge whether a lead price is affordable. The practical calculation is lead charges plus follow-up time, divided by jobs won. Contractors can compare that acquisition cost with gross profit, not just project revenue, to set a sustainable maximum.
Speed and availability matter. A contractor who responds within minutes may reach a homeowner before competitors, while a delayed response can reduce the chance of an estimate appointment. Tracking contact rate, estimate rate, close rate, average job margin, and refunds or credits helps identify whether poor performance comes from the lead source or the sales process.
Three monthly budgets for different contractor workloads
These examples show how a contractor might estimate spending at a working rate of $45 per lead. Actual lead prices, contact rates, and conversion rates vary. The budgets exclude optional advertising and assume no refunds or credits.
| Scenario | Paid leads | Lead spend | Close rate | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small repair business | 10 at $30 | $300 | 20% | 2 |
| Local remodeling crew | 20 at $45 | $900 | 20% | 4 |
| Roofing or HVAC company | 40 at $70 | $2,800 | 15% | 6 |
In the small-business example, lead spend is $150 per estimated job. The remodeling example produces $225 in lead cost per job. The larger company spends about $467 per estimated job, reflecting both a higher assumed lead rate and a lower close rate. Those outcomes are not predictions; they show why each contractor should test its own figures.
Set a test budget that can be lost without disrupting operating cash. A contractor can begin with a small batch, track results through completed jobs, and expand only if gross profit after lead expense supports the next month’s spend.
HomeAdvisor leads compared with direct marketing
HomeAdvisor leads can offer a faster route to active customer inquiries than some forms of brand-building, but a pay-per-lead model means the contractor pays for contact opportunities whether or not they become jobs. Local search, referrals, yard signs, and direct mail have different costs and timelines; comparing them requires measuring the same outcome, such as cost per completed job.
A referral may have no platform fee, but it still uses staff time and can depend on a long-established network. A local search campaign can cost $300-$2,000 or more per month, depending on competition and management, while a website or profile may require initial setup and continuing maintenance. Those channels do not necessarily produce immediate or predictable inquiry volume.
Contractors should compare three numbers for each channel: total monthly spend, qualified inquiries, and completed jobs. If HomeAdvisor produces four jobs from $900 in lead charges and $300 in sales time, the effective acquisition cost is $300 per job. A channel with fewer inquiries may still be more economical if it produces a higher close rate or higher-margin work.
Compare cost per profitable job rather than cost per inquiry. Include lead fees, advertising charges, estimate time, travel, discounts, and unproductive calls for each source.
Ways to keep a HomeAdvisor contractor budget controlled
Start with a defined service area and job type. Broad targeting can bring inquiries that are too far away, too small, or outside the contractor’s capabilities. Limiting categories and radius may reduce volume while improving the share of leads that can be quoted profitably.
Set a maximum monthly spend and review it weekly. Confirm whether the account offers an actual cap, how the cap is applied, and whether any minimum term or cancellation notice applies. Do not rely on a salesperson’s verbal explanation when the written agreement or account settings control the charge.
- Track each lead from first contact through estimate, sale, and gross margin.
- Pause categories that repeatedly produce unsuitable or unprofitable requests.
- Respond quickly during staffed hours, but avoid paying for volume the crew cannot serve.
- Compare several weeks of results rather than making a decision from one unusual project.
- Ask whether a disputed lead qualifies for review or credit and follow the stated deadline.
- Keep notes on missed calls, wrong numbers, duplicate requests, and out-of-area inquiries.
Control lead volume before trying to negotiate every individual rate. A smaller, well-matched campaign can cost less overall than a cheap rate multiplied across unsuitable inquiries. Keep records so a spending change is based on completed-job economics.
Billing rules, shared leads, and credits to verify
Before signing up or changing a campaign, contractors should ask how billing works: whether charges occur per inquiry, whether a lead can be distributed to multiple businesses, when billing starts, and how charges appear on statements. They should also confirm whether optional services have a separate fee or commitment.
Lead disputes are not automatic refunds. A contractor may be able to request review for an inquiry that meets the platform’s stated criteria for a credit, but deadlines and qualifying reasons can apply. Save the lead record, call history, messages, and notes, then submit a dispute promptly through the approved process. A credit, if granted, may not be cash and may be applied to a future balance.
Contract terms can change, so the written agreement and current account settings matter more than general price estimates. Check cancellation requirements, renewal terms, minimum spend, payment schedule, and how to pause or adjust service. The contractor should keep copies of the quote and any written commitments about lead volume or account features.
Confirm the rules before the first charge, not after a billing problem. The key budget questions are whether there is a minimum, whether leads are shared, how quickly disputes must be filed, and what happens when the account is paused or canceled.