How we are paid
Builders pay. You don't.
This is the page every comparison service buries. Ours is deliberately boring and deliberately specific.
- No membership
- No per-lead charge
- No lead auction
You pay nothing, at any stage. Not to be matched, not to receive quotes, not when you sign, and not if you walk away.
Builders pay us a success fee — the same rate for every builder in the network, payable only once you sign — and only when a homeowner signs a contract with them. The rate is the same for every builder in the network.
The obvious objection, answered first.
A success fee means we are paid only if you sign with someone. So: does that make us push you? The rate is the same for every builder in the network, so there is no builder we are paid more to recommend. And if you take the recommendation and build with nobody, we earn nothing — that is the trade we accept for not charging you.
How the money actually moves
- 01You pay nothing, at any point
Not to start, not for the recommendation, not when you sign. There is no homeowner side to this transaction.
- 02The builder pays a success fee — only if you sign
If you do not proceed, or you go with someone else, or you decide not to build, nothing is payable by anyone.
- 03The same rate for every builder
the same rate for every builder in the network, payable only once you sign. No builder can pay more to be recommended more often, because there is no more to pay.
Why this does not bias the recommendation
It is the right question to ask of anyone who is paid by one side and advises the other, so here is the mechanism rather than a reassurance.
A flat rate removes the incentive. If every builder in the network pays the same rate, we earn the same whoever you sign with. There is no builder we are better off steering you toward, because there is no variation to steer toward.
There is nothing to buy. No featured placement, no priority delivery, no premium tier, no advertising. These are the standard products of a lead marketplace and we do not sell any of them.
The recommendation is written down. You get the reasoning, not just the name — which block conditions drove it, what they have built like it, what their verification position is. Reasoning you can read is reasoning you can argue with.
We tell you when we have nobody. The easiest way to make money badly in this business is to always have an answer. Our area pages are visibly empty where the network is empty, which is the cost of that position and we are content to pay it.
How this compares to the alternatives
| What you pay | Who they answer to | |
|---|---|---|
| Better Builds | Nothing, ever | Paid by the builder, at one flat rate, only on signature |
| A "get 3 quotes" site | Nothing, usually | Paid per lead by several builders, whether or not anything comes of it |
| Going direct | Nothing | Nobody — you do the licence, insurance and solvency checks yourself |
| A building consultant or advocate | A fee you pay, typically | You. It is the only model where the adviser is paid by the person being advised |
The right-hand column is the part worth reading. If you want an adviser whose only income is from you, that is a building consultant and it is a legitimate thing to pay for — we would rather point at it than pretend we are it. What we are is the check and the match, at no cost to you.
What that buys you, and what it doesn't
You get
- A licence lookup with the state regulator, dated
- Public liability and warranty cover sighted
- Solvency re-checked on a schedule, lapses removed
- Matching against your build type, your site and its overlays
- A recommendation with the reasons in writing
- Negotiation on your behalf where two builders are close
- A straight answer the same business day, either way
Your cost$0
What it does not buy you. We are not your project manager, your building surveyor or your lawyer. We do not inspect the work, we do not review your contract line by line, and we do not hold your money.
If you want someone on your side of the table during the build itself, that is a building consultant or an independent inspector, and it is a service you pay for directly. We would rather tell you that than pretend we cover it.
No premium tier. There is no way for a builder to pay for better placement, a badge, or a higher position. The rate is flat across the network, so there is nothing to buy.
Questions about the money
So you only get paid if I sign?
Yes. If you take our recommendation and walk away, or build with someone you found yourself, we are paid nothing. That is a risk we accept, and it is why we would rather recommend nobody than recommend someone who does not fit.
Does that push you to talk me into signing?
The rate is the same for every builder in the network, so we gain nothing by steering you to one over another — there is no builder we are paid more to recommend. We also put our reasons in writing, which is the thing you can hold us to. And we have no follow-up sequence designed to close you.
Can a builder pay more to be recommended?
No. The rate is the same for every builder in the network and it is only payable after you sign. There is no premium tier, no featured placement and no way to buy priority. The recommendation is made on your brief alone.
Is the fee added to my build price?
It should not be, and you are entitled to ask. The builder quotes you their price; our fee comes out of their margin, not on top of your contract. If a builder tells you otherwise, tell us.
What if I sign with a builder you did not send me?
We are paid nothing. We only charge on a builder we introduced you to.
Still worth a look?
It costs you nothing to find out who is verified in your area. If we have not got anyone, we will say so.
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