Comparison
Shared leads vs. live transfers vs. appointments.
The three ways contractors buy homeowner demand — compared honestly, including the one we don't sell.
The shared-lead way
- The same name sold to several contractors at once
- A form-fill — nobody has confirmed the project is real
- You race competitors to dial first, then chase for days
The sticker price is lower. The chase time is not.
The Blueprint Lead way
- A qualified homeowner already live on your line
- Or a confirmed appointment on your calendar
- Verified real on a recorded call — exclusive to you
Per-lead fees, billed weekly. No long-term contracts.
Definition
The short version: A shared lead is contact info you race competitors to call. A live transfer is a qualified homeowner already on your line. A pre-set appointment is a confirmed meeting on your calendar. Blueprint Lead sells the second and third — phone-qualified, verified real projects, delivered exclusively.
| Shared leads (typical) | Live transfers | Pre-set appointments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you receive | A name and number, often sold to several contractors | A live phone call with a qualified homeowner | A confirmed time on your calendar |
| Where it starts | An ad click or a web form-fill | A verified, real project, qualified by phone | A verified, real project, qualified by phone |
| Qualification | Usually none beyond the form | A real phone conversation before you are connected | A real phone conversation before booking |
| Exclusivity | Commonly shared with 3–5 buyers | One contractor takes the call — you | Booked for one contractor — you |
| Your next step | Chase the homeowner before competitors do | Answer the transfer and qualify deeper | Show up and sell |
| Best fit | High-volume call operations | Teams with a staffed intake line | Estimators who sell in the home |
Pick live transfers
if someone on your team answers the phone during business hours — you close on speed and the conversation is already warm.
Pick appointments
if your sale happens at the property — your estimator walks into a confirmed meeting instead of a cold callback list.
Stay with shared leads
only if you run a high-volume call floor that tolerates racing and chasing — that is genuinely what they are built for.
Decision checklist
- 01Is someone on your team able to answer the phone during business hours? If yes, live transfers fit. If not, appointments.
- 02Does your sale happen at the property? Estimators who sell in the home usually want appointments.
- 03How fast can you act on a lead? Transfers reward speed; appointments reward preparation.
- 04What does a missed opportunity cost you? A missed transfer is a missed conversation; a no-show is a wasted trip. Pick the miss you can absorb.
- 05Could you run both? Many contractors take transfers in staffed hours and appointments outside them.
Whichever you pick, exclusivity and phone qualification are built into both formats we sell.
Common questions
Keep reading
Buying leads
Shared leads vs. exclusive leads: what contractors actually get
What a shared lead really costs once you count the race, the intake burden, and homeowner fatigue — and what changes when a lead is delivered to one contractor.
Read the guideBuying leads
Live transfers vs. pre-set appointments: which fits your team?
The staffing question, speed vs. scheduling, misses and no-shows, a decision checklist for choosing between the two formats — and how contractors run both.
Read the guideBuying leads
12 questions to ask before you buy contractor leads
A one-page scorecard for vetting any lead provider: exclusivity, qualification, verification, delivery, billing and risk, and coverage honesty — with the answers that should worry you.
Read the guide