The journal
Straight answers for contractors buying leads.
How the formats work, what qualification should mean, and what to ask before you pay anyone. Written to be useful whether or not you ever work with us.
01Contractor lead generation companies in Los Angeles: an honest comparison (2026)Who serves Los Angeles contractors, compared by model, exclusivity, published pricing, and geographic focus, written by one of them.Comparisons7 min02Angi and HomeAdvisor alternatives for California contractors (2026)Alternatives to Angi Leads and HomeAdvisor for California contractors, compared by model, exclusivity, published pricing, and coverage, by one of them.Comparisons7 min03ADU leads in Los Angeles: what a qualified homeowner looks like (2026)What a qualified ADU homeowner in Los Angeles has already decided, the questions an estimator asks first, and what does not count as a lead.Markets10 min04How to compare live-transfer and appointment providers: a contractor’s scorecardAn eight-line scorecard for comparing live-transfer and appointment providers on definitions, credits, intake fit, delivery, billing, and coverage honesty.Buying leads11 min05Shared leads vs. exclusive leads: what contractors actually getWhat 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.Buying leads6 min06What is a live call transfer? A contractor’s guideThe mechanics of a live transfer, how it differs from a called-back lead, what “qualified” should mean, how to run the first 60 seconds, and where transfers fail.Live transfers6 min07How phone-qualified leads work (and why the call matters)Form-fills vs. conversations, what a qualification call should confirm, why recorded calls protect both sides, what phone qualification cannot promise, and how to audit a provider.Qualification6 min0812 questions to ask before you buy contractor leadsA 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.Buying leads6 min09Live 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.Buying leads6 min10The appointment no-show playbook for contractorsWhy homeowners no-show, the confirmation cadence that cuts the rate, what to do at the door, rescheduling scripts, when to flag for credit, and how to track your numbers.Appointments7 min