The four models on the UK market
Directories sell membership plus per-lead credits and put you on a list next to your competitors. Marketplaces sell contact credits with no qualification at all. Brokers buy leads wholesale and resell them, often more than once. Exclusive lead generation builds the demand for one firm and charges per qualified enquiry. The cost per lead rises across that list and so, sharply, does the close rate.
Why cost per lead is the wrong number to compare
A £15 shared lead that closes one time in twelve costs you £180 per booked job before you count the hours spent quoting the eleven that went elsewhere. A £90 exclusive lead that closes one time in three costs £270 per job but consumes a third of the quoting time and usually carries a higher job value because you are not being beaten down on price. The number that matters is cost per booked job, and after that, revenue per booked job.
- Cost per booked job = lead cost ÷ close rate
- Add quoting time: shared leads consume 3–5x the admin per win
- Then compare average job value — shared leads skew to price shoppers
When buying shared leads is the right call
It genuinely is, sometimes. A new firm with empty diary space and a strong phone manner can convert shared leads well enough to build a review base and cash flow. Off-season gap filling is another fair use. What shared leads cannot do is build a business with predictable revenue, because you never own the demand — the moment you stop paying, the flow stops.
Questions to ask any plumbing lead company before you pay
The answers to these five questions tell you everything, and a supplier who will not answer them plainly is telling you something too.
- Is the lead exclusive, and will you put that in writing?
- How many other firms in my postcode do you supply?
- What qualification happens before a lead is sent, and what triggers a credit?
- Do I keep the campaign, list or ranking if I leave?
- Can I see the close rate your current clients achieve, not the industry average?
Side-by-side comparison
Costs below are typical UK market ranges as of 2026 and vary by region and job type.
| Supplier type | Model | Exclusivity | Typical cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkatrade / MyBuilder style directories | Membership plus per-lead credits | Shared with 3–5 firms | £1,000–£2,000 a year plus £8–£30 a lead | Volume is real, but you are quoting against everyone else on price. |
| Bark and open lead marketplaces | Pay per contact credit | Shared, often 5+ firms | £10–£40 a credit | Cheapest per contact, worst conversion — most enquiries never answer. |
| Shared plumbing lead brokers | Bulk lead purchase | Resold by default | £15–£45 a lead | Fine for filling gaps, useless for building a contract pipeline. |
| Plumbing Lead Generation Agency | Pay per qualified lead, or managed campaigns you own | Exclusive to you, never resold | £45–£150 a qualified lead depending on job type and area | Higher cost per lead, materially higher close rate and job value. |
How we price and credit leads
So you can compare us against the table above on the same terms:
- Price per qualified lead agreed up front by job type and area, no membership fee
- Exclusive by contract — the enquiry is never sent to another firm
- Credited in full if the contact details are wrong, the job is outside your agreed area or type, or it is a duplicate
- You keep every asset built during a managed campaign if you leave
If your only decision criterion is the lowest possible price per contact, a marketplace will beat us every time. We would rather tell you that now than sell you a package you resent in month two.
Frequently asked questions
Which plumbing lead company is best in the UK?
It depends on what you need. For cheap volume while you build reviews, the marketplaces win. For predictable, exclusive work with a higher job value — especially commercial — exclusive lead generation wins. There is no single best supplier for every firm, and anyone claiming otherwise is selling.
Can I buy plumbing leads that nobody else gets?
Yes, that is exactly what exclusive lead generation is. The enquiry is generated for you, qualified against your criteria and sent to you alone. Expect to pay £45–£150 for domestic and £120–£400 for commercial.
Are plumbing leads for sale worth buying at all?
Bought leads are worth it when your close rate and job value clear the cost per booked job. Work that number out before you buy anything: lead price divided by your realistic close rate, compared with your average job margin.
How much do plumbing leads cost in the UK?
Shared leads run £8–£45 per contact. Exclusive domestic leads run £45–£150. Commercial and contract leads run £120–£400. Boiler installation leads sit at the upper end of the domestic range because the job value is higher.
What is the catch with cheap plumbing leads?
Speed and competition. Shared leads go to several firms simultaneously, so the win usually goes to whoever calls within five minutes and quotes lowest. If you cannot do both, cheap leads will cost you more in wasted quoting time than they save.