HomeAdvisor1 can be a big help in finding the plumbers, painters, flooring specialists, landscapers, and other home service professionals in your area. For anything related to home maintenance or improvement, you’ll likely find someone to help you through HomeAdvisor.
And if you happen to be someone who provides these services, you may want to look into HomeAdvisor Pro1 — especially if you’re looking for how to make extra cash right now. HomeAdvisor Pro members are added to the company’s extensive network of service providers and receive sales leads from prospective customers.
Here is a closer look at how HomeAdvisor Pro works and whether listing your services may be the right match for you.
What is HomeAdvisor Pro?
Although HomeAdvisor is an online marketplace on which consumers can search for providers of home-related services, HomeAdvisor Pro is where service providers go if they want to be listed on the consumer-facing site.
HomeAdvisor is based in Denver, Colorado, and has been in business since 1999. It originally started out as ServiceMagic. Now, it boasts connecting more than 45 million homeowners with service professionals. It merged with Angie's List in 2017 and is now known as HomeAdvisor, powered by Angi. Currently, it counts over 200,000 individuals and businesses as part of its provider network.
You can offer several home repair services as a HomeAdvisor Pro, including building decks and porches, electrical and phone repair and wiring, flooring, carpeting, tiling, painting, HVAC, home additions and remodeling, gutter rigging, roofing repairs, handyman services — the list goes on. The bottom line is that if you can help a homeowner with a project and want to figure out how to make money doing so, HomeAdvisor Pro can help send potential customers your way.
How does HomeAdvisor Pro work?
HomeAdvisor Pro is not an employer. It connects its pros to warm sales leads (people looking for professional help completing home projects). As a HomeAdvisor Pro, your information is included in the site’s listing of services and providers. The company’s patented ProFinder software looks at what a prospect needs and which professionals fit those parameters. The company then sends the prospect a list of matching service pros, and if you’re on it, you get a notification with the lead’s contact information. You can then reach out to them to learn more about their project.
It’s up to you to contact the referral and close the sale, and you can also expect to face some competition for any prospect’s business. To help you succeed at this, HomeAdvisor Pro gives you access to tools for marketing, such as a personal profile to showcase certifications, awards, project photos, and other things to help you stand out in searches. You also benefit from HomeAdvisor's SEO efforts, which bring more customers to the site and, hopefully, to you.
Who is HomeAdvisor Pro best for?
Individual service pros, small business owners, lawn care professionals, general contractors, roofers, electricians, and anyone else who can offer homeowners services they might need for their house or property should consider signing up for HomeAdvisor Pro. Not sure whether you qualify? Speak with a representative and tell them about what you do. You may find that HomeAdvisor Pro can open up a whole new world of possible business.
You don’t have to have a formal business to join HomeAdvisor Pro. You just have to be a reputable, high-quality service pro who is open to a screening process and able to build a marketable profile that consumers can review when searching the HomeAdvisor site.
How much can you earn with HomeAdvisor Pro?
Because HomeAdvisor Pro does not pay its service pros for jobs landed through the HomeAdvisor website, how much money you can make is all up to you. It sends you the sales leads and you pay a lead fee. You contact the prospect, discuss their needs, negotiate pricing, and (hopefully) close the sale.
Your profit margins will depend on how much you spend on lead generation with HomeAdvisor Pro and the amount of money you charge for the service provided. You can make as much or as little as you want, depending on the quality of leads you receive and the amount of sales work you put into converting prospects into customers.
Maximizing your earnings with HomeAdvisor Pro
Standing out as a service pro will help you maximize your earnings. To do so, provide credentials for the quality of work you provide, make it easy to keep in contact with prospects, and get excellent customer reviews.
Start with a strong profile. Include any awards, licenses, and certifications you may have, as well as pictures of completed projects that show off your work. Adding a logo, links to your website and social media, as well as testimonials from happy customers, all make you look good in the eyes of homeowners.
Aim to treat every customer as your top priority. Respond to positive reviews on the site with a thank you. Respond to negative reviews professionally. On the job, underpromise and overdeliver. Be responsive to their questions and needs. Ensure your services are executed on time and in the most professional way possible. All of this builds invaluable capital with homeowners who, in return, may refer you to a friend, become a regular customer, and give you high ratings on your profile, which can lead to even more business.
There are lots of ways to make the most of your investment, and HomeAdvisor Pro wants you to make money. It offers every pro a whole toolbox of resources and articles to help drive business, from profile and social media advice to how to build a website to sample forms and contracts.
Common questions about HomeAdvisor Pro
How much does HomeAdvisor Pro cost?
With HomeAdvisor Pro, you pay as much or as little needed to get the number of sales leads you are looking for. Prices vary depending on location and service; there are no set rates listed on the HomeAdvisor Pro website.
Is HomeAdvisor Pro worth it for contractors?
It depends on what you want to get out of being a HomeAdvisor Pro. For contractors just starting out and looking to build a client base, the leads HomeAdvisor Pro provides can help you do just that. If your business is already pretty solid, but you’re looking to expand into more communities or markets, HomeAdvisor Pro can also deliver the sales leads you’re looking for.
But if you’re aiming more at commercial clients instead of homeowners or don’t want to pay for leads, then HomeAdvisor Pro is probably not worth it. Also, if closing deals based on sales leads is not your strong suit, this service may not give you the return-on-investment you’re seeking. All HomeAdvisor promises is to connect you with sales leads. You’re responsible for contacting those prospects, selling your services, and closing deals.
Is HomeAdvisor Pro legit?
Yes, HomeAdvisor Pro is legit. According to the Better Business Bureau, the company has been in business since 1999 and was accredited by the BBB in 2015. HomeAdvisor has been used by more than 45 million homeowners, works with more than 200,000 service professionals, and receives project inquiries every two seconds, according to the HomeAdvisor Pro website.
Can I cancel my HomeAdvisor account?
As a HomeAdvisor Pro, you can cancel your account whenever you wish.
How to sign up for HomeAdvisor Pro
To get started, complete a form on the HomeAdvisor Pro website. All potential pros are screened by a HomeAdvisor representative to see whether they are a match for the site’s network of service pros. You’ll be contacted by phone and email to discuss what to expect as a HomeAdvisor Pro, how listings and membership works, what your responsibilities will be, and find answers to any additional questions you have.
If approved, you’ll set up an account; go through some additional screening, including a background check and verification of any required state licenses; build a profile; and start getting leads that match your preferences. You’ll also set up an account with Pro Leads, the program that enables you to specify the type and number of leads you want, build up your online profile, and through which you’ll manage your reviews, performance, and more.
When it comes to leads, you tell the company what you want and how much you want to spend. HomeAdvisor Pro provides leads as a paid service, and how much you can expect to spend on leads depends on where you are, what services you provide, and what kind of volume you want to receive.
This is something to discuss with your HomeAdvisor representative during your initial conversation, as you want to understand what your projected costs will be so you can price your services to get the profit you want from a HomeAdvisor job.
Other side hustles to consider
If offering home improvement services doesn’t sound like the best side hustle for you, here are a few other ways to make money you might want to check out.
TaskRabbit
Like HomeAdvisor, TaskRabbit offers consumers help with a variety of home-related tasks — but that’s not all. When you work with TaskRabbit, you can find people who need a painter or a landscaper. But you’ll also find people who want someone to help with their spring cleaning, picking up and dropping off items, shopping, and even conduct research or complete data entry work. TaskRabbit has a long list of categories to offer services for, so you’re likely to find something that fits your specific skill set.
DoorDash
Delivery services such as DoorDash are booming right now, as more people are staying home and demand is strong. As a DoorDasher, you’ll pick up takeout orders and then deliver them to customers. All you need is a car or other vehicle, a driver’s license, and a clean driving record to work for DoorDash. Between the money you earn for mileage, time, completing a delivery, and tip, you can really cash in with this side gig.