"I have been a member of Checkatrade since March 2007. The response I have received has been phenomenal and continues to be. I have secured contracts that I would not have acquired anywhere else. Most of these clients have become very good contacts.
I would endorse Checkatrade to anyone who sees themselves as a competent and respectful contractor, and who would like to further their works portfolio.
I would like to thank you personally for your continued support and also having had the vision for such a crucial and worthwhile company. My membership will really help me in my business and aiding me past that first 18 month benchmark from new start ups."

"We truly believe that customer service is the key to all successful business, that's why we joined Checkatrade.
Thank you again and we look forward to our continued successful membership with you. 10 out of 10 for customer service, quality of work, and overall service.
"

"Just a quick note to thank you very much for the award presented to us on Friday at the Dream Doors Conference dinner.
It was a complete surprise and something we are very proud to have been given.
Your surveys are not only a good selling benefit to us but also the best way of us monitoring our standards and ensuring they are maintained and improved, it is of course the opinion of our customers that matter most.
It was a pleasure for us to meet your wife and spend time with you both.
If we do not speak beforehand have a lovely Christmas and best wishes for 2008.
"

"Since joining Checkatrade, at least 70% of my enquiries come from this source. I would recommend this service."

"We have been members of Checkatrade since December 2005 and the response through this has been incredible. We had never advertised before so were a little sceptical, but the results have by far exceeded our expectations. 75% of our enquiries are now coming through Checkatrade and most of our customers will only use them when needing any work done.
It's such a simple but brilliant and effective idea.
Thanks to all at Checkatrade."

"I am proud to promote Checkatrade. During the last seven years I have found that a large percentage of enquiries have come from people who have used Checkatrade as their first reference. Checkatrade's vetting, monitoring and friendly website aides both potential clients and trades persons to make informed choices. My membership has increased my client base significantly. I cannot emphasis enough the benefits of the monitoring/customer feedback cards to my business because most of my new clients have already checked my performance ratings before contacting me. Keep on growing Checkatrade. "

"Checkatrade have provided the perfect vehicle for my business. If you are providing a good service to your customers, care about your work and are prepared for them to comment on your standards, Checkatrade is what you need. Every week I have calls from customers who have found me on Checkatrade. I am already half way there to gaining their business because they know through Checkatrade what I'm all about.
Checkatrade is a professionally run business providing an excellent vehicle for those businesses who do the same."

"Brilliant, thank you so much!! We wish you a brilliant Christmas & a great new year. We wish to thank Checkatrade so much as you have almost single-handedly been responsible for our success. Your website & booklets work so well for us - we're so glad we're in them.
Huge thanks"

"When I joined it was mostly for the credibility but Checkatrade has been the best form of advertising I have ever done. It's getting me more work than I had expected - it's been brilliant."

"We’ve been with Checkatrade for a couple of years now. Same as everybody else, we were probably quite sceptical when we were approached by another company for advertising but I’ve got to say it’s been brilliant for my little business. We’re coming up now towards 200 recommendations. Every week my phones going with someone from Checkatrade or with a customer I’ve had from Checkatrade who have recommended us to one of their neighbours. If you’re starting out in business or if you’ve got an established business and you haven’t joined Checkatrade you’re really doing yourself a bit of a disfavour – get on board for this is a winning team."

"Absolutely perfect. The best type of advertising a company could have. I did advertise elsewhere but am now just with Checkatrade. I receive approximately 12 leads a week of which at least 9 turn into definite, confirmed bookings. The service I receive from Checkatrade staff is fast, efficient and courteous with all matters, especially getting testimonial cards, vehicle stickers and their general help towards promoting my business and service I can give to my customers."

"I am writing to say how impressed we are with your organisation, its forward thinking and ethos. In our dealings with Checkatrade we have found your staff extremely helpful and efficient and we have received numerous enquiries and business from being a member."

"House of colours is based in Dorset – we’re painters and decorators. I’ve been a member now of Checkatrade for 6 months. At first I was a bit sceptical about joining and thought about it, spoke to a few people and obviously went for it. It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done. My workload has at least trebled and I’ve got a very good response from customers. Insurance companies are even advising their customers basically to go to Checkatrade and search for tradesmen and the elderly also tend to go quite a lot for Checkatrade. So Checkatrade I’m totally happy with you!"

"I’m a painter and decorator and I’ve been on Checkatrade for 8 yrs – I can highly recommend it. When I was first self-employed, I was struggling to find work and I saw Checkatrade advertised in my local paper. Since then I haven’t looked back. It’s great between the trades people and the clients because the clients trust you and when you’re in someone’s house most of the day on your own you need to be trusted and vice versa.
Even my friends and family who are looking for trades people, I always recommend Checkatrade. Basically it’s excellent, it’s been great for me – long may it continue."

"I use Checkatrade because it gives my customers the knowledge that our business is trustworthy and this is information they cannot get from any other form of advertising. We’ve tried Yellow Pages, we’ve tried Thomsons and all the rest of them but you don’t get the same credibility from people who accept paid advertising without any checks."

"We’ve been with Checkatrade for 4 years now and found it to be very, very helpful. It’s got us so much work. We’ve taken on 4 or 5 more painters since we started, we’ve become a limited company and through Checkatrade I think we’re doing between 4 and 6 quotes a week at the moment which is absolutely phenomenal.
It’s been so good. We were in the Guildford area and we’ve now signed up to Farnborough and the Aldershot area and we’ve also signed up to Farnham. It’s been absolutely brilliant.
I can’t praise them enough. It’s unreal. I recommend it to anyone else who wants to try it."

"Bognor PC Doctor has been with Checkatrade since June 2003. In that time we have had over 100 recommendations on Checkatrade’s website with an average score of 9.8 out of 10. We’re very proud of that fact and we are very pleased to be able to offer our customers assurance and peace of mind before they actually use us. We’re also very pleased with the fact that Checkatrade’s response is higher than our advert with Yellow Pages and almost comparable with our advert with Thomsons. Additionally Checkatrade have also halved our Public Liability and Employers Insurance costs so at the same time saving us money."

"I’ve been involved in this type of work for quite a number of years now. Obviously in this type of industry you get some, what we call in our trade, undesirables. Checkatrade is doing it’s utmost to wheedle out these types of people. I do not like these types of people because they’re bad for our trade and Checkatrade is certainly doing its bit.
My first dealings with Checkatrade is when it was brought about when they had the tornado in Selsey and that was back in 1998, if I remember rightly, and it’s gone from strength to strength and all I can say about Checkatrade is good for them because it’s better for my company and for the trade as a whole because there still too many cowboys out there who are proud to rip off ordinary people who don’t really understand what the trade is all about.
I cannot speak too highly of the dealings I have had with Checkatrade.
We let our type of work, the standard of our work, do the talking and basically what can you say about CAT – let’s have more of it."

"I’ve been with Checkatrade 7 years now. Absolutely fantastic company. They really do promote you and put themselves out for you. I’ve advertised with Yellow Pages and got hardly anything at all. Checkatrade – it’s just fantastic.
I was a bit dubious at first. I thought ‘I’m spending out this money, I’m not going to get anything through’. As soon as the first edition went out I was getting calls. I average normally between 15, 20 calls a week, anything from small jobs to big jobs and it’s absolutely fantastic.
I can’t recommend it enough. In fact some of my friends and families are Checkatrade members."

"I run a small business called Clear Bright which is a window cleaners in North Surrey.
I joined Checkatrade about a year ago. The crucial thing about Checkatrade as far as I’m concerned is that it separates good traders from perhaps the bad ones which Yellow Pages doesn’t do at all. So if you’re a good, decent trader it means that you can actually get the type of customers who are looking for exactly that type of trader. It means that if you join Checkatrade you’ll probably get much better customers than if you have just Yellow Pages.
Of course the crucial thing in all of this is that it is a partnership between the Traders, Checkatrade and the customers. And the customers must understand that it’s really important that they feel very easy about complaining so we can always keep standards up should anything fail.
What it’s done for me personally is that I don’t advertise anymore on Yellow Pages or Thomsons and so on because Checkatrade gives me all the custom that I need, and like I say, good custom.
The other thing to remember is that it might be a little bit more to advertise on Checkatrade but it’s an interactive website and an interactive service and that costs a hell of a lot to maintain and administer and I’d say they don’t cut any corners on that. If I need any monitoring cards they post them to me quickly and efficiently, there’s always somebody on the phone, so all in all I think it’s actually incredible value for what you actually get.
I think it’s what we’ve all been looking for, to try to make bad people calling to your house a thing of the past by only using Checkatrade members."

"I’ve been with Checkatrade now since June 2007 and it’s now August 2007 and in that short time I’ve had 3 enquiries from the internet alone. I don’t come out on the leaflet until October so it should be even better then and today I’ve completed my first job and I’ve got the cheque in my pocket! They’re all nice people at Checkatrade, good people to deal with, and so if you’re thinking of doing it I can thoroughly recommend them - I would go for it - and you never know I may see your testimony sometime next year!"

"I am VERY happy to be a part of check a trade and won't be going any where else."

"Joining Check a Trade was one of the best decisions I have made. The people I call on are reassured that I come from a recommended source. Many customers who have used other Check a Trade workmen have been satisfied enough to now only use workmen from this source. I am greeted very warmly by such customers who feel that Check a Trade has taken away the risk and worry of finding reliable workmen.
It is a privilege to be included in this much needed service and gives me a standard to live up to. It is the only regular advertising I now do. Keep up the good work.
"

"Checkatrade is Different from Yellow Pages etc. and I will only be using Checkatrade in the future. As far as I am concerned you can do away with other advertising. I was very impressed with their Field Salesman (Oliver). He was very thorough making sure I was a bona fide tradesman. I am now telling all fellow tradesmen about Checkatrade and the way it works. I'm also impressed with the fact that they actually check that the monitoring cards come from my customers and are not filled out by the trader himself. I think their service is EXCELLENT!!"

"... Can I also take this opportunity to thank you all for your services so far? Being a member of Checkatrade not only sets me above the rest, but also makes me want to be even better, and try even harder. People saying nice things about my work is worth much more than any financial payment at the end of a job. Also, can I say what a good idea your TradeLeftovers site is? It makes so much sense; I wish I'd thought of it. Keep it up Guys (and girls)."

"I felt sceptical when I first joined Checkatrade three months ago but I am so pleased, as I have had a good response and it’s paid for itself already."

"Checkatrade has been a lifesaver for our business. Why are people so stupid not to go with Checkatrade? We have thrived as a business since being with Checkatrade."

"Checkatrade has knocked spots off the other companies that I advertise with. I am really pleased I decided to join, I get at least 2-3 calls per week from people who are willing to pay for a decent job."

"Jamie and I are extremely busy at the moment thanks to Checkatrade. We've only been members for 3 months!"

"Just a short thank you to say how pleased I am with the service and support I receive from Checkatrade. Since joining we receive on average 3-5 calls per week that are genuine leads for jobs. They are all worth following up and not just customers who seem to fancy getting a dozen plumbers around and then never reply. We have cancelled some of our other advertising due to the fact that: 1) most calls from these are a waste of time and 2) since using Checkatrade we have had more work than we can cope with and sometimes have had to refer people back to Checkatrade. All in all a fantastic service that is there for you when ever you ring up for advice, and not just a company that contacts you once per year when they want you to re-advertise. Many thanks again."

"Since joining Checkatrade last year my business has gone from strength to strength. I receive a steady stream of enquiries for quotes, converting 90% into new business. This is largely due to the client looking at my profile on the Checkatrade website and buying with confidence. I would recommend Checkatrade to other traders who wish to grow their business. I now advertise with only one company: Checkatrade."

"Checkatrade has really worked for me and given me costumers that I can trust. Sometimes customers can also be after ripping off the tradesmen but this doesn't seem to apply to people who want tradesmen from Checkatrade. The customers I have had through you are after good workmanship, tradesmen who offer a fair price and who also offer a good after service which we are well known for."

"When I was asked to join Dulux Trade Select over 11 years ago, I did not think twice, there was not anything around to come close to it. When a fellow decorator Neil Purrett spoke about Checkatrade back in December 2005 on our Dulux forum, I had to follow it up and take a look. Well, what can I say, I was blown away. It is so transparent, firstly helping the consumer find a reputable tradesman, and check them out before using them, letting them see what other customers have experienced and have to say about the trader. All this creates confidence with the trader before they even get there. I am that impressed with Checkatrade that I am going out of my way to tell other trades and organisations about it. It has got to be one of the best schemes to be produced in a very long time and has got my vote and I am now a willing ambassador of Checkatrade and will spread the word. Well done to all at Checkatrade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I cannot recommend Checkatrade enough. It is the best money I have spent in a long time. I am really impressed. 80% of my work comes from Checkatrade now, and I currently advertise in three other publications without the same results."

"Your advertising is very good for us. I would go so far to say that it is the best form of advertising we have ever done."

"We are more than 100% satisfied with the service we have received from Checkatrade. Over 80% of our work comes through them. In one week in October we had 25 enquiries through Checkatrade. I recommend them to all the traders I know."

"I am getting sometimes 2-3 jobs a day from the Checkatrade website and 90% of these turn into definite booked jobs."

"I've been a member of Checkatrade since the start some 8 years ago. 80% of all my calls come from them. Whenever a customer calls me I now say "I suppose you got my number from Checkatrade?" It's always a yes. More often than not the customer states they have already used other Checkatrade members and they always get a great service. Well done Checkatrade - keep the great work up."

"I would like to say that the advert is working great for us and I could not be happier with it, so much so that I am seriously considering stopping my ads elsewhere as Checkatrade beats them hands down."

"I am coming out of the telephone directory. Nearly all of my jobs come from Checkatrade and my turnover has increased by 60% in a year. It seems to be the more recommendations we get the more work we get. It's FANTASTIC!"

"We have just become members (joined in June 2006) and the response from the website alone has been phenomenal! We have had several calls already even before we go into a guide."

"Since I joined Checkatrade back in February 2006 it has been fantastic for my company. It started off a bit slow and I was wondering. But after the leaflet drop in April 2006 I was inundated with over 40 phone calls in the first two weeks. Since that date I have had a steady flow of enquiries, to the point of supplying about 99% of my work. I would always use them."

"Just a few words in praise of Checkatrade for the way in which they handled a recent situation regarding a telephone number mix up on our details in the Brighton area leaflet mail shot. Just a few words in praise of Checkatrade for the way in which they handled a recent situation regarding a telephone number mix up on our details in the Brighton area leaflet mail shot. Following a hitch in communications after we had changed our office number, the old number had been printed in the leaflet. This would obviously have had a huge negative impact on the marketing effectiveness of it. We discovered that the old number was still available and with no regard for who may have been at fault, Checkatrade offered to take ownership of the old number at their cost, and have it immediately re-directed to the new number for the effective duration of the leaflet shot. I consider this first-rate customer service and it only goes to confirm my belief that joining Checkatrade was probably the best marketing move our company has made to date. Since joining, we have seen our rate of enquiries and requests for quotations rocket. Some 60% of our calls are a direct result of becoming members. The vetting and monitoring formula applied to member traders is a real confidence booster for customers who can, and do, check us out online before calling. We have found that customers have a higher degree of trust in the abilities of our company even before we have demonstrated what we can do for them. It is the responsibility of all reputable building companies and traders to try and stamp out the ‘cowboy builders’ that damage our industry with bad reputation. Checkatrade is one vehicle that makes this task easier. So thank you to Checkatrade, not just for coming up with a much-needed service for the general public, but also for the way you support your trade members."

"I have been a member for less than two weeks and have had 4 enquiries from the web site already and two of those have turned into jobs. The other two I am waiting to hear from."

"We get the perfect amount of work from Checkatrade ... it’s fantastic! It could not be going better. I am very happy with my level one membership."

"We are extremely pleased with the response from the Checkatrade website. We are getting more work from Checkatrade than from the rest of our advertising put together."

"I am 100% satisfied with Checkatrade, I am really pleased with the service from the staff and the girls in the office are really helpful. I get several calls a week from the guide and website. Since I joined Checkatrade my call rate has increased by 80% from my Checkatrade membership."

"16 jobs from the Crawley Directory in the first month - that's £3,000 turnover."

"Checkatrade has kept me so busy with leads I am booked right through to December. It works really well for me."

"It really does work!"

"I would say that 90% of my enquiries come from Checkatrade. I have cancelled my Yellow Pages advertising!"

"Our phone is ringing off the hook since we joined Checkatrade in February 2006. The response has been phenomenal! Consumers feel confident using Checkatrade members and appreciate what they stand for and that reflects well on us. I would recommend Checkatrade to all honest and reputable traders."

"We were sceptical at first about joining, but we have been averaging a phone call a week even at level 1 membership. We have been pleasantly surprised. It has paid for itself in just 2 jobs."

"I would recommend Checkatrade to anyone. People trust me because of my Checkatrade membership. It is my best source of advertising."

"... Can I take this opportunity to say thanks to Checkatrade? The uptake from your work has been phenomenal. I can't keep up and am now having to rethink my business strategy. The people that contact us through Checkatrade seem relieved that an organisation like yours at last exists. Just to let you know, I always promote you as much as you promote me."

"I have been with you for almost a year and I really did not think it would work for me but I must say most of my work this year has come from Checkatrade."

"The majority of the work my husband gets is from the Checkatrade guide. We think the service is excellent. People ring up and say that they feel reassured that there is a body that is vetting trades."

"It is the best thing I have ever done, investing in Checkatrade membership. I would say that 98% of my work comes through Checkatrade. I sometimes get 10 jobs a day and am on appointments to quote every night of the week. Customers are saying that they have read my reports online and are asking me to call. I am getting the majority of my work from online enquiries now."

"Every phone call is through Checkatrade. I do not need to advertise anywhere else."

"Not only do I get work through their directories and web site, Checkatrade even phone work through to me. I've had 3 jobs off them today alone."

"Checkatrade works for us better than anything else we have tried."

"Always been busy since joining Checkatrade. Once customers use Checkatrade they will come back again and again. Booked 4 months ahead and taking bookings for July and August."

"I'm really impressed with Checkatrade. Their service is excellent. I've also joined another company who claim to offer a similar service - I'm trying to get my money back!"

"I've got absolutely no complaints about Checkatrade, 90% of my work comes from them."

"I would not advertise anywhere else."

"I'm really pleased with the feedback and the work Checkatrade has generated for me since I joined."

"Checkatrade is fantastic. We have done far better than we ever did in Yellow Pages or Thomson's. I have cancelled my Yellow pages advertising. I was with another trusted trade type of organisation and they did not prove to be anywhere near as effective as Checkatrade. I would recommend that all trades seriously consider joining Checkatrade!"

"We get 80% of our jobs from Checkatrade. No other form of advertising we tried works like it. Our customers are also pleased that there is such a scheme that vets and monitors trades. They are very confident in using us as a result."

"For response and interest from the public, you cannot beat Checkatrade!"

"We are new to Checkatrade and have calls and emails coming out of our ears at the moment, which is obviously brilliant. We believe that the whole concept of Checkatrade and joining it is the best thing we have ever done. We have never advertised before and will not look elsewhere in the future."

"Call after call after call. Checkatrade has been superb. 80% of all my work comes from Checkatrade."

"We've recently joined Checkatrade and we've just had 3 calls in one day from their website. This is great. We are now going into one of their directories."

"It's amazing. It has made all the difference to our business. Where other plumbers are saying it is quiet at the moment, we are now taking bookings for October."

"Normally Jan/Feb/March can be a quiet period but this year due to Checkatrade we have secured at least £20,000 of new business plus ongoing works - and this is in our first year of joining."

"Since joining Checkatrade my work has increased and I have work now until Christmas. Checkatrade is fantastic. Best money I ever invested."

"Checkatrade is the best thing I have done to promote my business!"

"I would like to let you know that Checkatrade is working very well for me and we are receiving plenty of work as a result. For instance this month alone so far we have taken on three complete bathroom fits and two replacement showers. Thank you!"

"We're really happy with Checkatrade. The return for our investment is paying off."

"I get at least 85% of my calls from Checkatrade. Those who come from elsewhere check me out on the Checkatrade web site and this invariably gets me the job."

"I wish that the £3,000 I spent with Yellow Pages I had actually spent with Checkatrade. Yellow Pages has not had any positive effect on my business at all. It has not even paid back a fraction of the £3,000."

"It justifies the cost as the leads turn into jobs. Customers have done their research and already know what others have said about us before they ring us."

"We get 90% of our calls through Checkatrade, either from the directory or the web site. We always refer customers to Checkatrade if they require other trades. This is because we, and our customers, know it is genuine. We do not advertise anywhere else!"

"Checkatrade is fantastic. I have had at least 15 jobs from the guide within 3 weeks of its publication. It has easily out performed Thompson Local, where I paid £2,000 for a front-page advertisement over 6 months ago. I have not had any work from them and was very disappointed. I would recommend Checkatrade to any trader. You can use this quote on the website or anywhere!"

"What an amazing organisation, they have done me proud. Also you get a better class of client from Checkatrade."

"Out of every 10 phones calls we get, 7 come from being part of Checkatrade. We get far more from them than all the other advertising we pay for. Most of my new customers that come from Checkatrade state they have called me because they have used other trades in the guide, and all have done good work."

"Joining Checkatrade is one of the best things I've ever done, I'm delighted with the amount of work it generates."

"It's the best form of advertising I've every done. Most of my works comes from Checkatrade. I get around 5 jobs a week from them. I'm very impressed."

"50% of all my work now comes from Checkatrade"

"We're delighted with Checkatrade. We get loads of calls from being in their guide."

"I am delighted with Checkatrade. I get several calls from new customers almost every day as a result of being in one of their guides"

"We joined Checkatrade back in January 2002, because we are a reputable, and we like to think professional, business, fed up with the image of our industry amongst consumers. Half our sales battle was trying to convince potential customers that we weren't trying to rip them off and that we would do what we said we would do. We liked the concept of what Kevin was trying to do. However, at the time, conscious of how many phone calls, letters, and faxes we receive daily from organisation's purporting to be the next best thing since sliced bread, we were a little sceptical as to how long they would be around and how effective they would be, bearing in mind the amount of effort and work required to make it happen. In theory what Checkatrade was offering looked promising and to reputable businesses it offered a way of setting us apart from the numerous rogue traders there are (especially in the double-glazing business) in a way that no other organisation or government-sponsored body was doing. In the two years since we joined it has done, and is continuing to do, just what it set out to do. Namely to weed out the rogue traders who couldn't or wouldn't stand up to the scrutiny or monitoring process, hand in hand with providing consumers with a high level of buying confidence. We are delighted with the response we have received and the business we have attracted as a direct result of our inclusion in their database. This, despite the fact that to date the Checkatrade guide isn't even distributed to the geographical area where we are most prominent. This is soon to change with our area being one of the next to benefit from distribution of the Checkatrade guide. My only concerns now are with how to cope with the inevitable increase in enquiries and business. A nice headache to have. Well done Kevin, we wish you, and of course, by association ourselves, every success."

"We receive 80% of our work from you. There is no better place to advertise."

"I've been registered with Checkatrade for some time now and my work volume now is tenfold from what is was before I registered with them. I am now doing contracts anywhere from £30,000 - £100,000. I just used to be with Yellow Pages and quite honestly it was costing me a fortune and was only getting one or two phone calls, so I packed it in. The amount of calls I get from Checkatrade is anywhere between 5 and 15 calls per week. I would recommend the company to anybody, whether they are starting out on their own or already in business. They are a fantastic company to be part of. I should be employing anywhere between 10-20 men to cope with the volume of work. I just can't say enough about the company. They’re absolutely terrific."

"I was very sceptical at first about joining Checkatrade, but after being a member for 18 months. I am amazed at the response I get. 75% of all our calls each month comes from Checkatrade and we turn probably 50% of those into actual jobs, which is excellent. The customers are very happy because we have been vetted and are monitored on a regular basis. So it's excellent. It works really, really well. I have not looked back since being on it"

"I joined Checkatrade about 2 years ago. If I had known just how much work Checkatrade was going to generate, I would have definitely taken on an apprentice six months earlier than I actually did."

"I joined Checkatrade in February 2003. I was very sceptical of them at the time, unsure about being monitored and vetted. I had plenty of work on, but I decided to join them. Since I joined, I've found it amazing – absolutely amazing. I have quality customers coming through, and quality jobs. Customers are prepared to wait; they're not always in a rush. One of the most important things to me is I've found with customers that come from Checkatrade, they're already on the same wavelength as me. I'm also getting a lot of older customers. I think they trust Checkatrade. They've picked it up in Tesco's or the guide has come through their door. They trust Checkatrade so they trust the plumbers inside it. Work-wise, I can't cope with the work that Checkatrade brings me. I always ask my customers if they got me out of Checkatrade and it's usually a 'yes'. I used to advertise in Thomson and Yellow Pages, but I don't any more. With those there were always too many plumbers turning up to quote for the same job. With Checkatrade I'm usually the only one, which makes my job a lot easier. I'm very happy with Checkatrade. I'm now in two areas, which is more than enough for me. So if there are any plumbers out there that want extra work you should join. Be prepared to be vetted and monitored, but if your work is up to a good standard and you’re qualified. You have nothing to hide. Let’s get rid of those cowboys."

"We've been with Checkatrade since April 2001 and have found it to be a very good service. We were sceptical at first, thinking this is another guild that seems to be more contractor-orientated as opposed to consumer-orientated. I think it’s better for the consumer to feel happy and safe rather than the contractor having back up. If you’re putting yourself up to being monitored it is good protection for the consumer. We have found that the main thing is that if customers find us from other sources of advertising, we always point them to our web site, which has a direct link to Checkatrade, where they can bring up our referrals and references. Currently we are approaching 170 monitoring reports on their web site. Before we have even gone to site we are halfway to getting the job as customers already have an opinion that we are a company who know what we are doing. They can also phone Checkatrade and get feedback that way. So if you are thinking of joining, we have found it good for us. Good luck - cheers."

"I use Checkatrade because it gives my customers the knowledge that my business is trustworthy and this is information they cannot get from any other form of advertising. We've tried Yellow Pages, we've tried Thomson's, and all the rest of them, but you don't get the same credibility."

"I'm very happy with Checkatrade, as I don't believe in wasting money on expensive advertising. Checkatrade has doubled my business and has given me greater confidence as I can read customer feedback."

"When I was initially contacted by Checkatrade to go on the database I declined as I get people calling me every week with different advertising. But Kevin, one of the principals, said to me “give it a go”. So we did for six months and the response was phenomenal. We must have got ten jobs in the first week. Some have led onto really big contracts and the calls are constant. It's been very good. We sign up now for 12 months at a time. Customers can check you out on the Checkatrade web site, and see what you do. A lot of consumers are wary of trades, especially plumbers, but Checkatrade knocks this on the head. I would thoroughly recommend Checkatrade to anyone."