Why Third-Party Lead Generation Sites Are Hurting Your Surveying Business

In today's digital market, nearly all prospective clients find local services online, with 98% of consumers searching the internet for local business information and 87% using Google to evaluate local providers. For UK residential building surveyors, this means having a strong online presence is essential. However, many surveyors have become dependent on third-party lead generation services which, while providing quick access to potential clients, may be doing more harm than good to your business in the long run.

The Shared Leads Problem: Paying More, Getting Less

One of the biggest issues with platforms like Local Surveyors Direct or ReallyMoving is their broadcasting model. When a homeowner submits a request for a "Level 3 Building Survey in Manchester," the platform doesn't send this lead exclusively to you – it sends it to four or more surveyors simultaneously.

This creates an immediate problem: each surveyor pays for that lead, but only one will win the job. In essence, every lead becomes a mini bidding war where clients compare quotes from several surveyors, often choosing based on the lowest price or fastest callback. The result? A race to the bottom on fees and a significant waste of your marketing budget.

Consider the maths: if you only convert 1 in 4 of these shared leads, a £7 lead actually costs you £28 per paying client – and that's not counting the time spent quoting and following up.

Paying for Low-Quality Leads

Using multiple lead sites also means you risk paying for the same lead twice when the same homeowner inquiry comes through different services. Even worse, many platforms have minimal vetting processes, meaning you may receive contacts with invalid phone numbers or from people who are just shopping around with low purchase intent.

One popular UK platform explicitly states it does not refund for bad phone numbers, only for duplicate emails. This adds unnecessary cost and frustration to your lead acquisition process.

Diminishing Your Profit Margins

Third-party lead generators typically charge around £6-£8 +VAT per lead, regardless of whether you win the business. These fees directly reduce your profit on each job. If a Level 3 building survey brings in £600, spending £30-£40 on paid leads to secure that one client (plus any platform commission) significantly impacts your earnings.

Over-reliance on these platforms can quietly erode your profitability, especially as lead prices increase or competition on the platforms intensifies. This approach is simply not sustainable for a business looking to maximise profits and build long-term stability.

Outsourcing Your Brand Building

When clients find you through a lead portal, they often perceive the value as coming from the portal rather than from you as a professional. Their primary interaction was with the comparison site, and you just happened to be the selected vendor.

This makes it harder to build your own brand recognition. The client may not remember your name for future referrals – they might simply recall that they "found a surveyor on ReallyMoving." In essence, you are outsourcing your marketing to a third party and losing the chance to differentiate yourself in a crowded market.

Repeat business and loyalty tend to go to the platform, not to you, creating a cycle where you become increasingly dependent on these services for new business.

No Control Over Lead Quality or Volume

With third-party services, you have limited influence over the types of leads you receive. These platforms won't actively target the exact postcodes or property types that are your sweet spot – you'll receive whatever comes through in your chosen area, which could include low-value jobs or areas you're less keen to serve.

You also can't easily increase the volume of leads when you want more business. Beyond expanding your coverage area and paying more, you're essentially waiting for the platform to feed you opportunities. This reactive position is risky for long-term growth.

As one industry CRM provider notes, "Lead generation sites focus on generating you leads, not on conversion software." Converting these leads is entirely up to you, but with all the handicaps noted above.

Breaking Free from Third-Party Dependence

The bottom line is clear: third-party lead generators can provide a short-term source of inquiries, but they come with costs and constraints that hurt your margins and marketing effectiveness over time. You end up paying for many leads you don't win, competing primarily on price, and failing to build your own reputation.

The alternative? Developing a comprehensive approach that includes Google Ads, Facebook Ads, content marketing, and a solid CRM system. By generating your own leads through these channels, you can preserve more profit and create a sustainable pipeline that grows your business, not the lead reseller's.

Taking control of your lead generation strategy means investing in your own marketing assets rather than renting customers from third parties. The upfront effort may be greater, but the long-term benefits – higher conversion rates, better profit margins, and a stronger brand identity – make it well worth the investment.

‍