Side by side
| ServiceSeeking | PlumbMatch | |
|---|---|---|
| How homeowners reach a plumber | A form, with city pages of plumbing listings such as its Melbourne plumbers page | A job form; plumbers who fit see it, and the first to take it calls |
| Businesses per job | Not confirmed | One takes it and gets the contact details |
| How you pay | Not confirmed | Plumbers pay for jobs, with the price set out on a call |
What we could not confirm
The number of businesses that see each ServiceSeeking request, and what plumbers pay, reached us only in summaries we could not check against ServiceSeeking's own pages. So we have left both out.
Before you compare the two, ask ServiceSeeking how many businesses get each request and what one job will cost you.
How PlumbMatch passes on a job
A homeowner describes the problem. Plumbers whose job types, area and licence class fit can see it, and only the first to take it is sent the homeowner's details.
Before any plumber gets a job, we look up the licence on the state register, put insurance on file, confirm the ABN and have a person read the Google reviews.
Plumbers pay PlumbMatch for jobs. Price and contract terms are talked through on a call, and nothing is signed before it.
A Queensland rule for any listing
The QBCC names serviceseeking, along with Gumtree and Hipages, as examples of online service directories that count as advertisements. If you hold a Queensland licence, your listing there needs your licensed name and your licensee number, as any other ad does.
Before you sign up anywhere
- Will my business be one of many quoting the same job?
- Am I paying for the job, or for the chance to quote?
- Are jobs matched to my licence class and the work I actually do?
- How do I leave, and what notice is needed?