Roofing - Lead economics - 8 min read
Owned Quote Links vs. Shared Lead Marketplaces: The Real Cost per Signed Roof
Shared roofing leads look cheap per contact. Once you factor in competition, price pressure, and the close rate, cost per signed roof tells a different story.
The marketplace looks like the easy button
Most roofers start on a marketplace. Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor make the price per contact look reasonable, the volume shows up quickly, and there is no setup.
The problem is not the price per contact. It is what happens to that contact after you buy it.
The math nobody puts on the invoice
Shared-lead marketplaces run on one mechanic: the same homeowner request is sold to several competing contractors at once. One form, and four phones start ringing.
That single design choice creates three separate problems for your shop.
Your position changes before you ever get on the roof
When the same request reaches several contractors, speed and price often become the homeowner's easiest comparison points. Your craftsmanship, warranty, and tear-off process are harder to evaluate before an inspection.
The lead did not get worse. Your position did.
Price pressure you did not create
A homeowner who gets several calls right after one form often falls back on the one thing they can compare: price. That is how a full tear-off gets shopped down before anyone has climbed a ladder.
The marketplace fee is a line item you can see. The margin given up in a bidding war is not.
Lead quality is not always what the listing says
In January 2023, the FTC issued a proposed order against HomeAdvisor, Inc. The Commission approved the final consent order in April 2023.
The FTC complaint alleged that HomeAdvisor made false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims about lead quality and source. HomeAdvisor disputed the FTC's allegations and stated that it was not found guilty of wrongdoing, nor held liable for any of the FTC's claims. The matter resolved by consent order, not by a finding of liability.
Either way, buying a lead means trusting someone else's description of a homeowner you have never spoken to.
Cost per lead is the wrong metric
The number that decides whether a channel is worth running is not cost per lead. It is cost per signed roof.
| Shared marketplaces | Your own quote link | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit cost | Per-lead fee per contact | Software subscription plus your own traffic |
| Competition | Request may be sold to competing roofers | Not resold by a marketplace |
| Close-rate context | Price comparison starts immediately | Your process and brand lead the conversation |
| Leads per signed job | Often more follow-up and more losses | Fewer handoffs between request and inspection |
| CAC driver | Volume of leads bought | Ad efficiency and response process |
| Customer record | Subject to marketplace policies | Your customer file |
| Consent record | Provided by another party | Your own form can capture consent evidence |
Speed alone will not save you
A Valve+Meter study of 466 home services companies reported that 95% did not respond within five minutes, 40% never responded, and the slowest response was five days, nineteen hours, and nine minutes.
Speed without order can still send an estimator into windshield time on a small repair outside the area while an active leak on a full re-roof waits. Fast and in the right order beats fast alone. See our playbook on triaging a post-storm surge.
Own the intake, own the customer relationship
Running your own quote link means the request reaches your business without marketplace resale. You set the inspection process and keep the history for future repairs, maintenance, and referrals.
When a request comes through your Kaldwick form, it can record the IP address, user agent, timestamp, consent language, and consent version shown to the homeowner.
Frequently asked questions
Why do shared roofing leads convert poorly?
Several contractors may receive the same request at once, turning a hiring decision into a fast price comparison.
How does an owned quote link protect margin?
It prevents marketplace resale of the request and lets your shop control the inspection and follow-up process.
Isn't a shared lead cheaper than running my own ads?
Judge a channel by cost per signed roof, not only by the cost of one contact.
Do I need to rebuild my website to use a quote link?
No. A quote link can stand alone on a site, Google Business Profile, printed estimate, or truck QR code.