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Honest Review · MyBuilder
MyBuilder — An Honest Review of the UK Builder Marketplace (2026)
MyBuilder is the platform that built its reputation on building work — extensions, renovations, the bigger jobs. After 20 years it still does that better than most. But the model has gaps that show up on smaller trades and on payment risk. Here's what works, what doesn't, and what we'd do differently.
vs MyBuilderRead 7 minUpdated May 2026
In one paragraph
MyBuilder is a bet that build quality is the only thing that matters. Payment is itself a risk vector — and the platform isn't in the payment loop.
Want the full side-by-side instead? See how TradeMatch compares to MyBuilder on fees, vetting, escrow and reviews.
Compare TradeMatch vs MyBuilder
Section 1
Where MyBuilder genuinely shines
MyBuilder's feedback system is one of the strongest in the UK trades market. Every trade has a public score tied to actual completed jobs through the platform. Repeat offenders fall out — the algorithm pushes lower-feedback trades down the list automatically. For larger projects (extensions, loft conversions, full bathrooms) where build quality is the dominant decision factor, this works. Trades who survive on MyBuilder long-term are usually the ones doing decent work.
Section 2
Where the model breaks
MyBuilder is pay-per-lead. Trades pay £5–£30 for the right to express interest in a job, with cost weighted to job size. This works well for a £15,000 extension where the lead cost is tiny relative to the job value. It works terribly for a £200 plumbing call-out, where the lead cost is 5–15% of the job and either eats the trade's margin or gets passed onto the homeowner. Specialist trades on smaller jobs (locksmiths, pest control, smaller plumbing/electrical, gardening) are under-represented for this exact reason. And, as with every legacy platform, **there is no escrow** — the trade is paid directly and any dispute is yours to chase.
Section 3
The build-quality vs payment-risk tradeoff
MyBuilder is a bet that build quality is the only thing that matters. The feedback algorithm chases that bet hard. But for any meaningful project, payment is itself a risk vector — deposits paid to trades who underestimate the work and disappear; final payments paid before defects show up; staged-payment disputes that have no neutral arbiter. MyBuilder doesn't address any of this because the platform isn't in the payment loop.
How TradeMatch differs
How TradeMatch keeps what works and adds what doesn't
TradeMatch keeps the feedback principle — verified reviews from completed jobs only, public scores, no deletion. Adds escrow on every payment (your funds release on signed-off milestones, not on trust). Removes the lead-fee model — trades quote free, only pay on confirmed work — so smaller trades and smaller jobs are economic. Caps quotes at 5 to prevent lead spam. Same vetting depth, with explicit qualification verification by trade type. Same mediation as Checkatrade and Bark lack: a real dispute team holding real money.
What changes on TradeMatch
Four structural fixes
TradeMatch
Same review discipline
Verified reviews tied to completed jobs, public scores, no deletion — the part of MyBuilder that genuinely works, kept.
TradeMatch
Escrow added
Stage payments release only when work is signed off. The thing MyBuilder structurally cannot offer.
TradeMatch
Smaller jobs viable
No £5–£30 lead fee for a £200 callout — TradeMatch trades quote free, so plumbers, locksmiths and electricians compete for small work too.
TradeMatch
Quote spam capped
Up to 5 quotes per job. No 20-trade scrum where the cheapest lowballer wins regardless of fit.
Answers
MyBuilder — Frequently Asked Questions
Is MyBuilder good for small jobs?
It is structurally weak for small jobs. The lead-fee model means a £200 plumbing callout costs the trade £10–£30 in lead fees before any work is done. Most specialist trades on small jobs prefer pay-on-confirmed-work platforms like TradeMatch where they only pay a commission on the work that actually happens.
Is MyBuilder safer than Checkatrade?
MyBuilder's feedback system is more rigorous than Checkatrade's historical approach. Neither offers payment protection. If "safer" means "the trades are quality-sorted by real homeowner feedback", MyBuilder wins. If it means "if I lose money, can I get it back", neither offers that — only TradeMatch (with escrow) does.
Can I leave MyBuilder mid-project?
You can stop using a MyBuilder-sourced trade at any time, but any deposit or payment already made is between you and the trade. MyBuilder does not hold funds, so it has nothing to refund or release. Escalation is via the trade directly, then chargeback or small-claims.
Why are MyBuilder fees criticised?
Trades complain about lead-fee creep — the cost of expressing interest in a job has risen over the years and now bites particularly on smaller jobs. Homeowners feel the consequence indirectly through higher quotes. Both sides report the system is profitable for MyBuilder but feels expensive at the user end.
Is there a MyBuilder alternative for small trades?
TradeMatch is the small-trade-friendly alternative. Free to quote, only pay on confirmed work, escrow on every payment, capped quote competition. Comparison at /compare/tradematch-vs-mybuilder.
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