Dial a Contractor
Dial a Contractor is a South African two-sided online marketplace that connects residential and commercial property owners with reference-checked contractors across more than 20 trade categories, generating revenue from contractor subscription fees and supplier directory listings while serving customers free of charge.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Dial a Contractor does
Dial a Contractor is a South African online marketplace founded in 2016 that connects property owners with pre-screened, reference-checked construction professionals across more than 20 trade categories including building, plumbing, electrical, tiling, flooring, painting, landscaping, paving, kitchen renovation and security systems. The platform operates under the legal entity Premier View Trade CC, headquartered in Cape Town, and serves customers through a national branch network spanning Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Polokwane. The company reports having served over 84,000 homeowners since inception and runs an associated contractor-development platform branded Nugrow.
The core offering is a contractor matching and referral service in which property owners submit service requests through the website, phone or WhatsApp; Dial a Contractor routes up to three pre-vetted contractors from its panel to provide free no-obligation quotes; and the customer selects and hires independently. Contractors on the panel are reference-checked after each job and trade-registered with industry bodies. A complementary free builders risk insurance program covers contract works up to R5 million and third-party liability up to R2 million for projects enrolled prior to commencement. The Nugrow platform extends this offering into a contractor ecosystem by providing online training, compliance resources, tendering guidance, mentorship and contract templates to subscribed contractors, while a separate supplier directory allows manufacturers and product suppliers to pay for visibility to contractors and property owners.
The business operates as a two-sided advertising and lead-generation marketplace. Revenue is generated through subscription and listing fees paid by contractors who join the panel and by suppliers who register for directory visibility; property owners use the service free of charge. Distribution is fully digital with self-serve website submission supplemented by phone- and WhatsApp-based human-assisted lead qualification. The company is privately held under the Premier View Trade CC entity, with no disclosed external funding rounds, no parent company and no institutional investors identified in available material. Operations appear stable but small-scale relative to the addressable market, with an employee base of 11–50 and limited publicly disclosed financial data.
Dial a Contractor firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dial a Contractor
- Legal name
- Premier View Trade CC
- Website
- https://dialacontractor.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dial a Contractor is a South African two-sided online marketplace that connects residential and commercial property owners with reference-checked contractors across more than 20 trade categories, generating revenue from contractor subscription fees and supplier directory listings while serving customers free of charge.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dial a Contractor industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Services Marketplace
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Trade Contractors (2389)
- SIC
- Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Contractor Onboarding, Vetting & Credentialing (BPACAGAC)
Keywords
Where Dial a Contractor is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices8 records
Markets served
Dial a Contractor business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Contractor Subscription/Fees: Contractors and professionals pay to subscribe to the Dial a Contractor panel to receive leads and customer referrals. The service acts as an advertising platform where service providers pay for visibility.
- Supplier Directory Fees: Product suppliers and manufacturers pay to register and gain visibility in the supplier directory, receiving direct-to-consumer visibility and promotional opportunities in newsletters.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free quoting service for property owners |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Dial a Contractor product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dial a Contractor operates a national online marketplace that connects South African property owners with pre-screened construction and maintenance professionals across more than 20 trade categories, from architecture and building to plumbing, electrical, tiling, paving and security. Property owners submit a request through the website and receive free, no-obligation quotes from up to 3 reference-checked contractors. The platform monetizes through contractor subscription fees for panel placement and lead referrals, supplemented by a free builders risk insurance program for enrolled projects and a supplier directory for product manufacturers.
Product overview
Dial a Contractor is a South African contractor referral and matching platform that connects property owners with pre-screened construction professionals across residential and commercial sectors. The core offering consists of a contractor matching service that provides free quotes from verified contractors, supplemented by a complimentary builders risk insurance program for enrolled projects. The platform also includes the Nugrow professional development platform for contractor network members, a supplier directory marketplace, and an online shop. Service coverage spans 20+ trade categories including architecture, building, plumbing, electrical, tiling, flooring, painting, kitchens, landscaping, paving, outdoor structures, security, cleaning, refrigeration, and waterproofing. The company operates nationally with branches across major metropolitan areas including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban, and reports serving over 84,000 homeowners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Contractor Matching and Referral Service An online referral platform that matches South African property owners with vetted construction and maintenance contractors across 20+ trade categories. Property owners submit a request, receive up to 3 reference-checked quotes, and choose a contractor for residential or commercial projects. Service is free for property owners; contractors pay subscription/panel fees.
- Free Building Insurance Program A complimentary builders risk insurance coverage bundled with projects booked through Dial a Contractor. Covers contract works up to R5 million and third-party liability up to R2 million for projects enrolled prior to commencement, subject to terms and conditions.
- Nugrow Contractor Development Platform A complementary contractor development platform providing qualified lead generation, professional development resources, online training, compliance documentation, tendering guidance, marketing tools, mentorship and contract templates for construction professionals registered on the Dial a Contractor panel.
- Supplier Directory A paid directory listing for product suppliers and manufacturers seeking visibility among contractors, property owners, developers and project managers. Suppliers register for direct-to-consumer exposure and promotional placements in platform newsletters.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trusted by over 84,000 Homeowners
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dial a Contractor
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dial a Contractor technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dial a Contractor partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NugrowcoreNugrow is an associated professional development platform for contractors, providing lead generation, online training, compliance resources, tendering guidance, business support, marketing tools, mentorship, and contract templates. It operates as the engine for contractor development within the broader Dial a Contractor ecosystem.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dial a Contractor competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Builderscrack: New Zealand/Australian tradie marketplace that matches homeowners with reviewed tradespeople and charges tradies for leads. Operates on the same lead-generation/subscription economics as Dial a Contractor.
- Hipages: Australia's leading marketplace connecting homeowners with tradies across a wide range of trades. Closest functional analog to Dial a Contractor in business model (lead generation, panel of vetted contractors, free quotes for consumers) and trade coverage.
- Bidvine: UK-based online marketplace connecting customers with local service professionals via request-for-quote flows. Same customer-side free quoting and professional-side lead fees as Dial a Contractor.
- HomeStars: Canadian home-services platform that helps homeowners find reviewed contractors and renovation professionals. Comparable combination of review-driven trust and pro matchmaking used by Dial a Contractor.
Broad incumbents
- Houzz: US home-design and renovation platform with a 'Find Pros' directory connecting homeowners to contractors, architects, and trades. Overlaps with Dial a Contractor on the homeowner-to-pro matching use case but adds design content and e-commerce.
- Angi (formerly Angie's List): Large US home-services marketplace and lead-generation platform connecting consumers with local service professionals including contractors, plumbers, electricians. Operates a similar two-sided model with pro subscriptions and pay-per-lead, but at vastly larger scale and with adjacent SaaS tools.
- Thumbtack: US local-services marketplace that lets professionals quote on home projects (renovation, repair, maintenance). Comparable two-sided marketplace with pay-per-lead economics and broad trade coverage, but with deeper technology investment.
- HomeAdvisor: US-based home services marketplace owned by Angi Inc. that pre-screens pros and matches them to homeowner projects. Closely comparable marketplace mechanics, though operates at much larger scale and serves US homeowners.
Emerging players
- Pro.com: US home-improvement marketplace that matches consumers with vetted, background-checked home pros. Similar value proposition around vetting and trust, though at earlier scale.
Regional players
- Mr. D (Home Services, South Africa): South African home-services directory that connects homeowners with plumbers, electricians, and other trades. Direct regional competitor in Dial a Contractor's home market with a comparable contractor-matching value proposition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dial a Contractor social profiles
Digital presenceDial a Contractor financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dial a Contractor leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dial a Contractor funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dial a Contractor M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dial a Contractor
What does Dial a Contractor do?
Dial a Contractor operates a national online marketplace that connects South African property owners with pre-screened construction and maintenance professionals across more than 20 trade categories, from architecture and building to plumbing, electrical, tiling, paving and security. Property owners submit a request through the website and receive free, no-obligation quotes from up to 3 reference-checked contractors. The platform monetizes through contractor subscription fees for panel placement and lead referrals, supplemented by a free builders risk insurance program for enrolled projects and a supplier directory for product manufacturers.
Is Dial a Contractor a public or private company?
Dial a Contractor is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dial a Contractor founded?
Dial a Contractor was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dial a Contractor based?
Dial a Contractor is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Dial a Contractor make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Contractor Subscription/Fees are the primary driver. The others are supplier Directory Fees.
Who are Dial a Contractor's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Builderscrack, Hipages, Bidvine and HomeStars. Broad incumbents are Houzz, Angi (formerly Angie's List), Thumbtack and HomeAdvisor. Pro.com is listed as an emerging player. Mr. D (Home Services, South Africa) is listed as a regional player.
Does Dial a Contractor have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dial a Contractor.
What industry is Dial a Contractor in?
Dial a Contractor's product category is Construction Services Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAGAB, Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services, with a secondary code of BPACAGAC, Contractor Onboarding, Vetting & Credentialing. Its NAICS code is 2389 and its SIC code is 1700.