Hiring a private contractor, professional tradesperson or ‘tradie’ is something that often has the potential to go really well or end up becoming an ordeal that sinks time and money. In order to provide greater transparency and peace of mind to consumers, Hipages seeks to connect the former with tradies on a centralised platform, and it does a reasonable job on this front.

Overall, the site is a good tool for everyday people to find the best value contractor by putting their job up for bidding. However, the simplicity of design and functionality can act as a double-edged sword which may frustrate some users.

Hipages – Pricing

Because they only serve as a middleman between you and the tradie, the closest thing you can find to pricing on Hipages is their extremely handy list of cost guides that detail the average estimates on most home improvement and renovation jobs. For example, their cost guide on bathroom renovations is incredibly thorough in breaking down why certain elements cost so much in terms of labour and materials. It even breaks down the difference between a budget, standard (mid-tier) and premium renovation. There is also helpful information on how to create a budget and get the design process started as well as how to engage a contractor.

Hipages – Features

Job listings: The core feature of Hipages is that it allows people to advertise a home improvement job they need completed and allow tradies to bid on said job. The main utility of this is that consumers will be able to pick and choose from a set of 3 quotes given by tradies the Hipages algorithm has shown your job ad to. This system helps filter out contractors that wouldn’t be appropriate for the job and naturally this can reduce the time people might have otherwise spent shopping around.

Directory: Users can also directly search the Hipages online directory of contractors that have listed their services.

Photos: Hipages also has an online gallery from which users can browse photos of the work of contractors using the site. This is useful for anyone looking for a landscaper or similar contractor where there’s going to be a subjective evaluation of the results they produce for other homes. The site features an option to add images to an ‘inspiration board’ that consumers can reference later when comparing their options.

Blog: The site also maintains a blog which is regularly updated. These home improvement articles serve to give users some extra information on what the current trends in home renovation are along with covering other topics.

Hipages – Pros and Cons

Pro

• Simple to use and compare quotes from suitable contractors.
• Outstanding level of consumer support in the form of cost guides and blog articles

Con

• Can’t guarantee the reliability of all contractors that could bid on a job, but then again this is also true of any ‘gig’ economy type service, so it may not truly be a negative for you.

Hipages Biggest Competitors:

• Airtasker
• Oneflare
• Choice