Why Do Contractors Keep Calling You After Filling Out One Remodel Form

Your phone won't stop buzzing. You filled out one form for your tub and shower area, only to be bombarded with calls and texts from companies you’ve never heard of.

Our scheduling team at Shugarman’s Bath talks to hundreds of homeowners every day. We hear about this frustration often. Much of this comes from the homeowner going through a lead aggregator, which sends your information to several companies at once.

This article explains what a lead aggregator is, why one form can lead to a flood of calls, what to know about your privacy when you fill out a form, and why you’re better off contacting a contractor directly.

Table of Contents:

• Why Do Multiple Contractors Call After Filling Out a Form?
• What Should You Know About Your Privacy When You Fill Out an Online Form?
• Are You Better Off Contacting a Company Directly?
• How Can You Tell Whether You're Contacting a Remodeling Contractor Directly?
• How Can You Check If a Remodeling Company Is Trustworthy?

Why Do Multiple Contractors Call After Filling Out a Form?

When you’re getting calls from multiple contractors, your information likely went through a lead aggregator. A lead aggregator is a website that collects your contact information and sends it to multiple companies. Well-known examples are HomeAdvisor, Houzz, and Angi.

There are other lead aggregators that you’ve never heard of (and likely never will). They often use the name of a popular local company as a landing page. If you look at the fine print, you might see that it isn’t the actual company you’re contacting.

These websites work with home improvement contractors and sell them potential leads. Many smaller or newer contractors rely on them since they might not have the time or budget to handle marketing on their own. When you filled out that online form, that information went to every company that is paid to receive leads for your zip code and project type.

What Should You Know About Your Privacy When You Fill Out an Online Form?

While not every aggregator does this, some websites let you choose which companies your information is sent to. Look and see if the aggregator has a checklist or a similar option before you submit.

If a site doesn't give you that choice, your information can still go out to several companies at once. If you're a California resident, you can ask data brokers to delete your personal information through the state's DROP platform. The platform doesn’t stop your information from being submitted to multiple companies, but you can request that it be removed afterward.

Are You Better Off Contacting a Company Directly?

Yes, especially if you don’t want a bunch of contractors you’ve never heard of contacting you. You might have to take an extra minute or two finding a good contractor’s website, but it saves you the headache of calls and texts from places you’ve never heard of.

Reaching out to a company puts you directly in contact with people who can best help with your project. You get a clear line with one company instead of managing calls from multiple contractors and trying to remember who you spoke with.

How Can You Tell Whether You’re Contacting a Remodeling Contractor Directly?

Check that the web address matches the company’s name before you call. From there, use the number listed on the company's official Google Business listing. If you want to go further, visit the company's direct website and confirm the phone number matches what’s on the Google Business listing.

Most contractors will put their contact information on the bottom of their webpage, or offer a way to contact them directly from their website.

How Can You Check If a Remodeling Company Is Trustworthy?

Look into a company before you contact them directly. Don’t waste time contacting a company directly, only to find out they aren’t a good fit or are wholly unqualified.

Check their standing with the Better Business Bureau. If you’re in California, also look up each contractor’s licensing and insurance on the Contractors State License Board (CSLB).

Note: California law requires licensed contractors to display their license number on all advertising, including their websites. If you can’t find their license number, it might be best not to call that contractor.

For a closer look at licensing, insurance, and how to compare estimates once you're ready to reach out, see our full guide to finding the right contractor for your remodel.

What Should You Do Next?

If your phone keeps ringing or you're bombarded with texts, it’s likely because of those lead aggregator websites. Getting tons of calls can be frustrating, especially when you didn’t do anything wrong. But now you know how to avoid this frustration next time around.

Now that you know it’s better to contact a contractor directly, learn about what happens when you call Shugarman’s Bath.

Contact Shugarman's Bath directly to talk to a real person and get the answers you need.