Finding a decent tradesperson in the North East should not be as hard as it is. You either ask someone you know, scroll through Facebook groups full of arguments, or take a gamble on whoever comes up first on Google. None of those options are great.
That is why we built North East Trades, a local directory platform designed to connect tradespeople across the region with homeowners who need them.
The problem
For homeowners, finding a reliable tradesperson usually means one of three things:
- Asking on Facebook and getting 47 different recommendations, half of which are people's mates
- Searching Google and finding big national directories like Checkatrade or MyBuilder, where local trades get buried
- Going with whoever answers the phone first and hoping for the best
For tradespeople, it is just as frustrating. Many of them are brilliant at what they do but have no website, no Google presence, and no way of being found by people outside their existing network. They are relying on word of mouth, which works until it does not.
What we built
North East Trades is a full platform, not just a list of names. Here is what it includes:
- Search by trade and location so homeowners can find exactly what they need in their area
- Verified business listings with descriptions, service areas, and contact details
- Quote request system so homeowners can send their job details directly to relevant tradespeople
- Business portals where tradespeople can manage their own listing, update their details, and see incoming enquiries
- Admin dashboard for managing the whole platform, reviewing listings, and monitoring activity
- Blog and content with helpful articles for homeowners and businesses
The whole thing is built to be fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to use. A homeowner can search for a plumber in Durham and have a list of verified options within seconds.
The technical side
Under the hood, North East Trades runs on the same modern stack we use for all our projects. Server-rendered pages for fast loading and good SEO, a proper database for business listings and enquiries, and a clean admin interface for managing everything.
Each business listing is its own page with proper SEO, which means tradespeople get found on Google not just through the directory but through their individual listing pages too. A plumber in Consett gets their own page that can rank for "plumber in Consett" searches.
Where it is now
North East Trades is live and growing. New businesses are signing up, homeowners are using the search and quote system, and the directory is building the kind of local reputation that makes it genuinely useful.
The goal is simple: make it the first place people in the North East think of when they need a tradesperson. Not Facebook, not a national directory, but a local platform built for local people.
What this means for tradespeople
If you are a tradesperson in the North East and you are not showing up when people search online, you are leaving money on the table. A listing on North East Trades gives you a professional presence without having to build your own website from scratch.
And if you do want your own website as well, we can build that too. Most of our clients start with one and end up wanting the other. The two work together: your own website builds your brand, and a directory listing puts you in front of people who are actively looking for what you do.
Check out the platform at northeast-trades.co.uk, or get in touch if you want to talk about getting your business online.