Website vs Checkatrade for Window Fitters — Which Gets You More Work?

Window fitting has a challenge that most other trades don't: you're not just competing with other local fitters — you're competing with massive national companies like Everest, Anglian, and Safestyle. These brands spend millions on marketing and dominate the first page of Google.

So where does that leave a local window fitter trying to get more work? Is Checkatrade enough, or do you need your own website to compete? Let's compare the two honestly.

Checkatrade for Window Fitters

Checkatrade is a directory where homeowners search for tradespeople. You pay a monthly fee, set up a profile, and customers can find you alongside other fitters in your area.

What works:

• Immediate visibility to people looking for window fitters
• Checkatrade's brand is trusted by homeowners
• Reviews and vetting add credibility
• Easy to set up

What doesn't:

• You're listed alongside other window fitters — including some who undercut on price
• No way to properly differentiate yourself from competitors on the same page
• Limited space to display FENSA/CERTASS credentials prominently
• Small photo gallery that doesn't showcase your installations effectively
• Monthly fees add up — you pay regardless of whether leads convert
• The platform doesn't help you compete against national brands at all

That last point is crucial. Checkatrade is a level playing field between local tradespeople. But it does nothing to help you compete with the national window companies that dominate Google search results. For that, you need something else.

Your Own Website for Window Fitting

A website gives you a presence on Google itself — where the real battle for window fitting customers happens. When someone searches "double glazing in Nottingham" or "window fitter near me," a well-optimised website can appear right alongside (or above) the national brands.

What works:

• Compete directly with national companies in Google search results
• Display FENSA/CERTASS registration prominently — the trust signal that matters most
• Full portfolio showcasing different window types, property styles, and installation quality
• Rank for specific local searches the national companies can't target as effectively
• One-time cost with minimal ongoing fees
• Complete control over your brand and messaging
• Works as a landing page for Google Ads, social media, and Checkatrade

What doesn't work as well:

• Takes 3-6 months to build ranking on Google
• Requires upfront investment
• Needs occasional content updates

Why FENSA Display Matters

Here's something specific to window fitting: FENSA (or CERTASS) registration isn't just a nice credential — it's a legal requirement for replacement window installations. Homeowners are increasingly aware of this and actively look for it.

On Checkatrade, your FENSA registration is buried in a credentials section that many customers don't even scroll to. On your own website, you can display the FENSA logo in the header of every single page, explain what it means, and use it as a headline differentiator.

A professional window fitter website that leads with FENSA registration immediately communicates legitimacy and compliance. It tells the customer: "This is a proper, certified installer." That matters enormously when the alternative is an uncertified operator offering a suspiciously cheap quote.

Competing With National Brands

This is the biggest advantage a website gives you over Checkatrade. National window companies dominate Google for broad terms like "double glazing" and "new windows." You'll struggle to outrank them for those.

But they're weak on local terms. Searches like:

• "Window fitter in Nottingham"
• "Double glazing Beeston"
• "UPVC windows West Bridgford"
• "Local window installer near me"

These are searches where a well-optimised local website can genuinely outperform national brands. Google knows that someone searching "window fitter in Beeston" wants a local result, not a national company's generic page.

Checkatrade doesn't help you compete on Google at all. Your Checkatrade profile ranks for searches within Checkatrade's platform, but rarely appears in general Google results for window fitting. A dedicated window fitter website is the only way to compete where the real customer searches happen.

The Cost Comparison

Checkatrade:

• Monthly membership: approximately £60-120/month
• Annual cost: £720-£1,440/year
• You compete for every lead with other fitters on the same page
• No lasting benefit — stop paying, disappear

Your own website:

• One-time build cost: £497 (hand-coded, SEO optimised)
• Annual domain renewal: £10-15/year
• First year total: approximately £510
• Ongoing years: approximately £15/year

Over three years, Checkatrade costs you £2,160-£4,320. A website costs approximately £540 total. And the website is an appreciating asset — it gets more valuable over time as your Google authority builds.

Lead Quality

Checkatrade leads: The homeowner has contacted multiple window fitters. They're comparing quotes. Price often becomes the deciding factor, which is exactly the game the national companies play. You end up racing to the bottom against fitters who use cheaper materials or cut corners.

Website leads: The customer has found your site, seen your FENSA credentials, browsed your portfolio, and decided to contact you. They're not comparing you with three other fitters on the same screen. They've already formed a positive impression. These leads convert at higher rates and at better margins.

For window fitting, where a full house of windows can be £5,000-£12,000, the difference in lead quality translates directly into thousands of pounds in revenue.

The Differentiator: Being the Local Alternative

National window companies have a reputation problem. Customers associate them with high-pressure sales, inflated prices, and impersonal service. As a local fitter, you can position yourself as the antidote.

But you can only do that effectively with your own website. On Checkatrade, everyone looks the same. Your own site lets you:

• Lead with "Local, independent, FENSA registered — no high-pressure sales"
• Tell your story — how long you've been in the trade, your standards, your approach
• Show genuine local reviews from recognisable areas
• Display a portfolio that proves you work on local properties
• Offer the personal touch that nationals can't match

This positioning is powerful, and it's impossible to achieve on a directory listing.

The Smart Approach

For window fitters, the recommended strategy is:

1. Build a website first — it's your most important tool for competing with both local fitters and national brands
2. Display FENSA/CERTASS prominently — on every page, in your header, on your about page
3. Link from Checkatrade — boost your Checkatrade profile's credibility with a professional website link
4. Target local SEO aggressively — location pages, service pages, and blog content focused on your specific area
5. Use Google Ads strategically — target local keywords and send traffic to your site, not Checkatrade
6. Position against nationals — make "local, personal, no pressure" your message

The Verdict

For window fitters, a website isn't just a better investment than Checkatrade — it's essential. You're competing with national brands that Checkatrade can't help you beat. You need FENSA credentials displayed prominently, not buried in a profile. And you need to appear on Google where real customers search, not just within a directory platform.

Checkatrade is useful as a supplementary lead source. But your own window fitter website is the asset that lets you compete with the big brands, win local searches, and build a business on your own terms.

If you want a professional website that helps you stand out from both local competitors and national companies, we build websites specifically for window fitters — hand-coded, SEO optimised, FENSA-ready, and designed to win local work. One-time payment of £497, no monthly fees, and live within 7 days.

Axel

Full-stack developer specializing in Shopify and Django. Building automated e-commerce solutions.