How does Poach.rr get its prospects?

Poach.rr builds its marketplace from public building-permit records, swept daily from public permit portals. Coverage depends on which jurisdictions publish permits.

Can I buy a roofing prospect exclusively?

Yes. On Poach.rr you can buy a prospect exclusively or shared with other contractors. You choose a state and county and filter by permit age first.

What does HomeAdvisor say about how it matches contractors?

Its contractor page says: “Tell us what you do and where, and we deliver prospects that meet your exact needs.” We have not tested that claim, and the page text we reviewed does not describe how prospects are sourced.

Can I try Poach.rr before paying?

New accounts get free prospects to try the marketplace, and no card is required. Check coverage in your own county first, since it depends on which jurisdictions publish permits.

Poach.rr vs HomeAdvisor: Roofing Lead Source Comparison

The short version

Roofers choosing a lead source are usually weighing two different ideas. One starts from a homeowner who asks for a pro. The other starts from a public permit record. This page explains how Poach.rr works, repeats what the other vendor says about itself on its contractor sign-up page, and ends with questions you can put to any vendor, including us.

How Poach.rr works

Poach.rr is a marketplace of roofing and solar prospects built from public building-permit records. You pick a state and county, filter by permit age, and buy a prospect either exclusively or shared with other contractors.

Contact details are not attached up front. Homeowner contact details are looked up on demand after purchase, and numbers flagged on do-not-call lists are marked, so you can see that before you pick up the phone.

Data is swept daily from public permit portals. Coverage depends on which jurisdictions publish permits, so a county that publishes little will show little. Any count we show refers to recorded permits in our dataset, not every permit issued in a county. New accounts get free prospects to try the marketplace, no card required.

What the other vendor says about itself

We read the vendor’s contractor-facing sign-up page. We did not test the service. What follows is the vendor’s own wording, not our assessment.

On how prospects are matched, HomeAdvisor says: “Tell us what you do and where, and we deliver prospects that meet your exact needs.”

On limits, the page says: “You control your budget and lead preferences.”

On follow-up, HomeAdvisor describes its tools this way: “Our lead management tools keep you organized and in touch with the homeowners you need to grow your business.”

The page also invites contractors to “Learn how HomeAdvisor helps you connect with homeowners in your area.” Those are marketing statements. They tell you what the vendor wants you to expect, not what any single contractor will see in a given county.

Side by side, using each side’s own description

Question	Poach.rr	The other vendor, in its words
Where do prospects start?	Public building-permit records	“Tell us what you do and where, and we deliver prospects that meet your exact needs.”
How do you narrow the list?	Pick a state and county, then filter by permit age	“You control your budget and lead preferences.”
Exclusive or shared?	Your choice: exclusive or shared with other contractors	Not stated in the page text we reviewed
What happens after you buy?	Contact details are looked up on demand; do-not-call numbers are marked	“Our lead management tools keep you organized and in touch with the homeowners you need to grow your business.”
Where does it work?	Depends on which jurisdictions publish permits	“Learn how HomeAdvisor helps you connect with homeowners in your area.”

Where the two approaches differ in practice

A permit-based prospect is tied to a public record, and you can filter by how old that record is. That puts age in front of you before you buy. You also choose per prospect whether to buy exclusively or shared, which affects how many other contractors may be calling the same address.

The tradeoff is coverage. Because Poach.rr depends on what local portals publish, some counties are well covered and others are thin. Check your own county before you commit any budget.

The other vendor’s page frames its offer around the line “Connect with the Targeted Prospects You Need to Succeed”. The page text we reviewed does not explain how prospects are sourced or whether one prospect goes to several contractors. That is not a criticism. It is a gap you can close by asking.

What to ask any lead vendor

These questions work for Poach.rr, for the vendor above, or for anyone else selling you roofing or solar leads.

Where does each lead come from? Ask for the original source, such as a permit record, a form a homeowner filled out, or a call.
Is it exclusive or shared? If shared, ask how many other contractors can receive the same lead.
How old is it? Ask whether you can see the age of a lead before you pay for it.
How is contact information handled? Ask whether phone numbers are checked against do-not-call lists and whether flagged numbers are marked.
What does coverage look like where I work? Ask for a look at your own county or service area, not a national claim.
What happens when a lead is bad? Ask for the replacement or refund process in writing.
Can I try it first? Ask whether you can test with a small amount of risk before you commit.

A low-risk way to compare

Pick the county where you actually want work. On Poach.rr, filter by permit age and look at what is there. New accounts get free prospects with no card required, so you can judge the data on your own jobs. Then put the same seven questions to every other vendor on your list and compare the written answers, not the sales pages.