Houzz Vs. Thumbtack: Better For Home Improvement Projects

If you’re looking to hire a professional for a home renovation or repair project, two popular platforms to connect with contractors are Houzz and Thumbtack. But how do you decide which one is better for your needs?

Here’s an in-depth look at the key features, pros, cons and differences between Houzz and Thumbtack to help you make the right choice.

A Brief Comparison Table

Feature	Houzz	Thumbtack
Focus	Home renovation/design	All home services
Number of pros	2.5 million	Over 500,000
Types of pros	Higher-end experts	Broad range from experts to handymen
Average cost of pros	Tends to be higher	Affordable, value-focused
Project types best for	Large renovations, custom homes	Minor repairs, everyday services
Ease of getting quotes	Contact pros individually	Submit one project request
Membership fees	Charges pros only	Charges pros pay-per-lead
Screening process	Intensive, by Houzz	Basic screening
Finding/hiring same pro again	Difficult	Challenging
Reviews	By homeowners	By customers
Inspiration	Robust design photos	Limited

Overview Of Houzz

Houzz is an online platform that brings home improvement professionals and homeowners together. It offers a large directory of pre-screened home remodeling and design experts to choose from, including architects, interior designers, contractors, landscape professionals and more.

Some key things to know about Houzz:

• Massive directory of over 2.5 million home professionals globally.
• Professionals have detailed Houzz profiles showcasing their work through photos.
• Focus is on major home renovation and design projects. Professionals tend to be higher-end.
• Homeowners can browse the Houzz Pro directory and contact pros directly for project quotes and hiring.
• Houzz Pro membership ($500-3500/year) gives professionals enhanced profile capabilities to market themselves.

Overview Of Thumbtack

Thumbtack is an online service that matches customers with local professionals for all kinds of projects and services, both small and large. Professionals on Thumbtack span many categories like home, events, wellness, personal services, pets, lessons, and more.

Key things to know about Thumbtack:

• Massive network of over 500,000 local service professionals and counting.
• Professionals are reviewed and background-checked before being listed.
• Customers submit a project request and get customized quotes from pros.
• Broad range of professionals from highly skilled experts to general contractors and handymen.
• Pay-per-lead model – professionals pay fees to Thumbtack to quote on projects.

Pros Of Houzz

Here are some of the biggest advantages of using Houzz to find professionals for home projects:

• Targeted focus on home improvement/design: Houzz is laser-focused on home remodeling, construction and design services. So all the professionals on it cater specifically to these types of projects.
• High-quality, vetted pros: Houzz claims to carefully screen all pro members to ensure they meet quality standards. The platform attracts many high-end, seasoned home improvement experts.
• Robust profiles: Professional profiles are rich with photos of past project work, reviews, credentials, and other details to evaluate pros thoroughly before hiring.
• Inspiring photos: Houzz features 50+ million home photos to inspire your own project and design ideas. You can ideate by browsing photos of completed projects by Houzz pros.
• User reviews: Reviews by homeowners who have hired pros previously provide helpful third-party validation and feedback.
• Content & ideas: The Houzz website and app have many articles and Ideabooks covering home remodeling topics for DIY education.

Also watch the video!

Cons Of Houzz

Some potential downsides of using Houzz include:

• Primarily higher-end pros: Houzz pros tend to be on the pricier side, so may not be ideal for smaller basic home repair jobs or projects on a budget.
• Limited number of pros: Each pro category on Houzz only displays a handful of professionals for an area, so you may have very few options to choose from.
• No project cost info: Listings don’t include project cost estimates or hourly rates. You need to contact pros directly for quotes.
• Membership fees (Houzz Pro): While homeowners can use Houzz for free, professionals pay $500-$3500 annually for Houzz Pro accounts to access more profile features.

Pros Of Thumbtack

Here are some of the biggest pluses of using Thumbtack for hiring home and other service professionals:

• Huge network of local pros: With over 500,000 home service professionals, you’re very likely to find several good matches for your specific project.
• Broad range of services: Thumbtack isn’t limited only to home remodeling and construction. You can find pros for everything from plumbing to catering to dog walking.
• Custom quotes: Provide project details and get quotes from interested pros tailored to your exact job. No need to contact pros individually.
• Affordable pricing: Many Thumbtack pros are general contractors, handymen and smaller operators who charge affordable rates for basic home projects and repairs.
• Screened for quality: Low-quality pros are weeded out via Thumbtack’s screening process for things like licensing, insurance, and good standing.
• Real customer reviews: Reviews by other Thumbtack customers offer transparent feedback on pros before you decide to hire them.

Cons Of Thumbtack

Here are some potential disadvantages of Thumbtack to keep in mind:

• Mixed skill and experience levels: From seasoned experts to amateurs, all types of pros use the platform, so vetting their actual expertise is important.
• Pay-per-lead system: Some see Thumbtack’s pay-per-lead model that charges pros fees as a flaw since it incentivizes them to quote on many projects.
• Request overload for pros: Each pro can get too many leads and may not necessarily accept your project request.
• Not focused solely on home services: Thumbtack’s broad professional scope means using it for home services specifically can require sifting through many unrelated listings.
• Difficult to rehire the same pro: The platform makes it tough to request the same pro repeatedly for ongoing work.

Key Differences

Beyond the pros and cons, here are some main ways that Houzz and Thumbtack differ that can help guide your choice between them:

• Project types: Houzz is better for major home renovation and design projects while Thumbtack excels at small home repairs and everyday services.
• Quality Vs. affordability: Houzz pros tend to be premium-priced, experienced experts while Thumbtack offers very affordable, value-focused generalists.
• Professionals listed: Houzz features 2.5 million home improvement pros globally. Thumbtack has over 500,000 professionals across service categories.
• Business model: Houzz connects homeowners directly with pros they can contact. Thumbtack has a managed lead and quote request system.
• Membership structure: Houzz charges pros for memberships. Thumbtack uses a pay-per-lead model charging pros only for leads.
• Screening rigor: Houzz claims intensive pro screening. Thumbtack does basic screening like licenses and insurance verification.
• Price transparency: Houzz doesn’t show pro cost info, while Thumbtack quotes provide project estimates.

Also Read: Is Yelp Better Than HomeAdvisor?

Which Should You Choose?

Weighing the key differences and unique strengths of each platform can help make it easier to decide between using Houzz Vs. Thumbtack.

Houzz is likely the better choice if:

• You have a major, higher budget home renovation or construction project.
• You want very experienced, professional home improvement contractors and designers.
• Having a robust profile with photos of pros’ past work is important to you.

Thumbtack may be better if:

• Your project is small-scale, like a basic home repair or everyday service need.
• You want budget-friendly pricing from general contractors and handymen.
• You want to easily get quotes for your specific project from multiple pros.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Also Read: Differences Between Angi And TaskRabbit.

The Bottom Line

While there is no one-size-fits-all best choice between using Houzz Vs. Thumbtack, evaluating your unique project needs against the key differences between these platforms can steer you towards the right option. For comprehensive coverage from many thoroughly vetted home improvement experts for major renovations or designs, Houzz is likely the better pick.

However, if you need affordability and a broad selection for a small handyman or repair job, Thumbtack offers key advantages. Carefully considering the pros and cons outlined here allows you to make an informed decision on which platform gives you the highest likelihood of hiring the ideal pro.