Let's Be Honest About Angi
We've used Angi. We know contractors who still use it. And we're not going to waste your time pretending it's perfect—because it isn't.
The leads are shared with multiple contractors. You have to call within seconds or lose the job. The cost per closed customer is way higher than advertised. Most contractors we talk to have a love-hate relationship with the platform.
But here's the thing: complaining about Angi doesn't pay the bills.
If you're going to use Angi (and many successful contractors do), you need a strategy. You need to know exactly which leads to chase, which to ignore, and how to actually make money instead of just staying busy.
This guide is for contractors who want to use Angi profitably—not perfectly, but profitably.
The Real Numbers: What Angi Actually Costs

Before we talk strategy, let's look at what you're actually paying. Not the $65 per lead they advertise—the real cost to acquire a customer.
The Math Behind the Madness
Angi's own data shows shared lead close rates around 8-15% for roofing. Let's use 13% to be generous.
To close 1 customer:
- You need approximately 8-10 leads at $50-80 each = $400-800 in lead costs
- Add sales rep time chasing 7-9 leads that went elsewhere
- Add fuel and inspection time for the leads you did reach
- Add opportunity cost of your rep not working better leads
Real customer acquisition cost: $1,200-1,600+
This isn't to scare you off Angi—it's to help you make informed decisions about which leads are worth that cost.
Why Shared Leads Kill Your Close Rate

When a homeowner submits an Angi request, they might get calls from 3-16 contractors within minutes. By the time you call, they've already:
- Talked to 2-3 competitors
- Started comparing prices
- Gotten confused by different recommendations
- Defaulted to "who's cheapest?"
The result: You're no longer selling roofing expertise. You're competing in a price war with contractors who might be underbidding just to stay busy.
This is why Angi works better for some job types than others.
The Repair Strategy: Where Angi Actually Makes Sense
Here's what successful contractors have figured out: Angi works best for repairs, not replacements.
Why Repairs Are Different
Replacement leads on Angi:
- High ticket = high competition
- Homeowner has time to shop around
- Price becomes the primary factor
- You're one of 10+ contractors bidding
- Low margins after the bidding war
Repair leads on Angi:
- Urgent problem = faster decisions
- Homeowner wants it fixed, not shopped
- Quality and availability matter more than price
- Fewer contractors chasing small jobs
- Healthy margins on a $500-1,500 job
The Math That Actually Works
Repair job economics:
- Average repair: $800
- Angi lead cost: $50-80
- Close rate on repairs: 25-35% (urgent = faster decisions)
- Cost to acquire customer: $150-300
- Gross margin: Still 60%+ on the job
Plus the hidden value:
- Repair customers become replacement customers
- You've already built trust—no competition
- When their roof needs replacing, you're the call
- That $800 repair leads to a $15,000 replacement
How to Set Up Angi for Repairs (Not Replacements)
If you're going to use Angi, configure it correctly:
Step 1: Adjust Your Lead Preferences
In your Angi Pro dashboard:
- Turn OFF full replacement leads (or set a low budget cap)
- Turn ON repair categories:
- Roof leak repair
- Storm damage repair
- Flashing repair
- Gutter repair
- Emergency roofing
Step 2: Set Geographic Limits
Repairs need fast response. Set your radius tight:
- 15-20 miles max for repair leads
- You need to be able to get there same-day
Step 3: Enable Instant Notifications
Speed matters less for repairs than replacements, but still matters:
- Enable push notifications
- Have a dedicated person check leads every 30 minutes
- Call within 2 hours, not 2 days
Step 4: Set Budget Caps
Don't let Angi drain your budget on replacement leads:
- Cap replacement lead spend at $200-300/month
- Let repair leads run higher—they convert better
- Review weekly and adjust
The Response Script That Works
When you call a repair lead, you're not competing on price. You're competing on:
- Speed - "I can be there this afternoon"
- Expertise - "Based on what you described, it sounds like..."
- Trust - "Let me take a look and give you an honest assessment"
Sample opening:
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company]. I got your message about the leak. I know dealing with water damage is stressful—let me ask a couple quick questions so I can give you an idea of what we're looking at, and I can probably get out there today to take a look."
Notice what you're NOT doing:
- Not quoting price immediately
- Not mentioning competitors
- Not asking "when are you getting other quotes?"
You're positioning as the solution to their urgent problem.
When to Skip an Angi Lead
Not every lead is worth chasing. Learn to recognize the duds:
Skip if:
- They want "multiple quotes for comparison"
- The job is 3+ weeks out (not urgent)
- It's a full replacement with no storm damage
- They're already talking to 3+ contractors
- They lead with "what's your price per square?"
Chase if:
- Active leak or water damage
- Insurance claim in progress
- "I need this fixed ASAP"
- Previous customer (they requested you specifically)
- Commercial property (higher urgency, bigger margins)
The Bigger Picture: Diversify Your Lead Sources

Angi can be part of your strategy—but it shouldn't be your only strategy.
Compare the cost to acquire a roofing customer:
| Channel | Cost Per Customer | Long-Term Value |
|---|---|---|
| Angi/HomeAdvisor | $1,200-1,600 | Zero - stops when you stop paying |
| Google LSA | $600-900 | Builds reviews, some equity |
| Your Own SEO | $300-500 | Compounds - asset you own |
| Referrals | $50-100 | Highest trust, best margins |
The contractors making real money aren't anti-Angi or pro-Angi. They use Angi strategically for repairs while building their own lead sources that they control.
The Repair-to-Replace Pipeline
Here's the strategy that turns Angi from a cost center into a growth engine:
Year 1: Use Angi for repairs
- Close 50 repair jobs at $800 average = $40,000 revenue
- Build relationships with 50 homeowners
- Collect reviews, photos, testimonials
Year 2-3: Those repair customers need roofs
- 10-20% will need replacement within 3 years
- That's 5-10 replacement jobs with zero lead cost
- At $15,000 average = $75,000-150,000 in revenue
- From customers you already acquired
Meanwhile: Your SEO and referrals are building, reducing your dependence on paid leads altogether.
Bottom Line: Make Angi Work For You
Angi isn't going to magically become cheaper or stop sharing leads. That's the platform. Accept it.
But you can make it work by:
- Focusing on repairs - Higher close rates, better margins, less competition
- Being strategic about settings - Don't chase every replacement lead
- Building the relationship - Today's repair is tomorrow's replacement
- Diversifying - Use Angi while building lead sources you own
The contractors who complain loudest about Angi are usually the ones using it wrong—chasing replacement leads and competing on price.
The contractors who quietly profit from Angi figured out the repair strategy.
Now you have it too.
Ready to Stop Relying on Paid Leads?
The best roofing companies use paid leads as a bridge, not a foundation. While Angi can work for repairs, the long-term play is building lead sources you control:
- Your own website generating exclusive leads
- Google Business Profile ranking in your market
- Referral systems that multiply every job
- Reputation that brings customers directly to you
That's how you get to $300-500 customer acquisition cost instead of $1,400.
Based on contractor-reported data from 500+ roofing companies, 2024-2025. Individual results vary based on market, pricing, and response times.
About the Author
Tim Nussbeck
Two decades in roofing—knocking doors, running teams, training 1,000+ reps. Built GhostRep to give every rep access to the coaching top teams get.
The GhostRep Advantage
One Platform. Closed Loop System.
Every interaction makes your team better. AI that learns, adapts, and improves with every rep.
Hire
AI screens candidates
Train
1,000+ scenarios
Coach
Real-time guidance
Analyze
AI learns & improves
You Might Also Like
Calculate real costs for storm leads ($65), door-to-door ($176), Google Ads ($1,667), SEO, referrals. 7 interactive calculators show ROI by company stage.
Why roofing referral programs fail and how to fix them. Learn the conversation framework, optimal timing, and reward structures that actually generate referrals.
Most contractors send one postcard and give up. Here's why 6-touch campaigns to targeted lists generate 20x the response—and exactly how to execute one.
