What actually is OpenSpace?
Think of it like a noticeboard at the hardware store — except it's online, it's nationwide, and it works while you're on the job.
Homeowners go on and post what they need done — "need a plumber in Masterton" or "looking for a painter in Palmerston North." You get an email when something matches your trade and your area. If it suits you, you put your hand up. The homeowner looks at who's interested, checks out their profiles, and picks who they want to call. That's it.
No bidding. No quoting wars. No platform sitting in the middle taking a cut of your job.
What actually happens
You sign up and build your profile
Takes about 10 minutes. You put in your trade, which areas you cover, how long you've been at it, any qualifications, and some photos of your work if you have them. That's your shopfront. Clients decide based on what they see here.
A homeowner posts a job
They describe what they need, where they are, rough timeframe and budget. It could be anything from a leaky tap to a full kitchen reno. They don't contact you directly — they just post the job.
You get an email if it matches your trade and area
You'll get an email that says "new job posted — looks like a match." You read it. If it suits you, great. If it doesn't, ignore it. No obligation, no penalty, no tokens burned.
You click "I'm interested"
That's all you do. No quote, no price, no bid. You're just raising your hand to say you're available and interested. The homeowner can see your profile when they look at who's interested.
The homeowner picks you
They look at the tradies who've expressed interest, check out profiles and reviews, and pick who they want to contact. If that's you, you both get each other's contact details — phone number and email. From that point on it's between you and them. The platform's done its job.
You sort the rest the normal way
Go and have a look at the job, give them a quote, do the work, get paid. OpenSpace isn't involved after the introduction. No commission, no platform fee on the job.
How this compares to Builderscrack and the rest
If you've tried the other platforms, you'll know how the token system works. You pay for "credits" to contact a homeowner — or to respond when they contact you. That same job goes to 3–5 other tradies at the same time. Most of the time nobody wins the work and you've still paid.
| Per-lead platforms (Builderscrack etc.) | OpenSpace |
|---|---|
| Pay $20–$80 every time a homeowner contacts you | Flat monthly fee — same price whether you get one job or ten |
| That lead goes to 3–5 other tradies at the same time | Homeowner picks one tradie — direct contact, no race |
| Run out of tokens, buy more to keep going | No tokens. No top-ups. No surprises. |
| Platform profits whether you win the job or not | No commission taken from your work. Ever. |
| Can cost $200–$600+ a month for leads that mostly go quiet | Free right now. Flat fee later — with 60 days' notice before anything changes |
Straight answers
OpenSpace is new. That means there are fewer jobs on it right now than Builderscrack or Hirequality. We're not going to pretend otherwise.
What it means for you: signing up now costs you nothing and takes 10 minutes. Your profile is there, searchable, building reviews. When the jobs pick up — and they will — you're already established. The tradies who join late will be starting from scratch.
Early is usually better. And right now, early is free.
Ready to give it a go?
Sign up, build your profile, and we'll notify you when jobs in your trade and area come through. Free to join, no card required, takes about 10 minutes.
Create your profile — it's free →