In A Jam is connecting property owners in distress with tradespeople who can come to their rescue.
In any given working week there are literally tens of thousands of emergency call outs to contractors where homeowners are desperate for repairs to be made to their properties. That represents a significant pool of potential work for plumbers, gas engineers, roofers, electricians and many more trades besides.
When Paul White, the eponymous proprietor of White’s Property Maintenance, was approached by a leading letting agent to handle emergency work for them the seed of an idea was planted and over the next two and half years it would develop into In A Jam, an easy-to-use app that can provide 24/7 repairs for the homeowner, and generate lucrative new work for tradespeople.
“There is a huge market for reactive maintenance out there,” explains the Portsmouth-based builder. “What we want to do is make it much easier for those in need of the service to access local firms exactly when they are needed, to the benefit of both parties.”
So just how does it work? “All trades join free of charge with no subscription fee,” continues the 55-year-old. “Once you’re registered, and your profile is in place, you will be selected on the basis of a live geographical location you determine up to a maximum of 20 miles. So, if a homeowner has water coming through their ceiling, they can request an emergency call out on the app, and you’ll be notified if it’s in your area. At the same time, you can select the type of work you want from an extensive list, so if you only want to do plumbing, for example, then those are the works you’ll be notified of.”
“If you choose to accept the job you’ll be selected as the chosen tradesperson. By the same token you can immediately reject it with a simple push of a button. We’re charging the client £140 for the first hour and the tradie will receive £120 for that same time period, which will be paid into their bank account within 14 days.”
It’s not all but emergencies either because homeowners can equally invite builders on the In A Jam app to quote for work. That can range from a loft conversion to fitting a radiator, with the trade member only paying a 5% commission if they secure the project. Moreover, a homeowner can request that a job be carried out at a particular time and date, and it’s then up to a builder in that area to either accept or decline. If it’s not convenient there’s no obligation to accept any work.
The benefits don’t stop there either because Paul’s brainchild is leveraging cloud-based technology in a bid to combat tool theft and help its victims see their property returned: “We have the facility to be able to store images of builder’s tools along with serial numbers. In the event of them being stolen, that information can then be extracted from the app and sent to the police.”
Miles better
Paul is well versed in the building industry and can point to 40 years of experience on the tools. He and the White’s Property Maintenance team will undertake everything from a full house build, to hanging a door and everything in between. We caught up with the 55 year-old at an extension and kitchen fitting job in Fareham, where he explained the sustainability benefits inherent in the In A Jam app.
“I’ve been on property maintenance call-outs myself when I’ve driven 40 or more miles to the repairs, and I’ve often thought there’s probably a chap around the corner who could have done this much easier than me, and could be getting on to a different job. At times the distances travelled can be absolute madness. Because we’re only allowing tradespeople to react to calls from homeowners from a maximum of 20 miles away it’s reducing the sector’s carbon footprint and making it more efficient.”
The builder’s In A Jam app profile can include, certificates, accreditations, proof of public liability insurance and so on, providing peace of mind to their potential client. Satisfied customers can score you on the app from 1 to 10 and we can service commercial clients, including shops and offices.”
“With more than four decades of experience I know exactly what the pain points are in the building trades,” Paul reveals. “The In a Jam app is designed to address some of those and it’s completely free to download and register.”
For more information on the In A Jam app visit 24/7 Home Repairs and Trades | In A Jam – Fast and Reliable.
