ShamFixHire the people your neighbours trust.Phase 1 free for Irish retrofit installers
Retrofit Installer Leads in Ireland — Free to Try, No Per-Lead Credits
Ireland\'s 2026 home-energy demand is surging. ShamFix matches insulation, window, heat-pump and electrical installers with local private jobs — no per-lead fees, no commission, and free to join during Phase 1.
Why Irish Retrofit Installers Are Trying ShamFix in 2026
2026 has been a turning point for home-energy work in Ireland. The government's National Residential Retrofit Plan put a record €640 million behind grants this year, targeting 73,000 home-energy upgrades — and homeowners have responded. SEAI processed around 29,000 grant applications in the first quarter alone, up 96% year on year [gov.ie, April 2026].
Behind that headline, demand has jumped across exactly the trades that do this work: over 7,000 applications for the new windows-and-doors grant, attic insulation applications up 81%, cavity wall insulation up 62%, and heat-pump interest climbing after the grant rose from €6,500 to as much as €12,500 in February [gov.ie / SEAI, 2026]. When that much demand enters the market, it does not all flow through the grant route — a large share lands as private work for local installers.
That is the opportunity, and the problem it creates is the same one every busy installer knows: more enquiries than time, and lead-buying platforms that charge you for contacts whether or not the job ever happens. ShamFix is a different model — free during Phase 1, no per-lead credits, no commission — built to match Irish installers with local private jobs.
How ShamFix Works for Retrofit Installers
Getting set up takes minutes and costs nothing during Phase 1. You list the retrofit services you offer, the areas you cover, and your own credentials. From there an AI concierge matches you to suitable local jobs as homeowners post them — you are not buying leads or racing other installers to respond first.
1
Create your installer profile — about five minutes, no card required.
2
List your retrofit services, the areas you cover, and your own credentials.
3
Get AI-matched to suitable local private jobs — no per-lead charge, no commission.
4
Build your reputation through honest customer reviews and ratings.
What Retrofit Installers Pay: ShamFix vs Other Platforms
For an installer, the platform's pricing model matters more than any single feature, because it decides whether a quiet week costs you money. The table below compares the three subscription-and-lead platforms most Irish installers weigh up in 2026.
The pattern is straightforward: on a per-lead platform, unanswered or lost enquiries are pure cost; on a subscription model, your platform cost is fixed regardless of how the month goes. For installers with a decent close rate on retrofit work — where one job can be worth thousands — a flat or free model is usually the cheaper way to buy work.
| Platform | Pricing model | 2026 cost to installer | Trust model | How you get work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShamFix.ie | Subscription-only | Free (Phase 1) | Reviews + ratings | AI concierge match |
| Bark.com | Per-lead credits | €20–50 per lead | Self-declared | Open broadcast / bidding |
| Onlinetradesmen.ie | Subscription | From €43.33/month | Self-declared + quals check | Browse a job board |
What Retrofit Installers Should Know in 2026
A few honest points before you list.
This is private work, not grant administration. ShamFix does not process SEAI grants, and listing here does not make you an SEAI-registered contractor or a One Stop Shop. What the 2026 retrofit surge has done is lift the whole market — including the private jobs, top-ups and out-of-scheme work that local installers have always done. That private overflow is what ShamFix matches you to.
You are responsible for your own registrations. ShamFix does not check or verify your qualifications — you list your own credentials, and it is on you to hold the correct registration for the work you carry out (RGI for gas, Safe Electric for electrical, SEAI registration where you take on grant work). Trust on the platform is built through honest reviews and ratings from real customers, not a platform badge.
Thinner-covered counties are the early opportunity. Demand from the retrofit wave is national, but installer coverage is not even. Counties like Leitrim, Roscommon, Kerry and Donegal often have more homeowners looking than local installers available. Listing early in one of those areas means the matched leads face less competition.
ShamFix is Ireland-native, headquartered in Clifden, County Galway, and free for installers through Phase 1.
ShamFix vs Bark.com for Retrofit Installers
Bark charges per lead, so a few unanswered enquiries can eat the margin of a whole job. ShamFix is subscription-only — free in Phase 1 — and matches you to local work without taxing every contact.
ShamFix.ie
- Free during Phase 1 — no per-lead charge and no commission, ever
- AI concierge matches you to suitable local private jobs
- You keep 100% of what the homeowner pays you
Bark.com
- Per-lead credits — you pay whether or not you win the job
- Open broadcast — several installers compete for the same enquiry
- Credits expire after three months
Questions Tradesmen Ask Before Joining
Is ShamFix free for retrofit installers?
Yes. During Phase 1, ShamFix is free for installers — no joining fee, no per-lead credits, and no commission on jobs you win. The long-term model is a flat subscription (never per-lead, never commission), and Phase 1 free pricing is currently expected to run to approximately March 2027.
Does ShamFix handle SEAI grant work?
No. SEAI grant-funded upgrades run through SEAI-registered contractors and One Stop Shops. ShamFix is for the private side of the market — overflow work, top-ups, jobs that fall outside the grant route, and homeowners who simply want the work done directly. The 2026 grant expansion has lifted overall demand, and a lot of that lands as private work for local installers.
Do I need SEAI registration to join ShamFix?
No. ShamFix does not check, verify or vet your registrations or qualifications — you list your own credentials on your profile and you are responsible for holding the correct registration for the work you do (for example RGI for gas, Safe Electric for electrical, or SEAI registration for grant work). Customers judge you on your reviews and ratings. For any regulated work, homeowners should confirm your registration directly with the relevant authority.
Which retrofit trades can list on ShamFix?
Insulation and exterior works (attic, cavity wall, external wall), window and door installation, heating and heat-pump-adjacent work, and electrical services all have existing categories. If your trade rides the retrofit wave and serves Irish homeowners, you can list it.
Which areas does ShamFix cover for retrofit work?
ShamFix accepts installers across Ireland, with particular room for providers in under-covered counties — places like Leitrim, Roscommon, Kerry and Donegal where demand often outruns the number of available local installers. Listing early in a thinner-covered area means less competition for the leads that come in.
How is ShamFix different from Bark.com?
The cost model. Bark sells leads on credits — you pay to contact a homeowner whether or not you win the job, and several installers may buy the same lead. ShamFix is subscription-only (free in Phase 1) with no per-lead charge and no commission, and an AI concierge matches you to suitable local jobs rather than broadcasting an enquiry to everyone.
Ready for retrofit overflow leads?
Create your ShamFix installer profile. Phase 1 signup takes minutes, no card required.