Hi Marie,I read your various posts with interest.You are making your way in this trade and it is not easy.You seem to have a great deal of faith in the power of the internet.I hope it works for you but do investigate thoroughly.
Firstly let me deal with all these internet companies that leech on the honest trader and in many ways are less than honest in their business dealings.I am like the vast majority on here.I would not pay anyone for the possibilty of finding me work for what often can be the wrong type of customer who only want quotes,cheapest price etc.You are tied into expensive arrangements and the only winner is them.I accept some do OK.
Regarding your web designer guy and the costs.I had a long time when I was scraping buy and living at home because I had to,not because I chose to.There is no way I had £500+ spare per month and if I had it would not have gone on advertising on or off the web.Tools/van/putting myself through college were the priority.I believe you sell yourself and your skills and getting your foot in doors is the key but not convinced internet firms or even personal web sites are the answer,especially at the prices you mention for an optimized web site.I see websites as possibly more effective as a show case for your business rather than relying on it to establish it.
Re-the alternative to My Builder etc,'How would that work?'What would be the costs and what would you get?