The problem
One missed call is not one missed job. An extension or a loft conversion is worth tens of thousands, and the enquiry that starts it arrives as a single call from someone who spotted your boards on a nearby site.
Three things make that expensive:
- Callers are collecting quotes. They ring three or four builders and go with whoever picks up. Being second is often the same as not bothering.
- The work makes answering close to impossible. You're on site, coordinating trades, driving between jobs, or with both hands in something.
- Calls don't respect your hours. Someone photographs your board on a Friday afternoon and rings that evening.
Voicemail doesn't cover it. A homeowner planning a £60,000 extension wants to know they're dealing with someone organised. An unanswered phone says the opposite before you've had a chance to say anything.
The calls you miss
Mixing a batch of render. Your phone is in the site cabin and you've got mortar on both hands. By the time you've cleaned up, two calls came in. One was a serious extension enquiry. You won't know which until you ring back.
Coordinating trades on a busy site. You're the principal contractor, mid-conversation with the groundworkers, when your pocket rings. You let it go. The caller – a homeowner with a loft conversion in mind – hangs up and never leaves a message.
Driving between sites. You're on a B-road with a full van and a tight schedule. Calls come through hands-free but it's not the right moment for a proper conversation. Promising work gets deferred and forgotten.
A Friday afternoon enquiry after you've called it a day. The homeowner saw your boards on a nearby job, took a photo, and called at 5pm. You see the missed call Sunday. They've already booked a meeting with another builder.
Trade businesses lose an estimated £1,200–£4,800 a month to unanswered calls. For builders, a single extension or loft conversion worth £30,000–£80,000 can hinge on who picks up first. That estimate is based on typical UK trade job values and a 20–30% call conversion rate. Work out your own number.
How Telphi answers for a builder
A call comes in. Telphi answers in your business name and works through the questions that matter for your trade.
Caller: "Hi, I'm looking to get a rear extension done – single storey, probably around four metres deep."
Telphi: "That sounds like a solid project. Is planning permission already in place, or is that still to be sorted?"
Caller: "We've got permitted development – it falls within the PD limits."
Telphi: "Good, that simplifies things. Can I ask roughly where you are in the process – do you have drawings, or are you still at the early planning stage?"
Caller: "We've got drawings from an architect. We're looking for quotes now."
Telphi: "Perfect timing. Can I take your postcode to confirm we cover your area, and then I'll send you a link to book a site visit?"
Caller: "It's TN13 1BQ – Sevenoaks."
Telphi: "Great. I'll text you a link now so you can choose a time that suits. We'll take a proper look and come back with a detailed quote."
You get a summary: project type, approximate scope, planning status, whether drawings exist, and location. The caller books their site survey directly into your calendar. You walk in prepared, not cold.
What you get after every call
- Call summary – project type, scope, planning status, budget signals, and location
- Full transcript – the complete conversation, stored in the app
- Recording – available to replay before you call back or attend a survey
- Urgent transfer – configure for structural or safety concerns if needed
- Spam filtered – material suppliers and lead-gen calls separated from genuine enquiries
Booking
After qualifying the caller, Telphi texts them a booking link. They pick a time for a site visit or consultation and book directly into your calendar. No phone tag, no admin.
