Considering Moving From Fergus?
A plain comparison of how Total Tradesmen keeps one continuous job from the first call through site work, paperwork, and payment, and how that differs from Fergus’s desk-led quoting, costing, and admin.
How This Comparison Works
Many UK trades firms run diaries, messages, spreadsheets, and separate tools for quotes, costing, and invoices. As work grows, the gap between what happens on site and what the office tracks gets wider.
Fergus is often chosen for strong quoting, job costing, and structured job management with a clear focus on margins, usually led from the office. Total Tradesmen is built around one continuous job from call to payment.
This page compares how those approaches feel in practice. We are not here to run down either product. We are here to show where the day to day experience differs for engineers, vans, and the office.
Common Issues
Trades Teams Try To Solve
Before comparing systems, most UK trades teams are trying to fix the same operational gaps.
- Jobs split across different apps
- Too much time spent on paperwork
- Slow job creation when calls come in
- Forms not clearly linked to jobs
- Hard to keep engineers and office aligned
- No single view of the full job
How Day To Day Work Compares
This comparison looks at how each product fits work in the office, on site, and from the van. Fergus suits firms that do a lot of quoting and costing at the desk; Total Tradesmen keeps everything on one job record from the first call through to getting paid. Confirm details with each provider before you switch.
| On the job | Total Tradesmen | Fergus |
|---|---|---|
| How a job runs |
One continuous job from the first call through getting paid. Visit, paperwork, and invoice stay on one job record. |
Often built around quoting and costing at the desk first. The visit and the books are usually tracked as separate pieces of work. |
| New enquiry |
Take the call. Open a new job. Everything that follows stays on that record. |
The call gets logged at the desk. Numbers are priced up, then someone books the engineer in. |
| What you see |
One screen shows the quote, each visit, certificates, and the invoice. Easy to follow what happened on the job. |
Strong on margin and costing at the desk. Van notes and invoicing can mean flicking between screens. |
| Return visit |
Book the return on the job you already had open. Earlier visits and paperwork stay with it. |
Book another visit and tweak the costing from the desk. The visit record and what got billed are not always together. |
| Past jobs |
Look up the address. Every old call-out and bill for that property in one go. |
Pull up the customer to review earlier quotes and jobs. Strong for margin history; van detail may take a few clicks. |
| Diary and board |
Drop the job on the board. The engineer opens that booking on their phone. |
The diary gets filled once quoting and costing are sorted at the desk, then engineers are sent out. |
| On site |
Engineer updates the job from the van. Office can see the update straight away. |
The engineer marks the visit done from their phone. Invoicing and final figures often wait until someone is at the desk. |
| Office and van |
Desk and van look at one record. Nobody retypes the customer or job details. |
Admin and costing sit with the office team. Engineers handle the visits; paperwork is often a separate job at base. |
| Quote and invoice |
Quote, invoice, and payment sit on the job you already have open. |
Handles detailed quotes and job costing well from the desk. The bill may not match what the engineer had on their phone that day. |
| Certificates |
Gas safety and paperwork get filled in from the van. They stay with that job when you leave. |
Certificates are completed for the visit, then matched up to the job record when admin catches up at base. |
| Engineer day list |
iOS app: tap the next job, do the work, move down the list. |
Phone app for today’s runs. Pricing up work and sending invoices is mainly desk-based. |
| UK trades focus |
Built for UK plumbers, electricians, gas engineers, builders, locksmiths, and HVAC firms — paperwork from the van matters. |
Used by plenty of UK firms with a busy desk and accounts function. Fits teams that lean on quoting and costing. |
| Typical week |
Ring, book, van, paperwork, invoice — then the next one. A familiar rhythm for UK trades. |
Desk time on margins and paperwork; engineers out on the road. The week often divides between the van and the office. |
Fergus is a third party product and trademark of its respective owner. Wording and availability can change. Use this table as a starting point and verify what matters for your business.
The comparison above shows how each product fits day to day trade work in the office and on site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical answers while you review the comparison.
Is Total Tradesmen a Fergus alternative?
Yes. Total Tradesmen is built for UK trades comparing options like Fergus. A free trial is a simple way to see if one job record from call to payment suits how you run your vans and office.
How does Total Tradesmen compare on quoting and job costing?
You quote and invoice on the job you already have open. Fergus is often stronger for detailed desk-led costing; Total Tradesmen keeps quoting and paperwork on the job the engineer and office already share.
Can I manage engineers and scheduling?
Yes. You can assign engineers, plan diaries, and keep the office and field aligned on the same job updates.
Is it suitable for small trades businesses?
Yes. It suits sole traders and small teams. You can start on a 30 day free trial with no payment details required.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. Engineers can use the iOS app from the van for job details, updates, and photos.
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