JustHire, the online marketplace for trade services, has secured a £250,000 loan from the East of England Regional Growth Loan Scheme, managed by The FSE Group.
Designed to remove the back-and-forth often involved in arranging trades, JustHire is an AI-powered platform that enables customers to quickly find, price and book local services online in a few simple steps. Initially focused on skip hire and waste removal, the business is expanding into a broader range of trades including tree surgery, painting and decorating, plumbing and electrical services.
The funding will support further investment in the platform and team, including the upcoming launch of Justquote.ai, an integrated AI-powered quotation tool. The tool is designed to help trades generate quotes remotely using photo and video uploads, reducing the need for initial site visits and helping jobs move more quickly from enquiry to confirmed booking.
JustHire has already built strong momentum, reporting thousands of completed orders and hundreds of five-star Trustpilot reviews, alongside rapid revenue growth in its most recent trading year. With growing customer adoption and repeat usage, the company plans to significantly broaden its marketplace, with ambitions to expand into 33 different trade services over the next three years.
Oliver Murphy, co-founder and CEO of JustHire, said: “People want a straightforward way to book reliable trades and services without spending days chasing quotes. This funding gives us the headroom to invest in the team and the product, and to keep improving the online experience for customers and suppliers alike. We’re excited to build on what’s already working in skip hire and bring the same speed and clarity to more services across the UK.”
Matt Punter, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, added: “JustHire is tackling a real and familiar problem for both homeowners and small trade businesses: getting from enquiry to a confirmed booking quickly and with confidence. The team has already shown strong traction and a clear plan for growth, including the launch of Justquote.ai and the expansion into additional trade categories. We’re pleased to support the business as it scales.”
The opportunity for digital platforms in this space is substantial. The UK equipment hire market is sizeable, and the skip hire sector remains large and fragmented, with steady reported growth. More broadly, demand for repairs, maintenance and home improvement continues to underpin activity across trades and temporary hire services.
The East of England Regional Growth Loan Scheme (RGLS) is managed by The FSE Group. Loans between £50,000 and £500,000 are available to established incorporated businesses based within the East of England that have a minimum annual turnover of £100,000. The funding can be used for a range of growth activities as well as to service short to medium-term trade and contract finance requirements. The scheme aims to stimulate job creation and economic prosperity and supports SMEs that have the potential to deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the East of England region.