UK compliance & certificates
Gas Safe, EICR, EIC and FENSA certificates plus RAMS are built in — complete them on site and store them against the job. Compliance is core to Gaffer, not a bolt-on.
⚡ Gaffer vs BigChange
The BigChange alternative built for UK trades
BigChange is a capable UK job-management and fleet platform, typically priced per user for larger operations. Gaffer gives growing trade businesses the same job-lifecycle power — scheduling, quoting, invoicing, payments and CRM — with UK compliance, an offline-first app and AI built in, on simple per-business pricing.
No credit card required · Built for UK trades · One-click import from your old tool
Why UK trades choose Gaffer over BigChange
CIS built in
Construction Industry Scheme deductions are handled inside your invoicing, so subcontractor figures and statements stay right without spreadsheets on the side.
Offline-first mobile app
Engineers complete jobs, capture photos and sign off certificates in basements and lofts with no signal — everything syncs the moment they reconnect.
AI quote from photos
Snap a few photos on site and let Gaffer draft the quote for you, so estimates go out the same day instead of waiting until you are back at the desk.
Built-in VoIP calling
Make and log calls from inside Gaffer, with every conversation tied to the customer and job — no separate phone system to wire up.
One-click import & accounting sync
Bring your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices across in one click, and keep Xero and QuickBooks sync that pushes invoices, payments and contacts across running so there is no double entry. See the full feature list or compare pricing.
Switching from BigChange is painless
You should not have to rebuild your business by hand to move tools. Gaffer's one-click import brings your history across so you are up and running in days, not weeks — and you can keep working while you settle in.
- Your full customer list with contact details and addresses
- Open and historic jobs with their notes and status
- Quotes and estimates, including line items
- Invoices and their payment history
- Sites, assets and recurring service dates
- Hands-on help from our team to check everything landed correctly
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What you actually get with Gaffer
Rather than tell you what BigChange does or does not do — their product, their roadmap — here is exactly what is in the box on our side, with the numbers. Every figure is what the platform ships today.
| Capability | In Gaffer | What that means on the job |
|---|---|---|
| Trade certificates & forms | 913 built in | Gas Safe records, EICRs, minor works, FENSA, RAMS — completed on site, signed, PDF issued before you leave. |
| UK trades with a ready-made pack | 58 trades | Your trade’s own forms, quote templates and workflows switched on from day one — not a form builder to configure. |
| Priced quote templates | 218 templates | Start from a real list of line items for the job in front of you rather than an empty quote. |
| Health & safety records | 39 features | Risk assessments, permits, statutory inspections, HAVS exposure, health surveillance — with review dates that surface before they lapse. |
| Accreditation guidance | 30 UK schemes | CHAS, Constructionline, NICEIC, ISO 9001 and more, each with its real requirements, evidence, cost and renewal period. |
| Public sector tendering | Live feed | Contract notices from the government’s Find a Tender service, filtered to your trades, with AI-assisted bid drafting. |
| Field app | 220+ screens | Offline-first throughout — lofts, plant rooms, rural sites. Captures on the device and syncs when signal returns. |
| UK finance | CIS & MTD VAT | Construction Industry Scheme deductions, MTD-ready VAT summaries, retention and variation orders handled the way UK trades need. |
Figures are counts from the live platform, not marketing rounding. Browse every feature or see pricing.
Gaffer vs BigChange: common questions
Is Gaffer a good BigChange alternative?
Yes. Gaffer covers the full job lifecycle UK trades need — scheduling, quoting, invoicing, payments, CRM and communications — with extras purpose-built for UK trades such as compliance certificates, CIS, an offline-first app and AI quote-from-photos. It is a strong fit if you want simple per-business pricing rather than per-user enterprise licensing.
Can I import my data from BigChange?
Yes. Gaffer has one-click data import that brings across your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices from other tools, so you can switch without losing your history or rebuilding everything by hand.
Does Gaffer work for my trade?
Almost certainly. Gaffer ships compliance trade packs for 58 UK trades — from electricians and plumbers to heating engineers and tree surgeons — each with the right forms, certificates and RAMS built in.
Do I need a card to start the free trial?
No. The 14-day free trial needs no credit card. You get full access on web and Android (iOS coming soon), and you only decide to subscribe once you have seen Gaffer working in your business.
Ready to leave BigChange?
Make the switch from BigChange today
14 days free. Full access. No card needed. One-click import of your data.