Before posting a project, it’s important to make sure that you have all of the details necessary for posting a project already put together. While this article's primary purpose is to walk you through getting your project setup, it's advised that you review this article and put together the details that you'll need to post your project prior to posting your project.
After logging in, click on the “Post new project” button in the top right corner. This will bring you to the project wizard, which collects all of the details needed to post a project. A few notes on how the wizard works:
Navigating the wizard - Use the “Continue” button at the bottom of the page to move to the next step and the “Back” button to move to the previous step. You can also navigate to a previous step by clicking on the step name in list of steps on the left-hand side of the page.
Required steps and fields - Some steps are required, while others are not. If you attempt to move to the next step without completing the required fields then you’ll see a red error message beside the inputs that you need to complete prior to moving on to the next step.
Saving your progress - Your progress is automatically saved when moving to another step, but you can also manually save your progress by clicking the “Save Details” button. It’s also important to note that certain sections will have their own “Save” buttons below them. Make sure to click that button whenever you are done making adjustments to that section.
Projects are initially set in “Draft” status - After saving the first step, your project is placed into “Draft” status and is then made immediately accessible by clicking on the “Drafts” tab on your dashboard. That being said, you do not necessarily need to fully complete the wizard in one sitting. You can always come back at a later point and pick up where you left off.
Now let's walk through the steps of the project wizard so that we can get your project posted and pros bidding!
Details
In this step, you’ll provide all of the primary details for your project.
Name - One of the most important fields in your project is the name of your project. It's the first thing the Pros will see, so it needs to be clear as to what work needs to be performed in under 10 words, ideally under 5. For example, “Need Exterior of Two-story House Painted.” If interested, the Pro will view your project and read your description, which leads us to the second most important field in this step.
Description - The second most important field is the description. It’s key to provide as much detail as possible here because the Pros will need that detail in order to put together accurate bids. A few things to consider:
Size - The size of your project is typically the biggest determining factor in a Pro’s bid. You can actually include specific measurements in the “Measurements” step, but you can also opt to just include them here. Make sure that you take the time to take accurate measurements to prevent any unwanted surprises in bid changes down the road.
Difficulty - Painting a 4 story building is much more difficult than painting a 1 story building. Any detail that makes your project more difficult than normal or unique needs to be included in your description.
Materials - If you have materials already selected, then at least mention them here. It’s especially important to mention if you plan on, or already have, purchasing the materials for your project. You can add the individual materials in the “Materials” step.
Removal - If anything needs to be removed in order to perform the service, make sure to include this. This might include previous paint, previous windows, or even obstacles in the way.
Services - You’ll need to know which services apply to your project. You can find a list of the services available in our platform {{HERE}}. As mentioned previously, you want to keep these to a minimum. Ideally one.
Dates - If you have a set timeframe that you need the work completed during, this is where you’ll specify those dates. You can also opt to only supply a start date or end date.
Address - This is the address of the location where the work will be performed. Pro’s will not be able to see this exact address until you’ve awarded them the job.
Scans
Scans provide you with the ability to attach detailed layouts with measurements and pictures to your project. There are two methods of creating scans:
Mobile app - If you haven’t already done so, download our mobile app. Our mobile app provides the ability to build out scans that provide pros with pictures and measurements of your project. You can also link your scans to your project from directly in the mobile app. Additional details on how these work can be found here.
Web app - You can also create scans from directly within our web app. This method is ideal if you need to draw out a 2D and/or 3D floor plan of the project site, such as for floor installs/repairs, painting, and renovations. It's also important to mention that you can edit mobile scans via the web app in order to add additional details. Additional details on how these work can be found here.
Measurements
In this step, you can input measurements specific to your job. As mentioned in the details section above, the measurements are extremely important to ensuring that Pro’s can provide you with accurate bids. In some scenarios, it may be easier to put your measurements in the project description. The measurements you need to include differ based on the type of project you are posting, so it's recommended that you do a little research beforehand to determine the types of measurements that you should include. Check out this article for some examples on what you should be measuring for a few different types of projects.
In addition to measurements, you can upload files and photos specific to your project. It’s highly recommended that you take photos that will be helpful for the Pro’s when putting together their bids. For example, if you need windows replaced, then take a picture of all of the windows that need need to be replace - inside and out. Another example might be taking pictures of all sides of your house if you’re project involves painting your house.
Materials
In this step, you can input all of the materials that you would like to use on your project. If you’re unsure then it’s likely additional communications with the Pros will be required in order to provide you with an accurate bid.
An alternative to inputting specific materials might be to upload pictures of similar projects that look like what you’re going for. For example, uploading pictures of a specific fence style, deck design, or windows that reflect what you’re looking for.
Pro Screening
In this step, you have the ability to filter down the pros that can bid on your project, as well as prompt pros for specific details when they're submitting their bids. There are four sections in this step:
- Matching Criteria - This sections enables you to filter down the pros that can submit bids to your project. The "Minimum Successful Projects" field will require that pros have completed X number of projects before they can bid on your project. Similarly, the minimum rating will only allow pros will a specific rating or higher to bid on your project.
- Screening Questions - If you have any specific questions you'd like to ask every pro that submits a bid to your project - this is where you'll add those questions. Pros will be required to answer all questions that you add here prior to submitting their bids.
- Project Visibility - By default, your project is visible to all pros after you post it. If you'd prefer to hand-pick the pros that bid on your project then you'll want to set your project visibility to "Invite-Only" in this section.
- Invite Pros - In this section you can invite pros that you've already worked with to bid on your project. Simply find the pro you'd like to invite and click on them. The pros that you've selected will have a gold border around them. You can select as many as you'd like to invite.
Budget
The budget is the maximum amount of money that you’re allocating to your project. It’s critical that you spend the time to do a little research to better understand the typically pricing for the services you are looking for. Not setting a realistic budget will often lead to receiving very few, if any, bids on your project.
Review
In this step, you’re simply reviewing and verifying your project details prior to posting it. Once you’ve reviewed all details and you’re prepared to post your project, click on the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page.