Common questions for job posters

Post a Job

› How do I post my job?

Click here or visit Post a Job at the top of any page on the site. Describe your project in as much detail as possible. The better your description, the more interest you're likely to generate from tradespeople. You can also upload images such as photographs, plans or ideas to help tradespeople better understand your requirements. Try to include the following information:

• Dimensions (exact or approximate)
• When you would like the work to start
• Preferred materials
• Specific skills required

Please don't put any contact details or sensitive information in your job title or description as anyone using the site can view this section.

› What happens after I've posted my job?

We manually approve all jobs before they are posted to the site. Once your job has been approved you will be notified by email, and tradespeople who are interested will start sending you messages and quotes through the site.

While waiting for your job to be approved, you can search for tradespeople and invite them to quote on your job. Once your job is live, MyBuilder will automatically send an email to those tradespeople asking them to look at your job.

Don't forget you can easily edit your job description at any time by using the Update My Job tab

› How can I request a quote from a specific tradesperson?

The first step is to use our Request Quote feature which can be found on every tradesperson's profile. We will send the tradesperson an email and they should then get in touch with you. After that you can communicate securely and privately through our built-in messaging facility.

Please note that we don't object to personal contact details being exchanged, as we appreciate you may need to discuss your project outside of MyBuilder.

› How do I remove my job listing from the site?

If you haven't found anyone suitable through the site, you can easily remove your job listing. Simply log in to your account, select your job and click Cancel My Job to remove your listing.

If you've found a tradesman for your job it's very important that you indicate whom you've hired by clicking the Hire button on the tradesman's profile.

› How do I re-open a closed or cancelled job?

This is something we do from our end - please contact us and we'll be happy to action your request.

Background checks and qualifications

› Do you perform any background checks on tradespeople prior to them joining MyBuilder?

MyBuilder is an online marketplace that brings together consumers, builders and tradespeople. We are not an agency and we don't personally endorse tradespeople who use MyBuilder. The accountability that we offer is our feedback system. Feedback is a major determining factor for tradespeople getting work through MyBuilder, and they take it very seriously.

› How can I be sure that the tradespeople are qualified and insured?

Tradespeople provide you with information about themselves and their business through their profile. Many tradespeople post photos from work they've done previously and have feedback from jobs won through MyBuilder. A tradesperson with valid qualifications, accreditations, memberships and insurance will have evidence of this and should be able to provide you with proof. Please note that you will need to verify any information provided by a tradesperson prior to hiring.

Do bear in mind that, whereas formal qualifications can play a part in the hiring decision, other important factors such as MyBuilder feedback, client references, workmanship guarantees and years of experience should also be taken in to consideration when making your final decision.

› What does it mean when I see a comment on a tradesperson's profile that says "This user has been temporarily restricted"?

We have two different types of restriction:

This user has been temporarily restricted: a user's account has been flagged for administrative reasons. The restriction will be removed if and when that user updates their account.

This user has been permanently restricted: We have completely removed that user from the site. You will not be able to hire and leave feedback for a user who has been permanently restricted.

If you have any concerns about a tradesperson whose account has been temporarily restricted, feel free to contact them directly and ask for more information.

Hire a tradesperson

› Do you have any advice on how to hire a tradesperson?

You might think that finding the best tradesperson for your project will be a challenging process. Which quote should I choose? How can I be sure they'll do a good job? Our article entitled Advice on hiring a builder will help you make the right hiring decision and ensure the project is completed to your satisfaction.

› I've clicked the "Hire" button. Do I need to inform the other tradespeople who expressed interest?

No. We will politely inform other interested tradespeople that someone else has been hired.

› If I post a job, am I obliged to choose any of the tradespeople on the site?

Of course not. Who you hire is totally up to you. We are here to help, and we want to help you find the best tradesperson for your job. If you decide to cancel your job or hire a tradesperson through another source, you can simply remove your listing from the site.

› I accidentally accepted a quote on the site, how do I reverse it?

This is something that we do from our end. Simply contact us and we will change it for you.

› Is there a minimum quote value?

The minimum quote value that can be entered for a job on MyBuilder is £35.

› A tradesman has asked me to work outside the site - is this allowed?

While we can't insist that people click the hire button to appoint a tradesmen through the site, we certainly don't recommend it.

Certain tradesmen may offer a small discount against your final invoice in order to avoid paying the Success Fee to MyBuilder. While this might sound like a good idea at the time, remember that you are unable to leave feedback for the tradesman once the job has been completed. If your job or project goes wrong for any reason, you have lost the ability to hold the tradesman accountable for the work they have carried out and to tell other members of the Community about your experience.

› I've received enough interest in my job listing. Can I close it to new interest?

Yes. Log in to your account and click on Update My Job and then Remove My Job where you will find an option to Close to new interest. You will still be able to communicate with tradespeople who have already expressed interest and you can also invite new tradespeople to view your job.

› My job listing has ended. Can I still hire a tradesman?

Yes - if your listing has ended, don't worry - you can still interact with and hire tradesmen who have expressed interest in your job.

If you need more tradesmen, you can either search for tradesmen and invite them to quote or re-open your job to new interest.

To re-open your job:

• Go to My Jobs and select the relevant active job
• Select Close job then Re-open job

Feedback

› What is feedback?

Feedback is at the heart of the MyBuilder community. Quite simply, feedback is an evaluation of work carried out. Job posters can read previous feedback comments on each tradesperson's profile, before they hire. More importantly, Job posters can add to a tradesperson's reputation and bring accountability to their project by posting feedback when the job is done.

› How does the feedback system work?

Feedback has two important elements: the past and the future. Before you decide which tradesperson to hire, you can look at past feedback to check them out. After you hire someone and the work is finished, you add to that feedback. This system rewards excellent service and punishes bad work. Your feedback closes the loop and give the next customer valuable information about that tradesperson.

A tradesperson hired through MyBuilder has a strong incentive to do their absolute best because they are held accountable for any work done for you. Hiring someone through MyBuilder is safer for this reason. Do not engage anyone who suggests that you bypass the site. An honest tradesperson who intends to do good work will want your feedback.

MyBuilder feedback is transactional, which means that only people who have actually hired that person can leave feedback on their profile. We work very hard to ensure that all feedback is genuine, which helps everyone using MyBuilder.

› How can I be certain that feedback on the site is genuine?

We check all feedback obsessively. Feedback can only be left once a tradesman has been hired through the site and a transaction has taken place. All feedback comments undergo stringent technical and manual checks.

Suspicious feedback is flagged and investigated thoroughly by our team. Those who try to play the system are permanently removed from MyBuilder.

› I've found a builder through the site and I want to leave feedback. How do I do this?

Great! Simply log in to your account and find the tradesperson that you used in your list. You won't be able to post feedback until you have hired a tradesperson through the site, so if you haven't done so already, click the Hire button on their profile and submit the agreed details.

Once you have hired a tradesperson, you will then be able to post feedback by clicking the Leave Feedback button. Feedback should only be left after the job is finished.

› Can I edit my feedback once it's been posted?

No. Once feedback has been posted to the site, it cannot be edited or removed. This is to prevent fraudulent changes, to prevent feedback blackmail and to avoid any possible confusion and loss of confidence from other users who would see feedback comments change unexpectedly.

› A tradesman has failed to make an appointment. Can I still leave feedback?

We're sorry to hear that you were let down. We appreciate the desire to tell others about your experience, however our policy is that feedback can only be left when at least one of the below criteria has been met:

• Work has been carried out

• Money has changed hands

• A contract has been signed

We would suggest focusing on other tradesmen in your list and making alternative arrangements. Please note that you can completely remove this tradesman from your list if you wish by clicking the "Remove" button next to his username in your list - this action will inform him that you will be hiring someone else for your job.

› I hired a builder through the site and I've been let down, what can I do?

In the first instance we recommend that you discuss any problems with the tradesperson directly and try to work out a solution that suits both parties. Most tradespeople want customers to be happy with their work and will be keen to resolve any issues amicably and to their customer's satisfaction.

If you are unable to reach an agreement and still feel that work hasn't been completed to your satisfaction, we recommend that you leave feedback. The ability to leave a comment on the tradesperson's profile creates a level of accountability that wouldn't otherwise exist.

Please note that tradespeople have the right to reply to any neutral or negative feedback posted to the site. Responses to neutral or negative feedback are posted directly beneath the original feedback and cannot be edited or removed once posted.

You might also wish to contact either your local Trading Standards office or Consumer Direct for help and advice.

Search for your local Trading Standards office

Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, supported by the Office of Fair Trading. They provide practical and impartial advice to help consumers resolve problems and disagreements they may be having with suppliers of goods or services.

Visit Consumer Direct online

Tel: 0845 04 05 06

Unfortunately MyBuilder cannot get involved directly with disputes.

› Why has my feedback been removed?

We take our feedback system very seriously and strive to ensure that every piece of feedback on our site is:

1. An honest and objective appraisal of actual work carried out
2. Impartial and unbiased
3. Posted by a genuine user
4. Posted by someone previously unknown to the builder

All feedback comments undergo stringent technical and manual checks.

If feedback does not pass our checks to a standard that we can be confident about its authenticity, we remove it from the site.

Fees

› If you charge the tradesman a fee for securing the job I posted, don't I pay for it in the end?

Actually, you are likely to pay less when you hire through MyBuilder because of two factors:

• Compared to other marketing methods such as newspaper advertisements, directories and lead generation websites, MyBuilder provides tradespeople with a cheaper way to find work. Marketing expenses and other fixed costs will always be built into a quote. However, because we offer tradespeople a more efficient way of getting new clients, they can actually lower the price of their services.
• In addition, our tendering process helps to encourage very competitive quotes, saving an additional bundle compared to traditional ways of finding and hiring tradespeople.

› Does it cost anything to post a job?

No, it's completely free for job posters. MyBuilder works by charging the  tradesperson a small fee if they find a job through the site.

General

› How do I reset my password?

Simply click here and enter your email address. We will automatically send you an email containing instructions about how to reset your password.

› Can I talk to you over the phone?

We support our Community primarily via email and the help section of our site. We currently don't offer full telephone support. If you need to talk us however, please send us a contact form including the following information:

• your telephone number
• when you would prefer us to call you (during normal business hours)
• a brief description of your enquiry

We will endeavour to call at your preferred time, otherwise we will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.

› Can I upload an image in PDF format to my job?

MyBuilder only accepts images in JPEG format. Adobe Acrobat Professional will allow you to save PDF files directly to JPEG format. Alternatively, there are a number of applications available from the web that will convert PDF files to JPEG.

› Another user has sent me an abusive message through the site. What can I do about it?

MyBuilder is a community site that promotes mutual respect and friendly conduct amongst all users. We work hard to ensure that all content posted to the site is appropriate and in keeping with our policies.

Despite our best efforts, MyBuilder cannot guarantee that the site is entirely free from offensive or inappropriate content. If you happen to be subjected to or encounter such conduct or content, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to investigate reports of this nature and take appropriate action as necessary.

› I've enjoyed using your service. Do you accept testimonials?

Absolutely. We're very happy that you've had a good experience using MyBuilder. Send us a message with your comments and we'll post them on the site. Please let us know if you're happy for us to publish your name and/or company details along with the testimonial.

Alternatively, if you'd like to tell us about your experience over the phone, include your number and the best time to call and let us contact you.

› Can I send you a suggestion for improving the site?

Certainly. We're constantly updating the site and always looking for new ways to improve our service. Send us a message with your suggestions. If you'd like to talk to us over the phone, include your number and the best time to call and let us contact you.

› Why can't I include my contact details on the public parts of the website?

We take your privacy very seriously, and want you to have a safe experience on our site. The last thing we want is for you to post your details on public view and receive unsolicited calls or spam email. 

› Is my personal information safe?

Yes, your information is completely safe. MyBuilder does not divulge any of your contact details on the site. All communication takes place securely via the built-in messaging feature located in My Jobs, which allows you to choose who you respond to, and who you want to work with.

Unlike other websites that work on a 'lead generation' model, we do not sell your personal information to third parties, so you won't receive any unsolicited emails or phone calls.