How Propinion works — FAQ

Homeowners

1.How does posting a project work?

Sign up, describe your project (category, what's going on, photos or a quote you've received), and pay one flat fee. Your request enters the open pool, a licensed approved contractor claims it, and you receive a structured written opinion in your dashboard.

2.What does the flat $75 cover?

One written opinion on one project in one trade: scope assessment, red flags, a fair price range, and recommended next steps — plus follow-up questions with the contractor about that opinion. No hourly billing, no upsells, no commission on work you do later. Whole-home renovations and new builds are out of scope. Structural and engineering questions are out of scope too — load-bearing changes, foundations, retaining walls, framing need a licensed structural engineer, not a trade opinion. Email support@getapropinion.com and we'll arrange that for you.

3.Is there a free beta, and how do I get it?

Yes — while we onboard our first reviewers, the first five homeowners in each trade that has an approved reviewer get a free written opinion. The code is BETA100, entered at checkout, and a free opinion checks out at $0. No code yet? Join the waitlist with your name, email, and trade: codes go out by email as reviewers are approved — first five per trade, and a trade with no reviewer yet is first in line when one is approved.

4.How and when do I pay?

By card through Stripe when you post, before any contractor claims it. Paying upfront is what lets a contractor pick up real, committed work instead of speculative leads.

5.Who reviews my project — what does "licensed & vetted" mean?

Contractors sign up with license number, issuing state, specialties, and service area, and stay "pending review" until an admin approves them. Only approved contractors can claim requests, and only approved profiles show the "Licensed & Verified" badge. Plain truth: approval today is a human admin review, not automated license-board verification — that's on the roadmap, not the present.

6.How fast will I get my opinion?

Every request carries a deadline: 48 hours from the moment a contractor claims it, by default. The clock starts at claim, not at posting — so the wait before someone picks it up doesn't eat into working time. Beta requests run on the longer beta clock: up to 14 days from posting.

7.What if no one delivers my opinion? Do I get my money back?

Yes — automatically. If no opinion is delivered within your request window (about 10 days from posting), the full $75 is refunded to the card you paid with. No forms, no calls. If a contractor misses the 48-hour claim deadline, the request returns to the pool for another contractor, and the same promise holds: nothing delivered by the window's end means a full refund. Beta opinion? You paid $0, so there is nothing to refund — the request is simply closed automatically when its window ends.

8.What exactly do I receive?

The same structured format every time: what the job actually involves (scope), what to watch in quotes and plans (red flags), what the work should reasonably cost (fair price range), and what to do before signing (next steps). Written, kept in your dashboard, yours to act on.

9.Can I ask follow-up questions?

Yes — message the contractor directly about the opinion you received. It's a clarification channel for that delivery, not a second project review.

10.Who sees my project information?

Approved contractors browsing the open pool see what you posted (description, photos, category) so one of them can claim it. It isn't a public listing and isn't used as marketing. Keep full addresses and phone numbers out of the description.

11.I don't have a quote yet — can I still use Propinion?

Yes. A pre-project inspection question, a plan you're unsure about, or a photo of something suspicious are all valid requests — describe what you're dealing with and the contractor scopes it from there.

12.Can I get a refund after my opinion is delivered?

Delivered opinions are non-refundable. The written opinion is a digital service, complete at delivery, and you keep the full opinion plus follow-up questions with the contractor. If something's wrong or unclear, email support@getapropinion.com before anything else — we resolve issues quickly.

13.I'm unhappy with the opinion I received. What can I do?

First, message the contractor through your dashboard — it's a clarification channel for that delivery. Still unhappy? Rate honestly (1–5 stars with a comment): ratings are public on the contractor's profile and feed Propinion's quality review process, which we take seriously. Quality concerns are heard through that process — delivered opinions aren't refundable because the service was completed.

14.There's a charge on my card I don't recognize. What now?

First, check your dashboard — it may be your $75 opinion fee. If the charge truly wasn't yours or wasn't authorized, it will be refunded in full: email support@getapropinion.com and we'll make it right. For any charge question, please contact us before filing a chargeback — we respond fast and we'll have the delivery record ready.

Contractors

1.How do I sign up as a contractor?

Sign up on the for-contractors page with your license number, issuing state, trade specialties, and service area. Your profile shows "pending review" until an admin approves it — only approved contractors can claim requests, and only approved profiles carry the "Licensed & Verified" badge.

2.When do I get paid the $50?

After you deliver a written opinion, you're paid $50 — the homeowner pays a flat $75, and Propinion keeps $25. That split is shown transparently everywhere. Payouts are batched: you're paid on our weekly payout run, typically within 48–72 hours of delivering the opinion. Payout is per delivered opinion.

3.What does approval check?

Today, approval is a human admin review: we confirm your license details, specialties, and service area before you can claim requests. Plain truth — it's not automated license-board verification yet; that's on the roadmap.