FAQ
Straight answers for homeowners and contractors
PoolBid is a procurement marketplace for South Florida pools. Here is how money, vetting, and privacy actually work.
- Is PoolBid the contractor?
- No. PoolBid is a marketplace. The homeowner and the contractor are the contracting parties. We do not build the pool and we do not guarantee workmanship.
- How do homeowners save money?
- You publish one standardized RFP. Vetted contractors bid that same scope. If you start a reverse auction, they may only bid lower. You keep those savings. PoolBid does not take a cut from the homeowner.
- Do you really vet the contractors?
- Yes — and it is a person, not a checkbox. License, insurance, and business documents go through an admin queue. Typing a license number does not make anyone Verified. Verification reduces guesswork; it does not erase all risk.
- What legwork do you take off my plate?
- Intake, RFP writing, matching to contractors who serve your ZIP, invitations, collecting comparable bids, the comparison table, and the auction desk. Your street address stays hidden until you authorize contact.
- Do I have to run an auction?
- No. You can award from the comparable bids alone. The auction is there when you want the field to compete live.
- Does the lowest bid win?
- Not automatically. You award. The score includes rating, experience, warranty, and schedule — not price alone.
- Will contractors see my address?
- Not until you award them, or you authorize that company on PoolBid. They see ZIP, municipality, and an approximate area. Street, phone, and email stay hidden from every other bidder. Spec Q&A is not a back door — we redact contact if someone types it there.
- Can a contractor take my job after they bid?
- No. A homeowner who lists on PoolBid is a PoolBid-introduced client for that project. Contractors agree they cannot solicit you off-platform or start that work except through a PoolBid award. If they do, they still owe the success fee and can lose the account. Do not hand them your phone to skip the marketplace.
- Do I have to show my budget?
- No. Budget is optional and hidden from contractors unless you choose to disclose it.
- What does a contractor pay?
- Nothing to join or bid. 5% if they win, unless a published fee rule says otherwise.
Still deciding?
Start a project when you are ready. It is free, and you can save a draft.