How do I get quotes without three companies coming to my house?
Contractors can price most jobs from photos and a written scope card, so here is exactly what they have to see instead of standing in your driveway.
Quick answers
Do I need a home visit to get a price?
Not before you see prices. Contractors who take part can estimate from your photos and a written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices.
Which photos should I take for a roof job?
Two wide shots from the ground and one close-up of the problem area are required for a roof. Never climb on the roof yourself.
What photos help price a water heater?
Two things: the whole unit and its nameplate. Every trade has its own photo list, and the intake asks for each shot.
Can the contractor I pick still visit?
Yes, possibly once, after you choose a contractor, to confirm the written scope before work starts and settle the final price against the percentage that bid states up front. Nobody visits to give you a number.
Do homeowners pay to collect photo bids?
No. Homeowners pay InstaBids nothing. Contractors who take part price from your photos and written scope card, and you are not buying a visit, a call-out or a place in a queue.
Can a contractor quote without visiting?
Yes, for most jobs, because a contractor prices from your photos and a written scope card rather than from a walk around. Photos have to show the same things a walk would show. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated.
What photos does a contractor actually need?
Every trade has its own list, and the intake asks for each shot: a roof needs two wide shots from the ground and a close-up, a water heater needs the whole unit and its nameplate, a room needs a wide shot from a corner. A photo of any interior sign, such as a ceiling stain, also helps.
How do contractors price a job they have not seen?
Contractors who take part estimate from your photos and a written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices. Homeowners pay InstaBids nothing. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated.
What does the roofing pack require?
Two wide shots from the ground and one close-up of the problem area are required for a roof, and the pack says never ask a homeowner to climb on the roof. Interior stains, the attic underside and flashing are optional extras that help.
Will anyone come to my house at all?
Possibly once, after you choose a contractor, to confirm the written scope before work starts and settle the final price against the percentage that bid states up front. Nobody visits to give you a number, so you do not book three strangers into your week to collect three quotes. The shopping happens without anyone at your door.
How InstaBids works, step by step.
What if photos are not enough for my job?
Ask the bidder what is missing and add it to the scope card before anyone prices it. You can message any contractor who bid, and an unknown behind a wall may need a look in person. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated. Guessing is worse than asking.
Does a photo bid cost me anything?
Nothing to collect bids. A contractor pays InstaBids once, after you choose them, and nobody is paid for the chance to bid. You are not buying a visit, a call-out or a place in a queue, so you can collect three bids and walk away from all three.
What can I do before I ask anyone for a quote?
Take the photos yourself today: 2 wide shots from the ground, 1 close-up of the problem, and 1 of any interior stain. Write down what you want done in plain words. That pack makes every quote you ask for, here or anywhere, easier to compare.
Start a bid card
Describe the job once, add photos, and use the written scope to describe the work. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection.
InstaBids is in an early pilot in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We are still building our contractor network, so a job may not get bids yet. Your request page shows whether any bids have come in.
Last checked: 22 September 2026