How do I get several quotes without describing the job three times?
You write the job down once, and every bid that comes back is priced on that same written scope card.
Quick answers
Do I describe my job once or to each contractor?
One description is enough. Any contractor who bids prices that one written scope card, so nobody gets a different version of the story.
Why do quotes from separate visits differ so much?
Three separate visits produce three different scopes, so the spread between those numbers measures the visits, not the job. One bidder may assume a tear-off and another an overlay without writing it down.
What do bidders see on my scope card?
Not your contact details. Bidders see what is being replaced or repaired, the materials named, your photos and your 5-digit ZIP code.
Does InstaBids estimate what my job will cost?
No, InstaBids never estimates a number, because every figure you see was written by a contractor bidding on your written scope card. The intake assistant is instructed never to ask what you can spend.
What happens if my scope changes after bidding starts?
Not an automatic re-price: InstaBids sends a scope change notification and does not silently re-price an old bid. Ask every bidder to restate their number against the new card, because one written scope at a time keeps a comparison honest.
Do I have to repeat the job to each contractor?
No, you describe the job once, and every contractor bids against that one written scope card. The intake assistant asks the questions a contractor would ask for your trade and writes the card. Nobody gets a different version of the story.
Why do three quotes never match?
Three separate visits produce three different scopes, so the spread between those numbers measures the visits, not the job. One bidder assumed a tear-off, another assumed an overlay, and neither wrote it down. Same scope, same assumptions, and the spread finally means something.
How does one description turn into several bids?
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 is on a scope card?
Every scope card carries the job in writing: what is being replaced or repaired, the materials named, your photos, and your 5-digit ZIP code. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. Bidders price the card, not their read of you.
How do I compare two bids line by line?
Check each bid's proposal against the one scope card you published. A bid that is lower because it names a cheaper material is a real choice you can make. A bid that is lower because part of your scope is missing is not a bid on your job.
What if the job changes after bids arrive?
Ask every bidder to restate their number against the new card if the scope changes. InstaBids sends a scope change notification, and it does not silently re-price an old bid for you. One written scope at a time is what keeps a comparison honest.
Does InstaBids tell me what the job should cost?
No, InstaBids never estimates a number, because every figure you see was written by a contractor bidding on your scope card. The intake assistant is instructed never to ask what you can spend. You compare three real bids, not one guess.
Will a contractor still come to the house?
Possibly once, after you choose one contractor, to confirm the written scope before work starts, and the final price settles against the percentage that bid states up front after that look. The shopping happens from the card and the photos, so describing the job once is the whole of your side of it.
What can I do before I ask anyone for a quote?
Describe the job once on paper: what is wrong, what you want instead, the material you prefer, and when you want it done. Take 3 photos. Hand that same page to every company you call, and make each of them price that page.
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