Marketplace questions
Marketplace FAQ
Learn how public search, privacy-safe availability previews, signup gating, and authenticated quote conversations work in HomeHero.
Marketplace questions
Frequently asked questions
Search is public. Contractor identity, profiles, reviews, favorites, quotes, and chat stay protected until signup or login.
Can I search without signing up?
Yes. You can search from the HomeHero homepage or /marketplace by service, location, and radius. Guests see privacy-safe aggregated service buckets, such as how many matching providers are available in a service category near the searched area. Contractor names, profiles, quote requests, quick chat, favorites, and reviews unlock after signup or login.
What are aggregated service buckets?
Aggregated service buckets are grouped availability previews. For example, HomeHero may show that plumbing, cleaning, or HVAC providers are available near your search area without showing individual contractor names or contact details. This gives you a useful preview while keeping contractor profiles protected until you create an account.
Are the match counts real?
Yes. Match counts should come from marketplace-visible contractor availability for the selected service, location, and radius. HomeHero should not show fake counts or fake contractor cards when no guest-safe availability data exists.
Why do I need an account to reveal contractors?
HomeHero keeps contractor profiles, quote requests, conversations, and project history organized in one place. Creating an account lets you reveal matched contractor profiles, compare options, and request quotes through HomeHero.
Do guests see contractor contact information?
No. Guests can preview local service availability, but contractor identity and contact details are hidden. Guest previews must not show business names, contact names, phone numbers, emails, website URLs, exact street addresses, identifying logos, or direct contractor profile links.
Do map pins show exact contractor addresses?
No. HomeHero keeps exact service-location coordinates on the server for radius matching, sorting, distance labels, and optional driving-distance calculations. Browser map pins show approximate service areas instead of exact contractor latitude and longitude, and guest previews stay masked and anonymous.
Can I request a quote or use quick chat as a guest?
No. Quote requests and quick chat require an account. After you sign up or log in, you can request quotes and message contractors through HomeHero where your conversation history stays organized.
What happens when I click "Reveal after signup"?
You will be sent to sign up or log in. When possible, HomeHero should preserve your search context, such as service, location, radius, and return path, so you can continue from the same marketplace search after authentication.
What if no matching services are found?
If no matches are found, try expanding your radius, adjusting the service type, or searching a nearby category. HomeHero should not show fake contractor cards or fake match counts when no guest-safe availability data exists.
Can I save contractors or leave reviews before signing up?
No. Favorites and reviews require an account. Reviews also require an eligible marketplace interaction and must follow HomeHero review policies.
Why does HomeHero hide contractor details from guests?
HomeHero protects contractor profiles and keeps quote requests inside the marketplace. Guests can confirm that local service availability exists, then create an account to reveal contractor profiles and continue through HomeHero.