Guides
Last updated: July 7, 2026
Practical, answer-first guides about home services marketplaces — how they work, how to hire well, and how protected payments keep both sides safe. Written by the team building Qvan, applicable to the whole category.
How a home services marketplace works
The pillar guide: what a marketplace is, the five-step job flow, how platforms vet contractors and handymen, how payments work, how to choose a platform — and when a marketplace is not the right choice.
Checklist: how to hire a reliable contractor
Ten checks before you hire any contractor, tradesperson or handyman — licenses, insurance, references, written quotes — plus the red flags that predict trouble.
Protected payments and escrow explained
How escrow-style payment holds work step by step, why they protect customers and contractors alike, and why platforms ban cash and off-platform payments.