You have several proposals. How do you choose? These five checks take two minutes and catch most problems before they happen.
1. Read the reviews, not just the stars
Open the profile and read the last three reviews. Look for patterns: punctuality, cleanliness, communication. One bad review among many good ones is normal; the same complaint repeated is a signal.
2. Look at the portfolio
Photos of finished work tell you the pro has done this before. If the job is specialised (tiling, electrical, carpentry), look for that exact kind of work.
3. Check the medal
HireBase awards medals based on completed jobs and ratings. A higher medal means a longer, verified track record on the platform.
4. Compare proposals on substance
The best proposal is rarely the cheapest. Prefer the one that mentions your specific job, asks a sensible question, or explains how they would do it. Copy-pasted messages are a warning sign.
5. Agree the details in chat before you accept
Confirm dates, what is included, and what happens if something extra comes up. Keep the conversation on HireBase so there is a record both of you can refer to.
Once you hire, the job moves to "In progress" and you can leave a review when it is done.