# Contractor FAQ

Last updated: 2026-05-02

## Getting started

- Join at `/contractors/join` and complete onboarding, documents, and billing readiness.
- Contractor resource hub: `/contractors/resources` collects the main public contractor pages for evaluating Zwivio before applying or requesting a walkthrough.
- Licensed, insured contractors who can respond quickly to text offers. We verify documents and expect honest availability settings.
- Service area and job types should be kept current so routing reflects real operations.
- Before first On-Call, confirm dispatch owner, billing setup, and handoff process.
- **Application documents:** valid Wisconsin HVAC contractor license, current liability insurance proof, and business details (uploads specified in the application). Lapsed documents after approval can pause routing eligibility.
- **Business address vs. service area:** you can apply if you serve the Milwaukee area and nearby communities even when not based in Milwaukee; coverage is confirmed against your configured service area.
- **Will Zwivio publish my company on its website?** No. Joining Zwivio does not place your company in a public contractor directory on our website. We do not publicly advertise which contractors participate in the system just because they joined. Homeowners do not shop through a public roster of participating contractors. Contractor participation is handled internally within the dispatch network. A homeowner only sees contractor details when that contractor is actually involved in the assignment or approval flow for that specific job.

## Trust and common objections

- **What Zwivio is for contractors:** governed HVAC dispatch (text-first routed offers, fees on official assignment). Not a public contractor directory or open job board. See `/contractors/what-is-zwivio`.
- **Is Zwivio a shared-lead marketplace?** No. Governed HVAC dispatch with time-bound routing. Not a broadcast shared-lead model where many contractors pay for or race on the same inquiry. Receiving or declining an offer is not the charge event. Contractors comparing Zwivio to familiar national lead platforms should expect structured assignment-based billing, not a multi-contractor blast of the same homeowner submission.
- **Pay for offers you don’t win?** No. Charges apply on official assignment under that job type’s rules. Not for viewing, declining, or timing out on an offer (same scope as quote interest that does not finalize).
- **Pricing & earnings:** Zwivio shows the current platform fee schedule and comparison calculator on the contractor Pricing & Earnings page at `/contractors/earnings`, unlocked after entering business name and team size on that page.
- **Guaranteed volume?** No guaranteed weekly volume; demand and fit vary.
- **Emergency windows:** shortest response windows; respond as fast as you can if available. Missing a window: not charged; routing may move on; late interest may apply if still open. See `/contractors/offer-preview` and `/contractors/faq`.
- **Quote vs dispatch:** quote uses interest/homeowner selection and different charge timing than emergency/urgent/scheduled assignment flows. See `/contractors/what-is-zwivio` and `/about/business-model`.
- **Mission Control:** contractor operating hub (readiness, visibility, follow-up). Includes Performance & ROI visibility in the portal for offer outcomes, assignments, wallet activity, and platform-fee activity over time where your role allows—not a public job board. `/contractors/mission-control`.
- **Pause when full:** use Off-Call or FULL so availability matches real capacity. `/contractors/faq`.
- **Reliability:** recent offer outcomes over ~60 days inform routing favorability among eligible contractors. `/contractors/reliability`.
- **Wisconsin company:** Zwivio is built and operated in Wisconsin; Zwivio LLC is a Wisconsin-registered LLC with a registered business address in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. `/about`.
- **Approval timing:** most applicants hear back within a few business days; complex or high-volume reviews can take longer. No hard SLA promised.
- **Disputes / billing:** use onboarding Ops or contractor portal support with job references and evidence; contested billing gets human review.

## Contractor trust, control, and growth

### Who owns the customer after Zwivio assigns me a job?
Once a job is officially assigned to you, the homeowner relationship for that job is between your business and the homeowner. Zwivio is a dispatch platform, not a customer gatekeeper.

You can communicate professionally with the homeowner, perform the HVAC work, invoice through your normal business process, and offer appropriate follow-up services such as maintenance plans. Zwivio does not stop you from building a long-term customer relationship after a proper assignment.

### Can I sell maintenance plans or future work to a Zwivio homeowner?
Yes. Once you are properly assigned and communicating with the homeowner, you can offer normal HVAC follow-up services through your business.

That may include maintenance plans, replacement options, future service visits, or other work that makes sense for the homeowner. Zwivio does not take over that customer relationship or prevent you from growing recurring revenue.

### Can I offer my own financing to homeowners on Zwivio jobs?
Yes. After proper assignment, you can offer financing options, maintenance plans, replacement proposals, or other services your business normally provides.

Zwivio does not control your pricing, invoice, financing options, or final scope of work. Those details are handled between your business and the homeowner.

### Does Zwivio take a percentage if a small repair turns into a larger job?
No. Zwivio does not take a percentage of your invoice.

The Zwivio platform fee is tied to the applicable assignment or quote rules for the request type, not to your final ticket size. If a diagnostic visit turns into a larger repair, replacement, or maintenance opportunity, your revenue from that HVAC work belongs to your business.

### Is Zwivio just a place for homeowners to find the cheapest contractor?
No. Zwivio is not a public directory where homeowners scroll through contractors and pick the lowest price.

Zwivio is an assignment-based HVAC dispatch platform. Requests move through a governed routing flow based on eligibility, availability, service fit, timing, and reliability. You are not bidding in a public race against a long list of contractors.

### Will Zwivio tell me how to price the HVAC work?
No. Zwivio does not set your diagnostic fee, repair price, replacement quote, maintenance-plan price, or final invoice.

Your pricing and scope of work are handled between your business and the homeowner after proper assignment. Zwivio's role is dispatch, routing, assignment workflow, and platform support.

### Will Zwivio publish my company or show competitors that I joined?
No. Zwivio does not publish a public roster of participating contractors just because they joined.

Homeowners do not browse a public list of Zwivio contractors. Contractor details are shown only when the workflow requires them for a specific job, such as homeowner approval or official assignment.

### Will you saturate my service area with too many contractors?
Zwivio is not trying to flood a market with every contractor who applies.

A dispatch platform only works when homeowner demand, contractor capacity, service coverage, and routing reliability stay balanced. Zwivio reviews network growth around real demand and operational fit so contractors are not joining just to sit in an overcrowded queue.

### I'm based in Waukesha. How do I avoid bad drive-time jobs across town?
Zwivio is designed to give you decision context before you accept.

Before acceptance, you may see the job area, service window, equipment context, platform fee, and when available, estimated drive time and miles. The secure offer page may also let you use your current location for that specific offer so you can decide whether the job makes sense for your route.

### Can I filter offers so I only see brands my team is certified to service?
Not as a dedicated brand-only filter today.

Zwivio currently routes based on broader job-type and service-fit settings. When available, the offer context may include equipment details such as brand, age, and issue description so you can decide whether the job fits your team's expertise. Declining an offer that is not a fit does not create a platform fee.

### What if the equipment details are incomplete or wrong?
Equipment details are decision context, not a guarantee.

Homeowners may not know the exact brand, age, model, or cause of the issue when they submit a request. Use the routed details to decide whether the job appears to fit. If the actual site conditions are materially different after assignment, document what changed and follow the normal job, outcome, or support path.

### What happens if I accept a job and the homeowner just wanted free advice?
Receiving, viewing, declining, or missing an offer does not create a platform fee. Zwivio charges based on official assignment outcomes under the applicable job-type rules.

If a job is officially assigned and the homeowner is clearly not serious, document the facts, including contact attempts, timeline, and what happened. Zwivio has a human review path for disputed billing and assignment outcomes.

### Am I stuck in a contract or monthly fee if I try Zwivio and decide it is not a fit?
No. Zwivio does not charge a monthly subscription, activation fee, or long-term membership fee.

You pay only when the applicable job reaches an official assignment or chargeable quote outcome under Zwivio's rules. If you want to stop receiving work, use availability controls or contact Zwivio to disable your account.

### Is Zwivio just another out-of-state tech app?
No. Zwivio is a Wisconsin-registered LLC with a registered business address in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Zwivio was built for Wisconsin HVAC dispatch, with local service-area logic, contractor vetting, homeowner approval flows, and routing rules designed around the way real HVAC work is handled here.

### Is Zwivio collecting my pricing data so it can compete with me later?
No. Zwivio is an HVAC dispatch platform, not an HVAC service provider.

Zwivio does not use your job history to become your competitor. When Zwivio reviews job outcomes, assignment results, or dispute details, the purpose is to operate the dispatch system, support routing quality, review contested outcomes, and improve platform reliability.

### Does Reliability Score punish me if I do not want to work all the time?
No. Reliability Score is about consistency when you are available, not forcing you to work all the time.

If you cannot take work, use Off-Call or FULL so the platform does not route offers to you as if you are available. A contractor who is honest about capacity is more useful to the dispatch system than one who accepts work they cannot actually complete.

### Do I have to race other contractors to click first?
No. Zwivio is not a public fastest-finger job board.

Offers are routed through time-bound windows. During your exclusive window, you are first in line for that offer. If you miss the window, you are not charged, and routing may continue. If the job is still open later, you may be able to signal late interest.

### What happens during a major cold-weather surge?
You stay in control of your availability.

If your team is full, use FULL or go Off-Call so Zwivio stops routing new offers to you while you are unavailable. Zwivio's goal is not to flood your phone with work you cannot take. Accurate availability helps the routing system move requests to contractors who can actually respond.

### What is Zwivio's safety policy for late-night or uncomfortable calls?
Your crew's safety comes first.

If something feels unsafe, do not force the visit or continue the work. Leave the situation if needed, document objective facts, and report the issue through the Zwivio support path. Zwivio can review the situation with context instead of treating every edge case as a normal completed job.

### Will Zwivio send my contact information before I accept?
No. Before you accept, the homeowner does not receive your normal post-assignment contact details.

Zwivio only shows contractor details when the workflow requires them for that specific job, such as homeowner approval or official assignment. This helps keep the pre-acceptance stage focused on fit, timing, and routing rather than turning Zwivio into a public contractor directory.

### Does Zwivio replace my marketing?
No. Zwivio should be one part of your demand mix, not your only source of work.

Zwivio is designed to route real HVAC requests when there is a fit between homeowner need, contractor availability, service area, timing, and reliability. You should still maintain the marketing, referrals, maintenance plans, and customer relationships that already work for your business.

## How offers work (practical)

- Automated offer texts come from **+1 (414) 420-2610**.
- If a text is missed, check current status as soon as possible; use late interest if still open.
- Keep one clear dispatch owner per shift to avoid missed opportunities.
- Distinct request types (Emergency/Urgent/Scheduled/Quote) follow different timing and finalization behavior.
- If your team accepts but cannot execute, escalate promptly to Ops.
- **Drive estimate before acceptance:** Contractor offers can include estimated drive time and miles before acceptance when route-backed estimates are available. Text and email may include a business-location-based estimate. The secure offer page can show the same estimate and lets the contractor explicitly choose current location for that offer. Zwivio does not request current location automatically, and homeowner exact address/contact details remain governed by the normal assignment and contact-release rules.
- **No job queue to preview** before On-Call; offers arrive in real time when you are On-Call.

### What does an actual offer text look like?
You'll receive a text from +1 (414) 420-2610 with the request type, job area, service window, equipment context, platform fee, and when available, a drive estimate. Reply by text using the offer reference number and command, or tap the link for full details before deciding.

You can also send yourself a demo offer text from the [How It Works demo offer text section](/contractors/how-it-works#try-demo-offer-text) (sample flow only—not a routed job).

### Can I see the homeowner's contact details before I accept?
No. Before acceptance, you see decision context such as request type, city/state/ZIP job area, service window, equipment context, platform fee, and when available, estimated drive time and miles to the job area. Full name, phone, and street address release only after official assignment and a successful charge, subject to the normal workflow rules.

### Will I know how far away the job is before I accept?
When available, Zwivio shows estimated drive time and miles before you accept. Offer texts may include a drive estimate, and the secure offer page can show the same estimate with an option to use your current location for that offer.

### Does Zwivio track my current location?
No. The secure offer page asks for current location only if you choose "Use current location" for that offer. Zwivio does not request current location automatically on page load.

### Can I receive more than one Zwivio offer at the same time?
Yes. You may receive multiple Zwivio offers at once. Reply in any order - just include the correct offer reference number from each text so Zwivio can match your reply to the right job.

### How do I accept, decline, or update a job by text?
Reply with the 2-3 digit offer reference number from your Zwivio text plus the command. Common examples include 17Y1 to accept, 17N to decline, 17V to resend the link, 17 OMW when you are on the way, 17 ETA 15 for an arrival estimate, 17 LATE 10 if you are delayed, and 17 DONE when the job is finished.

### What if my text reply does not go through correctly?
If Zwivio cannot match your reply, send it again with the offer reference number from your latest Zwivio text. Uppercase or lowercase letters are fine, and extra spaces are OK. You can also open Unfilled Jobs or the latest portal link to make sure you are replying to the right offer.

### Can I show interest after an offer has already expired?
Yes. If late-interest texting is available for that offer, reply with the offer reference number plus INTEREST and your availability, such as 17 INTEREST 20. Zwivio will use that signal according to the current routing state and availability rules.

### What does the offer reference number do?
The offer reference number lets Zwivio match your text reply to the correct offer, especially when more than one offer is active on the same phone. Include that number each time you accept, decline, resend, or send a status update.

### Do I need to match capitalization or exact spacing in my reply?
No. Uppercase or lowercase letters are fine, and extra spaces are OK. The safest approach is still to include the correct offer reference number and a clear supported command.

## Pricing and calculator (public FAQ)

- **What are Zwivio's current platform fees by job type?** Zwivio shows the current platform fees on the contractor Pricing & Earnings page, along with the interactive comparison calculator. That page is the best place to view the latest fee schedule by request type.

- **Do all contractors pay the same Zwivio fees?** Most contractors are on Zwivio's standard fee schedule. In some cases, businesses with specific operating needs or unique arrangements may have a separate agreement. The current standard pricing is shown on the contractor Pricing & Earnings page.

- **Is there a monthly subscription, activation fee, or membership charge?** No. Zwivio does not charge a monthly subscription or membership fee. Contractors pay only the platform fee tied to official assignment outcomes under the applicable job-type rules.

- **What is the difference between Quote pricing and Emergency, Urgent, or Scheduled pricing?** Emergency, Urgent, and Scheduled pricing is tied to official assignment. Quote pricing is different: the platform fee applies per homeowner-approved contractor under quote rules, which is a different path from emergency-style dispatch assignment.

- **When exactly am I charged for Emergency, Urgent, or Scheduled work?** For those request types, the platform fee applies only when the job becomes officially assigned to you. Viewing an offer, declining it, missing the window, or being held pending homeowner approval is not the charge event.

- **What happens if I accept but the homeowner never approves or the job never finalizes?** If the job never reaches official assignment, no assignment fee is due. This includes cases where the homeowner does not confirm an approval-required flow and the hold releases without assignment.

- **Why does Zwivio show a pricing calculator?** The calculator is a comparison tool that helps contractors estimate how Zwivio's assignment-based pricing compares with traditional lead-platform spend. It uses your inputs such as lead volume, close rate, and average revenue to illustrate the difference between paying for leads and paying only on official assignment.

- **Are the calculator results a quote or guarantee?** No. The calculator is an estimate based on the assumptions and inputs you provide. Actual results depend on your close rate, demand, routing fit, job mix, and how you operate on the platform.

- **Why does the calculator round down partial jobs?** The comparison uses a whole-job count derived from your inputs. Partial implied jobs are rounded down so the model stays conservative and easier to compare across both columns.

- **Does Zwivio charge for missed offers, declines, expired windows, or junk leads?** No. Receiving, viewing, declining, or missing an offer is not the charge event. Zwivio charges on official assignment outcomes, not on broad lead access.

- **Can platform fees change over time?** Zwivio may update pricing or contractor terms over time. The current pricing and calculator experience on the Pricing & Earnings page reflects the latest standard schedule available to contractors.

- **Where can I see current pricing and run the calculator?** Use the contractor Pricing & Earnings page. That is where Zwivio shows the current fee schedule and interactive comparison calculator.

- **Why does Zwivio offer wallet credit for 30-Second Close packets?** Verified packets help confirm job outcomes, support dispute protection, and improve future routing. When completion rewards are enabled for the job type, Zwivio issues wallet credit after the packet is verified. Credits apply to your Zwivio wallet for future assignments.

- **What are 30-Second Close credits?** 30-Second Close credits are Zwivio wallet credits contractors can earn after submitting a verified 30-Second Close packet, when completion rewards are enabled for that job type. The packet is optional and usually includes photo evidence and the job outcome after the job is marked complete. Credits apply to your Zwivio wallet for future assignments.

## Assignment and fees

### Why do I still need a credit card on file with Zwivio?
Your payment method on file is used for Zwivio platform fees tied to official assignment or chargeable quote outcomes under the applicable job-type rules.

It is not used to process the homeowner's payment to your business. Homeowner payment for HVAC work is handled directly between you and the homeowner through your normal business process.

- Contractors are charged on **official assignment**, not for viewing/declining offers.
- Charges and disputes are reviewed through supported Ops paths with evidence.
- **If a charge review is approved, how is the adjustment handled?** Approved charge adjustments are usually handled as a platform credit that can be applied to future Zwivio charges. In some cases, Zwivio may issue a refund to the original payment method instead. The resolution depends on the situation and how the charge was processed.
- Billing readiness matters: unresolved payment failures can block new assignment flow.
- Keep a company-owned billing method and clear internal owner for updates.
- **How do platform credits work?** If Zwivio approves a charge adjustment, it is typically issued as a credit to your Zwivio platform wallet and applied to future assignment fees. In some cases, Zwivio may issue a refund to the original payment method instead. Platform credits are currently tied to approved adjustments or specific Zwivio-approved credit programs. They are not automatic for every job note, outcome report, or support request.
- **What if I decline an offer?** Declining an offer is free. A single decline is not usually a major issue. If the job is not a fit because of distance, timing, equipment type, brand expertise, or capacity, decline it rather than accepting work your team cannot complete. Repeated declines while On-Call can affect your recent acceptance pattern over time, so the better operating habit is to keep job settings current and use Off-Call or FULL when you are not truly available.
- **Declined card:** billing failures can interrupt assignment flow; update billing in the contractor portal quickly. Stale cards are a common cause of routing interruptions.

### When a job changes after assignment (public summary)

- Timing matters: whether the job was officially assigned, whether a Zwivio platform fee was collected, and whether homeowner contact details were already released.
- If the job does not reach official assignment, Zwivio does not collect the platform fee. If no platform fee was collected, there is nothing to refund.
- After a platform fee is collected, the outcome depends on the facts. Some cases may result in contractor credit, some may qualify for a cash refund, and some require Zwivio Ops review before a credit, refund, or denial decision is made.
- If homeowner contact details were already released, the case is reviewed by Ops and is not treated as automatically refundable.
- Credit and refund are different. A credit adds balance for future Zwivio platform fees. A refund sends money back to the payment method when supported by the payment provider and approved under the review process.
- Manual billing may not support automatic cash refunds through the platform. Zwivio may use account credit or handle the situation offline through Ops.
- There is no refund guarantee in every case.

## Reliability and availability

- Reliability reflects recent response/follow-through behavior over time.
- One bad miss is usually recoverable; repeated expires/declines or cancel-after-accept patterns are the risk.
- Honest Off-Call/FULL usage is better than appearing available when your team cannot respond.
- If offers slow down, check availability, settings, billing readiness, and response history first.
- **Reliability Score** and contributing outcomes appear in Mission Control alongside Performance & ROI visibility where your role allows; based on roughly the last 60 days of offer activity.
- **Offer outcomes and fee activity:** Mission Control (contractor portal) includes Performance & ROI so owners and dispatchers can review outcomes and platform-fee activity over time; see `/contractors/faq`.
- **New accounts:** 60-day rolling window plus stabilizer; neutral prior. Consistent execution builds the track record fastest.
- **Starter → Trusted → Elite:** tier is set from overall track record (not purchased, no single auto-threshold); see `/contractors/reliability`.
- **Off-Call vs FULL:** Off-Call means you are not available to receive routed offers right now. FULL means your team is full for today's new work. Future service windows may still be considered if your On-Call, coverage, and request-type settings allow them.
- **Wrong GPS:** update from the portal or via GPS sync prompts; stale location hurts proximity matching.

## Support and risk handling

### What if the homeowner refuses to pay me on-site?
Payment for the HVAC work itself is between your business and the homeowner. If a homeowner refuses to pay, follow your normal business process for payment collection and documentation.

You should also report the incident to Zwivio with the job details and timeline. Zwivio can review the homeowner's future eligibility in the dispatch network and consider whether platform-side action is appropriate.

- If details look suspicious, document what you see and escalate promptly.
- **What happens if there is a problem with a job?** Pause work if safety is involved, document what you know, and contact Zwivio through the support path. Zwivio routes contractor-side issues to people who can review context, including timing, communication attempts, assignment facts, safety concerns, and billing disputes. Automation handles day-to-day dispatch, but contested edge cases can receive human review.
- For non-responsive homeowners, no-shows, or scope mismatch, document timeline evidence and use the contractor portal support path or your onboarding Ops channel.
- Safety comes first: leave unsafe conditions, document facts, and report promptly.
- If you want to leave Zwivio, email our support team at `contact@zwivio.com`.

## Links

- `/about`
- `/about/business-model`
- `/contractors/faq`
- `/contractors/how-it-works`
- `/contractors/mission-control`
- `/contractors/offer-preview`
- `/contractors/protection`
- `/contractors/reliability`
- `/contractors/earnings`
- `/contractors/join`
- `/contractors/resources`
- `/contractors/what-is-zwivio`