Question 1

What is Yard-Lift?

Accepted Answer

Yard-Lift connects homeowners who need help with their yard or home's curb appeal — lawn care, pressure washing, painting, or a front yard cleanup — with local businesses and volunteers ready to take on the job.

Question 2

How much does it cost to post a request?

Accepted Answer

Nothing. Posting a request is free. You can set a budget range between $50 and $999, say you're open to a business proposing its own price, or both — local pros browse requests that match what they offer.

Question 3

Does Yard-Lift charge me or process any payment for the work?

Accepted Answer

No. Yard-Lift never processes payment for the actual job — you pay the business you choose directly, however you two agree to handle it. The only paid part of Yard-Lift is a small membership businesses pay for access to leads, which doesn't involve you.

Question 4

How do I know who's shown interest in my request?

Accepted Answer

Once you post a request, businesses can respond by expressing interest, offering a discount, or (for some volunteers) offering their labor for free. You'll see who's responded from your dashboard and can message them directly once you select someone for the job.

Question 5

Can I ask a business something before I choose them?

Accepted Answer

Yes — once a business has responded to your request, you can ask them one question before deciding, like "Are you free this Saturday?" They get exactly one reply back. It's meant for a quick clarifying answer, not an open conversation — full back-and-forth messaging opens up once you've actually selected someone for the job.

Question 6

Is my contact information public?

Accepted Answer

No. The public map only shows your general area — city, ZIP, and a soft, shaded area around your home rather than a precise pin — plus your photos and story, so businesses can see what the work involves. None of your contact details are shared with a business by default. Your street address and phone number are never shared automatically, no matter what — the only way a business learns either is if you choose to share them yourself in a message. Your email follows the same default-private rule, with one exception: checking "let businesses see my email" when posting your request opts it in for businesses that respond. One thing to keep in mind: your headline and story are shown publicly as you write them, so avoid typing your exact address into either one. And if you'd rather not enter it at all on the request form, a nearby intersection (e.g. "1st & P Street") works fine too — your pin still lands in the right general area.

Question 7

Can I choose who does the work?

Accepted Answer

Yes — you review who's responded and select whichever business or volunteer you want. Nothing happens automatically.

Question 8

What happens after the job is done?

Accepted Answer

You can mark your request as completed, optionally add "after" photos, and leave a review for the business you worked with. You can also opt in to feature your transformation in the public gallery.

Question 9

Can I delete my request or my account?

Accepted Answer

Yes, at any time. Deleting your account removes your properties, business listing (if you have one), and profile. Reviews and messages tied to other people stay intact, the same way they would on any platform — deleting your account doesn't erase someone else's review history.

Question 10

Is Yard-Lift responsible if the work goes badly?

Accepted Answer

Yard-Lift connects you with local pros and volunteers but isn't a party to the work itself — similar to how a listings site works. See our Terms of Service for details, and always check a business's licensing/insurance status yourself before hiring them.

Question 11

Does a business need access to my backyard?

Accepted Answer

Most requests are front-yard or exterior work, and that's what Yard-Lift is set up around by default. If a job needs backyard access or entry into a private area of your property, that's arranged directly between you and the business — Yard-Lift doesn't coordinate or vouch for that access. Use the same judgment you would with any stranger you're granting that kind of access to, and since businesses aren't verified (see above), it's on you to decide who you're comfortable letting in.

Question 12

What are Deal Days?

Accepted Answer

Deal Days are a batch of discounted service slots a local business posts for one specific day in one area — usually because they're already going to be working nearby and can offer a lower rate for a few extra jobs that day. Browse them on the Deal Days page or the map, and claim a spot on a first-come, first-served basis. Claiming one works just like being matched to a regular request — you'll message the business directly to coordinate.

Question 13

Can I request a specific business directly, or set up a recurring service?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if you already know which business you want, hit "Request [Business]" on their profile page instead of posting an open request; it goes straight to them, not the public marketplace, so you're not waiting around for responses from businesses you don't want. Some businesses also post standing Service Plans right on their profile — a fixed price for a bundle of recurring work (renewing every 2 weeks or month, whichever the business set up) — and you can claim one directly, with no first job required to get it started. Or, once a business completes a one-off job for you, you can opt into repeating that instead — every 2 weeks or monthly — right from your dashboard. Either way, it renews automatically until you stop it.

Question 14

Some businesses show an "Unclaimed" badge — what does that mean?

Accepted Answer

It means Yard-Lift added that listing ourselves — a name, category, and phone number (and sometimes an email or website) — so homeowners can find local pros who haven't joined the platform yet, rather than something the business set up. Because there's no real account behind it, requests can't be sent to an unclaimed listing directly. If it's your business, there's a "Claim it" button right on the profile.

Question 15

Can a real estate agent post a request on behalf of a seller?

Accepted Answer

Yes — there's nothing special to set up. Post a request the same way any homeowner would, using the listing's address, to get curb appeal handled (mowing, a pressure wash, a quick paint touch-up, or a front yard cleanup) before photos or a showing. It's a fast way to get a listing market-ready.

Question 16

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Register as a pro or business, choose your categories (landscaping, painting, handyman work, nursery, pressure washing, or volunteering), and you'll immediately see nearby homeowner requests that match.

Question 17

I found my business listed as "Unclaimed" — how do I claim it?

Accepted Answer

Click "Is this your business? Claim it" on the listing — it opens the contact form with your listing already identified, so just confirm it's you and send it. Once we've verified you're really the owner, you'll register a normal account (same as anyone joining fresh, including your first 3 free jobs) and the old unclaimed listing gets removed.

Question 18

Is it free to join?

Accepted Answer

Your first 3 completed jobs are free. After that, it's $5/month for full access to search every homeowner request nearby and contact them directly.

Question 19

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes — manage or cancel your membership anytime from your dashboard through Stripe's secure billing portal. No phone calls, no retention scripts.

Question 20

How do I get paid?

Accepted Answer

Directly by the homeowner — Yard-Lift doesn't process payment for the work itself, so you and the homeowner arrange payment however works for both of you.

Question 21

Can I offer a discount or donate my services instead of charging full price?

Accepted Answer

Yes — when you respond to a request, you can offer a discount or, if you volunteer services, donate your time entirely.

Question 22

Can I donate materials instead of a discount or my labor?

Accepted Answer

Yes — when you respond to a request, choose "Donate Materials" to offer plants, mulch, paint, tools, or anything else, no matter what category your business is registered under. Great for nurseries, hardware stores, and garden supply shops. You can add a pickup note with a location or phone number so the homeowner knows how to collect it.

Question 23

Do I need to be licensed and insured?

Accepted Answer

Licensing and insurance status is self-reported on your profile. Yard-Lift doesn't verify it, so it's on you to represent yourself accurately and on homeowners to ask questions before hiring.

Question 24

How do reviews work?

Accepted Answer

A homeowner can only leave you a review after marking a request you worked on as completed — you can't be reviewed for a job you were never selected for.

Question 25

What's a Deal Day, and how do I post one?

Accepted Answer

A Deal Day lets you batch a discounted rate across several slots for one day in one area — efficient for you if you're already going to be nearby, and a real deal for homeowners. Post one from your dashboard: pick a date (today or later, up to 90 days out), an area, and the services, prices, and capacity you're offering. It stays live until homeowners claim every spot or the date passes — once it's expired, it's automatically removed about a day later.

Question 26

What if a homeowner requests me directly, or wants a recurring job?

Accepted Answer

It shows up as a normal lead in your dashboard — same messaging, completion, and review flow as any other request, it just skipped the open marketplace since the homeowner already chose you specifically (often by sharing your profile link, which has a "Request [Your Business]" button built in). You can also post a standing Service Plan from your dashboard — a fixed price for a bundle of work you list out, renewing every 2 weeks or month, whichever you choose — so a homeowner can claim a recurring arrangement with you straight from your profile, no first job needed. Whether a job started from a plan or someone opted into repeating one you completed, the next one auto-renews without you needing to respond to anything new — repeat customers just keep coming back on their own.

Question 27

Is Yard-Lift a nonprofit or charity?

Accepted Answer

No. Yard-Lift is a marketplace connecting homeowners and local pros/volunteers. "Sponsorship" language on the platform refers to discounts or service donations a business chooses to offer — not a charitable donation processed by Yard-Lift.

Question 28

What data does Yard-Lift collect, and can I get it deleted?

Accepted Answer

See our Privacy Policy for full details. You can delete your account and personal data at any time; some records tied to shared history (like reviews or messages with another user) are kept so the other party's record stays intact.

Question 29

Is Yard-Lift available on mobile?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the site is fully responsive and works well on phones and tablets — there's no separate app to download.

Question 30

How do I report a problem with another user?

Accepted Answer

Any conversation can be reported directly from the messaging screen, which our team reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

For Homeowners

For Local Pros & Businesses

General / Trust & Safety