Tired of paying Thumbtack $20 for a lead that goes nowhere?

Yes. If you don't have a policy yet, still fill out the application — we'll point you at brokers who work with independent haulers. Typical policies run $500–800/year for a $1M/$2M general liability policy. Next Insurance, Hiscox, and Thimble are good places to start; Thimble even offers per-day coverage if you only haul occasionally. You won't be able to take your first job until your policy is active, but we'll help you get there.

Minimum: a half-ton pickup with a standard 6-foot bed, or a trailer rated 1/2 ton or higher. A full-size pickup (F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500) is ideal. Box trucks and larger trailers let you take bigger jobs and bid higher. Vans and SUVs are fine for small loads if they can be cleaned out between jobs. If you're not sure whether your rig qualifies, apply and tell us what you have — we'll tell you what jobs you can take.

No. A standard Virginia driver's license covers everything you'll haul on this platform. CDLs are for vehicles over 26,001 lbs — nothing we ask you to do will require one.

Depends on your city. Newport News, Hampton, and Norfolk require a business license for self-employed haulers (usually $30–50/year). Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Portsmouth don't require one for solo operators. We'll send you a checklist specific to your city after your application is approved.

No. You can operate as a sole proprietor — that's what most haulers start as. If you grow into multiple trucks or want to limit personal liability, forming an LLC later is straightforward in Virginia ($100 filing fee). We're not tax or legal advisors — talk to a CPA if you're unsure.

Text message and email, within 2 minutes of a customer posting a job in your service area. You can set quiet hours if you don't want 2am SMS alerts. You can also log in and browse open jobs at any time.

Yes. Every job posting includes photos from the customer, the pickup address, a description of what needs to go, and any access notes (“third floor walkup,” “narrow driveway,” etc.). You bid with full information.

You set your own price. For now, we recommend pricing for: your time, fuel, dump fees, and a profit margin you're happy with. A rough starting point for a half-bed load is $150–250; a full pickup bed with stairs or furniture runs $250–450. Once the platform has more data, we'll show you what similar jobs in your area have been winning bids at.

Yes. You only take jobs you bid on — nothing is assigned to you. You're never penalized for not bidding.

Hampton Roads only: Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Poquoson, Gloucester, and neighboring towns. We'll expand once we're solid here.

Stripe deposits your cut directly to your bank account. Two options:

• Standard (free): 2 business days after the job completes.
• Instant (1.5% fee): On your debit card within 30 minutes. You opt in per-payout from your Stripe dashboard.

Customer pays their bid amount through Stripe when they accept. We take 12% as our platform fee (minimum $5). You keep the rest. On a $400 job, that's $48 to us, $352 to you. We don't charge you anything upfront, no subscription, no lead fees — we only make money when you make money.

If you earn $600 or more in a calendar year, you'll get a 1099-NEC from Poof Haul in January. You're responsible for tracking your own expenses (fuel, dump fees, insurance premiums, equipment) and reporting on Schedule C. We recommend keeping receipts and talking to a CPA your first year.

Once your bid is accepted, we share the customer's phone number with you and yours with them. Call or text to confirm arrival window, access details, and anything else you need.

Yes. You're responsible for paying your helper — we don't get involved. If your helper is going to be on the customer's property regularly, make sure your GL policy covers them.

You handle dump logistics and costs — price them into your bid. Hampton Roads facility reference:

• Peninsula Transfer Station (Newport News): Construction debris, furniture, appliances. ~$85/ton, mattress surcharge $20.
• Bethel Transfer Station (Hampton): Similar rates. Residents only — bring a utility bill.
• SPSA Regional Landfill (Suffolk): Covers Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake. ~$65/ton.
• Virginia Beach Landfill & Resource Recovery: Appointment for large loads. ~$70/ton.
• Tires: $2–5 each at most facilities above.
• Refrigerators/freezers: $20–40 (freon reclamation).
• Paint, solvents, hazmat: NOT accepted at landfills. Newport News and Virginia Beach both run HazMat drop-off events (appointment only, residential quantities free).

Call ahead — rates and accepted items change. Price for your worst-case dump run.

Anything you're not comfortable or not equipped to move. Common refusals: pianos (need specialized equipment), hot tubs (require disassembly), hazardous materials, anything over your truck's payload capacity, items that won't fit through doorways. If a posting includes something you won't haul, skip the bid — no penalty.

Common scenario. Before you start hauling, text the customer: “Actual load is bigger than posted — I'd need to adjust to $X to do the full job. Or I can do the original scope at the original price. Or we can call it, and I'll take a $50 trip fee for the drive out.” Customer picks. Email us to update the bid amount in Stripe, we handle the rest.

Damage under $200: you'll likely be expected to eat it to keep the customer happy (or split the cost — call us and we'll help mediate). Damage over $200: this is what your GL insurance is for. File a claim with your carrier. We'll provide documentation if needed.

Customers have 48 hours after job completion to raise a dispute. If they do, payment is held until we investigate. You send your side (photos, statement, witness if you had a helper). Customer sends theirs. We judge. If the claim is unsubstantiated, you get paid in full. Take photos at the start and end of every job — they protect you.

If they cancel before you've left for the job: no fee to you, no fee to them. If they cancel after you're en route or on-site: you keep a $40 trip fee.

Call the customer as early as possible. Cancellations happen — life happens. Repeat cancellations (more than 2 in a rolling 30 days) affect your platform rating and can get you removed.