Frequently Asked Questions

Hoist’s standard payment schedule (Besides California) is:

• 25% down payment to lock in the job (That Hoist Keeps)
• 25% due before the job starts
• 50% due upon completion

This means you will have 50% of the job total in hand before work begins, helping you cover materials and other startup costs. Please ensure you and the homeowner review this schedule before the project starts. If a job requires unusually high material costs, please communicate that early so our team can work with you and the homeowner to set clear expectations outside of that payment schedule.

Not yet, we do not do estimates for commercial properties. We do handle residential properties for commercial leads such as property managers. We only currently bid residential repaint services or services directly related to a residential repaint. For example, drywall repair or light carpentry as part of a residential repaint.

No, once we sell a job we work to avoid refunding down payments. There's a lot of time and money that we invest into winning you a job. In some rare cases if a job is truly not a fit for some reason or another we're open to making exceptions.

Once a homeowner accepts a bid through Hoist and pays the initial down payment, the painter is responsible for invoicing the customer for all remaining balances due.

At this time, Hoist does not send invoices or collect final or progress payments beyond the initial deposit. That means painters should be prepared to:

• Collect any progress and final payment from the homeowner directly‍
• Send invoices or reicepts if the homeowner requests them.

We’re actively exploring ways to streamline this in the future, but for now, you’ll need to handle all final billing and follow-up with the homeowner directly.

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In some cases, we’ll need you to stop by the property to confirm some details, then we’ll still handle bid creation and follow up. This is for very old homes or unique situations. We still collect our full commission on these jobs.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. You visit the property to collect the needed info — things like exact measurements, substrate condition, or specific photos our team requests.
2. You introduce yourself to the homeowner, shake hands, and let them know you’re just gathering a few quick details so your estimator can build an accurate bid.
3. You tell the homeowner that your estimator (that’s us) will follow up with the detailed bid, and that they’ll remain the point of contact for any questions until the deposit is collected.

We’ll still handle:

• Building the bid
• Following up with the homeowner
• Closing the job

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Visit https://app.withhoist.com/ to log in on any device.

To qualify for a partnership with Hoist, you must meet all of the following:

• At least 2 years of experience running a residential painting company
• 10 or more reviews on major platforms with a 4.0+ average rating
• Fully licensed (if required by your state)
• Minimum $1M in workers’ comp and general liability insurance
• Homeowner-Facing Brand: Must operate under your own brand name and work directly with homeowners (no subcontractors only)
• Primary service area population of at least 300,000
• Note: You do not need a website to be eligible to be a partner

Operational Expectations

• Capacity to take on at least 2 additional jobs per month
• Confirm production dates within 1 business day of job close
• Prompt, professional communication with Hoist and with homeowners
• Use the Hoist web platform to manage jobs and updates
  

Important: Failure to stay responsive, follow up on jobs, or communicate reliably may lead us to dissolve the partnership.

Marketing & Sales Support

• Provide your logo, business photos, and brand assets
• Allow Hoist to use your name and logo in marketing and sales
• Authorize us to represent your company to support your sales and marketing.

Bidding & Payments

• Hoist sets pricing using our own algorithm, including job size minumums (currnetly at $1,750) 
  Adhere to the Hoist payment schedule.

What We Look For

We work best with partners who are excited to grow, open to new technology, and committed to providing a top-tier experience for homeowners. If that sounds like you, you’re a great fit.

No — bids are presented to homeowners in real time during our estimate process.

This instant bidding approach is a core part of our system and one of the reasons we see such strong sales performance. When we meet with homeowners, we generate and explain the bid on the spot. This immediacy builds trust and increases close rates.

If we had to pause and wait for approval on every bid, we’d lose the momentum of that live interaction and delay the pricing conversation, which would hurt performance and the overall homeowner experience.

For this reason, we don’t offer pre-approval of bids. If you ever have concerns about pricing or scope, we encourage you to talk with us so we can align before those calls happen.

No, pricing is based on regional data to stay competitive and profitable

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What happens when I feel like a job was bid too cheap?‍

If I can’t reject a job, am I just expected to lose money? What’s the dispute process?

We aim to price jobs fairly and profitably based on your local market and scope. Our pricing engine pulls from deep data and extensive experience — but no system is perfect, and once in a while, a job might feel underbid, especially with unusual scope or site conditions.

Here’s how we handle that:

• Flag the issue within 1 business day of receiving job details — just text your Hoist number with the lead’s name and a short note about what feels off.
• Our team will review the bid, photos, transcripts, and your notes.
• If the price clearly misses the mark due to missed scope or inaccurate conditions, we’ll either:
  • Adjust the bid with the homeowner,
  • Issue a partial refund on our commission,
  • Or cancel the job — all while protecting your reputation.

We track every dispute. If we see a pattern — like consistent issues in a certain scope or region — we improve our systems to prevent it in the future.

You should never be expected to take a job that loses money.

Our goal is that every job you get from Hoist is clearly worth doing — and if we miss, we want to fix it. But because we sell jobs in real time, we need fast communication from you when something feels off.

This is a partnership — and we’re here to make it right when we fall short.

You’re taxed on your net profit, not the total job amount. Business expenses like Hoist’s commission, labor, and materials are deductible.

When Hoist sells a job on your behalf, we collect and keep 25% of the total job amount. You receive the remaining 75%, which is considered your gross income.

Your taxable income is calculated after subtracting job-related expenses (like labor and materials) from that gross income.

Example

For a $10,000 Job:

• Homeowner pays: $10,000
• Hoist keeps: $2,500 (25% commission)
• You collect: $7,500 (your gross income)
• Subtract your expenses:
  • Labor costs: $4,000
  • Materials: $1,000
• Your taxable net profit: $2,500

Do I Get a 1099 From Hoist?

No. Hoist isn’t paying you — we’re an expense, just like Angi, Sherwin-Williams, or labor. You only pay us when a job closes, and that commission is a deductible business expense you record on your books.

In rare cases, a homeowner might send you a 1099 for the full job amount (this happens occasionally). If that happens, don’t worry: you just deduct Hoist’s commission (and other expenses) when you file your taxes, so you’re not taxed on money that never reached you. We can provide a record of all of our commissions charged for jobs if you need it for your records.

Key Points

• You’re only taxed on your net profit, not the full amount.
• Hoist’s commission is a deductible expense, like labor and materials.
• If a homeowner ever issues a 1099 for the full job, you still deduct our commission at tax time.
• Always consult your CPA or tax professional to confirm how this applies to your business.

Hoist only takes commission on work that we scope, price, and sell within our bid. For example, if the homeowner’s bid includes drywall repair or woodwork as part of the painting project, our commission applies to that total price. However, if you upsell or offer additional services outside of what’s listed in the Hoist bid (like flooring, siding replacement, or other trades), that is fully yours—no commission is taken on work we don’t sell.

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California law caps down payments at 10% of the job total or $1,000 (whichever is less). To comply, Hoist collects a 10% or $1,000 down payment upfront and then invoices you for the remaining commission on net 30 terms. This keeps everything legal and cash flow-friendly while ensuring you get paid and we stay compliant.

Absolutely. You’re free to offer other services directly to the homeowner as long as they are not included in the Hoist bid. Any upsells you make outside of the original scope are fully yours to manage and keep 100% of the revenue. You’ll have to have these in your own bid and sales process outside of Hoist.