Frequently asked questions

Buildbuggy is a South African marketplace that connects clients with verified tradespeople and service professionals. You can post a job and receive quotes, or browse Buildbuggys directly and book a callout. Payments are held in protected payment and only released when the job is done.

Browsing Buildbuggys, posting jobs, and creating an account are all free. A platform fee is included in each booking to cover payment processing and platform operations. Buildbuggys are informed of the fee during onboarding, and clients always see the full price before committing.

Buildbuggy is currently focused on South Africa. Buildbuggys list their location, and you can search for professionals in your area. We are starting with painting services and will be expanding to more categories soon.

We currently offer painting, plumbing, electrical and handyman services, with more trades planned.

When you accept a quote or book a callout, your payment is processed through Paystack and held securely by Buildbuggy. When you confirm the job is complete, the Buildbuggy's payout becomes eligible immediately; if you don't respond after they mark the work finished, it becomes eligible two full South African working days after that date. Our team then manually approves and transfers eligible payouts — processing times can vary and all payments are subject to operational and funding checks. If a dispute is raised, the funds remain held until our admin team resolves it.

When you confirm the job is complete, the payout becomes eligible immediately. If you don't respond after the Buildbuggy marks the work finished, it becomes eligible two full South African working days after that date. Our team then manually approves and transfers eligible payouts — processing times can vary, bank transfers may take additional time to reflect, and all payments are subject to operational and funding checks. In the case of a dispute, payment is held until resolution.

Payments are processed through Paystack, which supports major credit and debit cards. We do not store your card details — Paystack handles all payment security as a PCI-DSS compliant provider.

Buildbuggy charges a platform fee on each completed booking. The fee is a percentage of the transaction value. Buildbuggys are informed of the exact fee during onboarding, and clients see the total cost upfront before accepting a quote.

A cancellation or dispute may result in a full or partial refund, depending on the resolution and your applicable rights. An awarded refund is initiated through Paystack and normally returns to your original payment method. A full refund includes the entire original booking charge, including your client platform fee. A partial refund is the amount awarded. Buildbuggy does not deduct gateway or transfer costs from that awarded refund.

A refund request is not confirmation that the money has arrived. After Paystack confirms processing, allow an estimated 3–10 working days for it to reflect; provider, payment-method and bank timing can vary. Check the booking for its status and contact support if it is delayed or needs attention. An uncertain refund must be reconciled before anyone retries it.

Buildbuggy initiates any awarded client refund and records any professional award separately. The professional payout remains held until the required client refund is confirmed processed. Our team then manually approves and separately initiates the professional transfer. Approval alone sends no money. Each party receives notices about their own outcome and status.

Click "Post a Job" on the homepage or header. Fill in the job title, category, location, description, and optionally add photos. Your job ad is reviewed by our admin team and then published to the job board where Buildbuggys can submit quotes.

Browse Buildbuggy profiles to see their portfolio, services, reviews, ratings, and callout fees. You can also message Buildbuggys directly through the platform to ask questions before booking.

You can raise a dispute through the platform. Our admin team reviews the available information, communicates with both parties and records a resolution, which may include a full or partial refund, a professional award, or both. Fund release is paused during review. A platform resolution does not remove your statutory rights or access to lawful external remedies.

The original reason and description you submit through the dispute form are restricted in the platform to you and authorised administrators. The other party receives a neutral dispute notice, not that complaint text. A resolution explanation may be shared with both parties. Messages you send directly to another user remain visible to them, and necessary service-provider processing and lawful disclosures may apply. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Yes. Visit any builder's profile and click the "Message" button to send a message. All communication is logged on the platform for your safety and can be used as evidence in dispute resolution.

Click "Become a Buildbuggy" on the homepage or header. Create an account, verify your email, then complete your onboarding profile — including your bio, services, portfolio, and pricing. Our admin team reviews and approves your profile before it goes live.

We typically review and approve Buildbuggy profiles within 24–48 hours. You will be notified by email once your profile is approved and visible to clients.

Payouts are processed through Paystack to your verified bank account. You will need to add your banking details during onboarding. Bank details are encrypted and password-protected — you will be asked to re-enter your password before any changes can be made.

Yes. You can browse the job board and submit quotes for any jobs that match your skills and location. There is no limit to how many quotes you can submit.

Client confirmation is not required for your payout — when they confirm, it becomes eligible immediately; if they don't respond, it becomes eligible two full South African working days after you mark the work finished. Our team then manually approves and transfers eligible payouts — processing times can vary, bank transfers may take additional time to reflect, and all payments are subject to operational and funding checks. If the client raises a dispute while funds are still held, our admin team will review the situation before releasing funds.

Yes. Every Buildbuggy completes an onboarding process where their profile, services, and portfolio are reviewed by our admin team. Only approved Buildbuggys appear on the platform. We also monitor reviews and can suspend accounts that violate our terms.

Yes. We comply with POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act). Your data is stored securely, encrypted in transit, and never sold to third parties. Read our Privacy Policy for full details.

Contact us immediately at support@buildbuggy.co.za. Never make payments outside of the Buildbuggy platform — doing so removes protected payment and we cannot assist with disputes for off-platform transactions.