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Contractor Docs

Team & Verification

Invite team members and manage their roles. Climb the verification ladder to unlock higher-value work and build client trust. Understand the 5-tier system and how to reach Verified Pro status.

Why Team & Verification Matter

Build a professional team and establish marketplace credibility

Team members stay accountable — every hour logged, every photo uploaded is tied to a name

Clients see your team's qualifications — improves trust and justifies premium pricing

Verification tiers unlock higher-value work — clients post bigger jobs to verified contractors

Sub/employee tracking makes payroll and accounting cleaner

Role-based permissions prevent mistakes (e.g., new apprentice can't accidentally mark a job complete)

Team Management

Invite, manage, and track your team members

Team Management

Invite and manage subcontractors and team members

Inviting Team Members

  • Go to Dashboard → Team Settings
  • Click 'Invite Team Member' and enter their email
  • Choose their role: Foreman, Labor, Specialist (electrician, plumber, etc.)
  • They receive an invite email and join your workspace
  • Can now see assigned projects and tasks

Role Assignments

  • Foreman — Can create and assign tasks, track time, upload photos. Full project visibility.
  • Labor — Can log time, mark tasks complete, upload photos. Limited to assigned tasks only.
  • Specialist — Same as Labor, but for specific trades (e.g., electrician can only see electrical work).
  • Each role has defined permissions (view, edit, time-track, etc.)
  • Change roles anytime as crew composition shifts

Sub-Contractor vs. Employee

  • Add subs and employees the same way — both use the invite system
  • You're responsible for 1099s, W2s, insurance classification, etc. (not ContractShield's role)
  • Use notes to track: 'Sub — provide own insurance' or 'Employee — on payroll'
  • Sub/employee distinction matters for your accounting and tax filings, not the platform

Time Tracking by Role

  • Foreman and Labor log hours by task
  • Hours are tagged with their name and role
  • Invoice can itemize labor by role (e.g., 'Foreman labor: 40 hrs @ $75/hr' vs. 'Helper: 30 hrs @ $25/hr')
  • Clients see that you used appropriate staffing (adds credibility)

The 5-Tier Verification Ladder

Climb from Unverified to Verified Pro and unlock better work

1

1. Unverified

Requirements

Account created, email verified

Benefits

Can browse marketplace but limited quote visibility

Timeline

Automatic on signup

2

2. Basic

Requirements

Upload business license (state/local)

Benefits

Can browse and bid on work orders

Timeline

Admin approval typically 2-3 business days

3

3. Licensed

Requirements

License + 2+ client reviews

Benefits

Higher visibility on job board, clients trust you more

Timeline

After basic approval + 2 reviews (~1-2 weeks)

4

4. Insured

Requirements

General liability + workers comp certificates

Benefits

Opens access to higher-value projects

Timeline

Admin verification of insurance docs (~3-5 days)

5

5. Verified Pro

Requirements

All above + 5+ positive reviews (4.5+ star avg)

Benefits

Top tier badge, featured on marketplace, premium visibility

Timeline

Auto-calculated after reaching all criteria (~4-8 weeks typically)

How Verification Levels Unlock Work

Unverified: Clients barely see you on the job board. Limited search visibility.

Basic: You appear in job board searches. Clients can message and request quotes.

Licensed: You get a special badge. Clients trust you more. Higher visibility in searches (clients filter by 'Licensed').

Insured: Major barrier removed. Clients with insurance requirements now see you. Opens access to commercial work.

Verified Pro: You're featured. Highlighted in job board. Clients actively seek you out. Premium pricing justified.

Common Scenarios

Real team and verification situations

You need to hire a new foreman for a large project

Invite them to your team with 'Foreman' role. They immediately see the project and can create tasks. Document their insurance or employment status in your team notes. By the next project, they've helped you increase verification tier if they work on multiple jobs.

Your crew is logging time, but client disputes the labor hours

Pull the Time Tracking tab. Show client the hourly breakdown by person and task. Each entry has a timestamp. This level of transparency usually resolves disputes fast — client can see you spent the time, with whom, and on what.

You're at 'Unverified' tier; clients won't hire you

Upload your business license today (20 minutes). Admin approves in 2-3 days. Suddenly you're 'Basic Verified' — you can now bid on work orders. That first project gets you reviews, which unlock 'Licensed' tier and even more visibility.

You want to move from $50/hr labor to $75/hr labor on a mid-project invoice

Create a new team member or update roles to reflect the shift. When you invoice, specify labor by person/role: 'John (Foreman): 40 hrs @ $75/hr' vs. 'Mike (Labor): 20 hrs @ $50/hr.' Clients see the breakdown and understand the premium for experience.

A sub-contractor works one project, then leaves your team

Remove them from Team Settings. They lose access to future projects but all historical time/photos they logged remain in the project record. You still have proof they worked on that job.

What to Watch Out For

Common team and verification pitfalls

Not Uploading Verification Documents

The Problem

Staying at 'Unverified' tier blocks you from higher-value work. Clients see red flags if you're not verified.

The Fix

Spend 30 minutes uploading license, insurance, and any certifications. It's low-hanging fruit to unlock better opportunities.

Misclassifying Roles

The Problem

If you assign 'Labor' role to someone but they're actually doing skilled electrical work, you're not using the system properly. Clients don't see qualifications.

The Fix

Use specific roles: 'Electrician,' 'Plumber,' 'Carpenter,' etc. Make roles match actual work. Client sees 'Licensed Electrician led electrical phase' — that's trust-building.

Forgetting to Invite Team Members

The Problem

If you don't add a team member to the platform, their work is invisible. Time and photos aren't logged. You end up invoicing for work you can't document.

The Fix

Invite crew members before the project starts. Takes 1 minute per person. Then they can log time and contribute to the project record.

Ignoring Reviews and Tier Progress

The Problem

After your first 3 projects, you might have 5 reviews but didn't notice. You're still at 'Basic' tier when you could be 'Licensed' or 'Insured' — which clients prefer.

The Fix

Check your verification progress monthly. When you hit thresholds (2+ reviews, insurance verified, etc.), the platform alerts you. Act on it to level up.

Letting Team Members Clock In for Each Other

The Problem

If two workers share a login and log time under one name, hours are inflated/misattributed. Client disputes arise: 'Did John really work 80 hours this week?'

The Fix

Each team member gets their own login. They clock in under their own name. Accountability and clear invoicing result.

Get Your Team Started

Invite your first team member today. Then upload your verification documents and start climbing the tier ladder.