Help center

How can we help?

Browse common questions about verification, hiring, billing and your account. Still stuck? Reach out — most replies arrive within a working day.

Email support

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Getting started

How do I create an account?

Click "Join Expert Chowk", pick your role (Developer, Architect, Studio, Freelancer, Engineer, Contractor or Labour), and complete your profile. It takes about 5 minutes.

Is Expert Chowk free to use?

Yes — creating a profile, browsing experts, and posting projects is free. Paid plans (Basic at ₹499/mo, Premium at ₹999/mo) unlock bidding limits, visibility boosts and analytics.

Which cities does Expert Chowk cover?

We operate across India. Verified professionals are concentrated in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur, with growing coverage in tier-2 cities.

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Verification

How long does verification take?

Most profiles are reviewed within 48 hours of submitting documents. Complex cases (e.g. multi-state contractor licences) can take up to 5 working days.

What documents do you need?

Depending on your role we check CoA (Architects), RERA, GST, IE licence, PAN, Aadhaar, and contractor/labour licences. The exact list is shown on your verification page.

Do my documents stay private?

Yes. Documents are stored encrypted, visible only to our verification team, and never shared publicly. We display only the verification status (badge) on your profile.

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Hiring & bidding

How fast will I get bids on my project?

Most projects receive their first qualified bid within 6 hours of posting. To improve quality, write a clear brief with budget range and timeline.

How do I message a professional?

Open their profile and click "Message". Free users can send the first message; ongoing conversation requires a Basic plan or active project engagement.

What if a professional ghosts me mid-project?

Report them from the project page. We pause their profile, refund retainers held in escrow, and connect you with backup professionals from our shortlist.

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Payments & billing

What payment methods are accepted?

UPI, all major debit and credit cards, net banking and wallets — secured by Razorpay. GST invoices are auto-generated for every paid plan.

How do refunds work?

Subscriptions can be cancelled anytime. Unused months are not pro-rated, but unused balance on milestone-held funds is fully refunded within 7 working days.

Is GST included in the displayed prices?

No. Prices on /pricing are exclusive of 18% GST, which is added at checkout. Your invoice is GST-compliant and eligible for input tax credit.

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Account & privacy

How do I change my email or phone number?

Go to Account → Settings → Identity. Email changes require confirmation from both the old and new address; phone changes require an OTP.

How do I delete my account?

Account → Settings → Delete account. We retain transaction records for 7 years to comply with Indian tax law, but profile data is removed within 30 days.

Where do I read your privacy policy?

See our Privacy Policy and Terms for the full picture on data handling, retention and your rights.

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