Safety tips and guidelines

Who's coming, and what's already checked

Before a detailer can take any job, Dripbase currently requires: a background check, a valid driver's license, current auto insurance, and general liability insurance (at least $300,000 in coverage). Their vehicle and equipment are also reviewed, and they complete a standards course before working. That set is the current requirement, and it's data, not a fixed promise — it can change, and future jobs may require more or different checks over time.

Once someone accepts your job, you can see their name, photo, and rating in the app before they arrive. That's not a nice-to-have — it's meant to answer "who is this" before you have to open the door.

What we do and don't share, and when

While your job is still being offered to detailers, they see only your ZIP or neighborhood, the distance, and what the job pays — never your street address. Your full address and any access notes you've saved (gate code, where the water and power are, whether the driveway is covered) are shown only once a specific detailer has accepted the job, and only to them. If you cancel, that access is revoked immediately, in the same step that cancels the job — not on a delay.

Practically, that means:

• Fill in access notes honestly and only with what a detailer needs to do the job — a gate code is useful; anything more personal than that isn't necessary and stays on your address longer than it needs to.
• If a job gets reassigned to someone else, the previous detailer's access goes with it — you don't need to change anything yourself.

Before and after photos

Every job requires a matching set of photos taken from the same angles before and after the work: front three-quarter, rear three-quarter, front seats and dash, rear seats, and the wheels. If there's pre-existing damage, the detailer can log a photo of it before starting, specifically so they aren't blamed for a scratch that was already there. A job isn't marked complete, and your card isn't charged, until that full required set exists.

That matched before/after pair is the real record of what your car looked like walking in and walking out. Think of it less as a photo album and more as the receipt for the condition of your car.

Practical things worth doing

• Secure anything valuable or fragile that isn't part of the detail before the appointment — same as you would for any tradesperson.
• If you have pets, keep them somewhere they won't be startled by someone working around the car, and won't startle the detailer either.
• Double-check your saved access notes are current, especially after moving a gate code or getting a new pet.
• Be reachable during the appointment window in case the detailer has a question about the car or the space.

If something goes wrong

See What to do if something feels wrong. Short version: your safety comes first, and if it's urgent, call emergency services before doing anything else.