Survex

For buyers · Services

Requesting a quote & paying by milestone

Services on Survex aren't added to a cart — you discuss the work with the provider, they send you a quote, and you pay in stages. Each stage (a “milestone”) is held in escrow until you confirm the work is done, so your money is protected the whole way through.

  1. Find a service and start a conversation

    Open a service listing from Browse and tap Message provider. If the provider uses an intake form, you'll fill in a few details first so they understand what you need before quoting.

    A service listing with the Message provider button.
    A service listing with the Message provider button.
    The provider's intake form, shown before the first message.
    The provider's intake form, shown before the first message.

  2. Discuss the job in chat

    Your conversation lives under Chats. Describe what you need, share any details, and agree on scope. The provider gets an email each time you send a message, and you get one back — so nobody has to sit watching the screen.

    An active conversation before a quote has been sent.
    An active conversation before a quote has been sent.

  3. Review the quote

    When the provider sends a quote, it appears in the conversation and under Quotes. A quote breaks the job into line items and splits the total into milestones — each milestone is a separate payment you make only when that stage is ready to begin.

    A pending quote showing line items and the milestone breakdown.
    A pending quote showing line items and the milestone breakdown.
    Behind the scenes, nothing is charged yet. A quote is just a proposal until you accept it.

  4. Accept the quote

    Tap Accept. This locks in the price and milestones — both you and the provider get an emailed summary. Declining instead lets the provider send a revised quote in the same conversation.

    An accepted quote — the first milestone is now ready to pay.
    An accepted quote — the first milestone is now ready to pay.

  5. Pay the first milestone into escrow

    Only the first milestone can be paid to start; the rest unlock in order as each one finishes. Tap Pay milestone and you'll be taken to TradeSafe's secure checkout to pay. Your money goes into escrow — it is not sent to the provider yet.

    The first milestone ready to pay; later milestones locked.
    The first milestone ready to pay; later milestones locked.
    The actual payment page is hosted by TradeSafe, not Survex, so that screen is captured manually — everything before and after it is captured automatically.

  6. The provider starts the work

    Once your payment clears, the milestone moves to in progress and the provider is notified to begin. You'll see the live status on the quote.

  7. Confirm delivery — or raise a concern

    When the provider marks the milestone delivered, you have 24 hours to review it. Tap Accept delivery to release that milestone's funds to the provider, or Dispute if something isn't right. If you do nothing within 24 hours, it accepts automatically.

    The review window: accept the work or raise a dispute.
    The review window: accept the work or raise a dispute.
    Not happy with the result? See the disputes & arbitration guide — disputes are free and the provider gets a chance to put things right.

  8. Funds release and the next milestone unlocks

    Accepting releases that milestone's payment to the provider and unlocks the next one to pay. When the final milestone is accepted, the job is complete. You can review the provider afterwards.

    One milestone released; the next is unlocked.
    One milestone released; the next is unlocked.
    Your payment history under Finances.
    Your payment history under Finances.