> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.zulma.ca/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Zulma works: book, get matched, get it done

> A step-by-step walkthrough of how a Zulma booking works, from configuring your home to rating your Pro, across cleaning, lawn care, car detailing, and more.

Booking through Zulma takes under a minute. You configure the job, pick a time, and Zulma matches you with an available, vetted Pro in your area. The same flow powers every service line: residential cleaning, lawn care, car detailing, and commercial cleaning, plus short-term-rental turnovers through [Zulma for Hosts](/hosts/overview). Laundry (wash, dry, fold) is coming soon. Here is exactly what happens at each step.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick a service and configure the job">
    Choose your service, then select the tier that fits your needs. For cleaning, you'll enter details like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and pick any add-ons. For lawn care, you'll describe the property. For car detailing (which is mobile, the Pro comes to you), you'll identify the vehicle. These details determine your quoted price.

    <Tip>
      Not sure which cleaning tier is right? Start the [get a quote](https://app.zulma.ca) flow. It recommends the right service based on your home and takes about a minute with no card required. See [our services overview](/services/overview) for what each tier covers.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a date and time slot">
    Select a date and a time that works for you. Same-day slots are available when Pros are on the schedule. You can also book ahead for any upcoming date.

    <Info>
      A \$50 same-day rush fee applies to bookings made less than 24 hours in advance. Zulma+ and Zulma Household members get free same-day rush. See [memberships](/memberships/plans-and-perks).
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm and pre-authorize payment">
    Review your quote. It shows the base price plus any same-day, peak-slot, or travel adjustments as clear dollar amounts. Your price is all-in: Zulma isn't charging sales tax during launch, so the number you see is the number you pay.

    When you confirm, your card is pre-authorized for the quoted amount through [Stripe](/account/payments). No charge is captured until a Pro accepts the job and completes the visit. If no Pro accepts in time, the hold is released in full and you are not charged.

    <Note>
      Prices are in Canadian dollars. Zulma never sees your full card number. For more on holds, capture, and receipts, see [payments](/account/payments).
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get matched to a vetted Pro">
    Once you confirm, Zulma dispatches the booking to available, vetted Pros in your area. In the core Niagara service area, a Pro typically accepts within about 30 seconds. You'll get a confirmation the moment a Pro accepts.

    Every Pro is background-checked (a third-party criminal record check) and identity-verified before taking any job, and carries their own liability insurance. Zulma itself carries \$5,000,000 commercial general liability plus \$100,000 cyber coverage. Learn more in [vetting](/trust/vetting) and [insurance](/trust/insurance).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Track your Pro and get the job done">
    You'll get a push notification and email when your Pro is on the way, and again when the job is complete. Your Pro's live location is visible only while they are en route, never after they arrive and never off the job.

    You don't need to be home. Leave an access code or key and a note on the booking. Before and after photos may be taken to document quality.

    For lawn care, Pros follow local municipal bylaws on noise and equipment hours. If weather makes a lawn care visit unsafe or ineffective, Zulma or your Pro will reschedule at no charge to you.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Rate your Pro and add a tip if you like">
    After the job, you'll be prompted to leave a rating. Your feedback directly affects Pro quality scores and helps other customers choose well.

    If something was missed, report it within 24 hours. Zulma will arrange a re-clean of those areas or apply a Zulma credit to your account, at no extra cost.

    <Tip>
      Tips are optional and default to zero. Presets are 5, 10, 15, or 20% of your pre-tax subtotal, or enter a custom amount. 100% of any tip goes to the Pro who did the work, and you can edit it from acceptance through one hour after completion. Pros are never told whether you tipped.
    </Tip>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Recurring bookings

Want the same service on a regular schedule? Set up a [recurring booking](/booking/recurring). You'll save on every visit from the second one onward, keep the same Pro where possible, and never need to rebook manually.

Residential recurring discounts apply from visit #2:

| Cadence  | Discount per visit |
| -------- | ------------------ |
| Weekly   | 20%                |
| Biweekly | 15%                |
| Monthly  | 10%                |

You can pause, skip, or cancel the schedule at any time. Recurring bookings lock your agreed per-visit price, and Zulma gives you advance notice of any service-area-wide rate change.

## Cancellations

Cancellation fees depend on timing. Full details are on the [cancellation page](/booking/cancellation).

| When you cancel                                 | Fee                                                                  |
| ----------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Before a Pro is matched                         | No charge, authorization fully released                              |
| 2 or more hours before the scheduled time       | No charge, full release                                              |
| 1 to 2 hours before                             | \$45 late-cancel fee (waived for Zulma+ and Zulma Household members) |
| Less than 1 hour before                         | 50% of the booking total                                             |
| After the Pro is on site or the job has started | Full charge applies                                                  |

Quality issues are handled separately from cancellations: report within 24 hours and Zulma arranges a re-clean or applies a Zulma credit, credits first rather than cash refunds. Lawn care weather reschedules are always free.