Facebook has announced that it’s expanding into the home services business. Source: Engadget

Facebook has announced that it’s expanding into the home services business. US Facebook users can now browse through the Facebook Marketplace and search for home service professionals such as plumbers, cleaners, contractors etc. The new feature will also allow users to get quotes right away. Facebook has partnered with HomeAdvisor, Porch, and Handy to offer this service.

The social media company says that the idea to launch these new services was inspired by the huge number of people who are always asking for home service recommendations on the platform. It’s estimated that there are millions of people in the US alone who ask for home service recommendations on Facebook each year. In fact, Bowen Pan, Product Manager at Facebook, says that US users ask for home service recommendations more than for any other topic. Pan added that by partnering with Porch, HomeAdvisor, and Handy, users will now be able to easily find a home service expert.

This new service will give Facebook users access to hundreds of thousands of vetted professionals. Source: TechCrunch

This new service will give Facebook users access to hundreds of thousands of vetted professionals. They will be able to see the ratings of these professionals, reviews, their credentials, and also their location. Users can send a description of the project they have to multiple professionals on the platform and get a quote right away. Once you’ve picked the contractor, everything else will be arranged via Messenger.

In a way, the new feature is not just a platform to offer listings for home service professionals. It’s also a platform to get the best deal on your project and arrange for the work details right there. The new feature will be offered under Facebook Marketplace. Facebook Marketplace is one of the most recent competitors to Craigslist.

The social media giant has been expanding its marketplace by adding new features. The home service option is not the only one. Facebook is also giving users the opportunity to find home rentals and even cars on the platform. Despite this, the social media company may have to compete with other tech giants that are also looking into home services as a potential area of expansion.

The company launched a local business search website back in 2015 to help users find locally available businesses that they need. Source: Komando

For instance, Amazon has already expanded into this category. Walmart has also partnered with Handy to build a presence in this area while, on the other hand, Google has already struck a deal with Porch and HomeAdvisor that helps its Voice assistant users find home professionals near them. This wouldn’t be the first time that Facebook has tried its luck in the home services industry. The company launched a local business search website back in 2015 to help users find locally available businesses that they need. The website featured home service categories but it never really took off as expected.

However, there’s no doubt that Facebook Marketplace has grown a lot. So far, there are over 800 million people who buy and sell things via Facebook Marketplace in 71 different countries. It definitely makes sense to roll out the new home service feature under the platform. Details about revenue sharing are still not clear but Facebook is rolling out the feature starting today. US users will be able to see it in their accounts within weeks.