InstaBids

This connector has been deprecated

Duplicate listing. The current InstaBids connector is https://glama.ai/mcp/connectors/ai.instabids/instabids

Check a ZIP before posting

check_service_area

Read-onlyIdempotent

Every US ZIP can post a job. Homeowners anywhere in the US can post a job; once you send it, InstaBids finds contractors to bid on it. Returns guidance and whether the input is a US ZIP, plus nearby town pages. Get the answer for a five-digit ZIP, and list towns with an InstaBids town page for a five-digit ZIP.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "zip": "<zip>"
    },
    "name": "check_service_area"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`zip`	Yes	five-digit US ZIP code of the home where the work is

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`towns`	Yes
`status`	Yes
`canPost`	Yes
`message`	Yes
`nextStep`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedNov 6, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / zip / description
```
Added value: +"five-digit US ZIP code of the home where the work is"
```
Changed1 schema field changedNov 3, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / nextStep
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

Changed1 schema field changedOct 30, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "canPost": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "status": {
+      "enum": [
+        "guidance",
+        "not_a_us_zip"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "towns": {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "status",
+    "canPost",
+    "towns",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedOct 30, 2026

TDQS

C2.7/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=false, so safety and determinism are covered. The description adds one genuinely useful behavioral fact: there is no geographic rejection — every US ZIP can post, so the check is informational rather than a gate. It does not mention rate limits, error cases for non-ZIP input, or how town pages are selected.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness2/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The two opening sentences say the same thing about nationwide posting, and the final sentence repeats the ZIP/Towns output pair already stated one sentence earlier. It is short in word count but roughly half the content is duplicated, and no sentence is front-loaded as the primary instruction.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a one-parameter read-only tool with an output schema and full annotation coverage, little explanation is strictly required, and the description does convey the key nuance that no ZIP is excluded. It still omits when to prefer this over job_guidance or start_job, which is the main open question for an agent in this tool family.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and the single parameter carries its own description including the five-digit constraint. The description's repeated "five-digit ZIP" phrasing adds nothing the schema's pattern and maxLength already enforce, so this sits at the baseline.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose3/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description does say the tool returns whether the input is a US ZIP plus nearby town pages, which is a concrete outcome. But it opens with a policy statement ("Every US ZIP can post a job") rather than a verb+resource framing, and the closing sentence ("Get the answer for a five-digit ZIP, and list towns...") restates the same two outputs instead of sharpening the purpose. Nothing distinguishes it from siblings like job_guidance or start_job beyond the ZIP focus.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Only the title hints at timing ("before posting"); the description never says when to call this versus job_guidance or start_job, nor lists prerequisites or exclusions. An agent gets no routing guidance from the body text itself.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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