Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about remote home renovation and building.
Getting Started
Absolutely. Our platform is built specifically for this purpose. For example, we recently managed a $350K gut renovation of a Brooklyn brownstone for a software executive who was living 4,000 miles away in Sweden. Through our platform’s milestone verification system and a dedicated project manager, the project was completed two months ahead of schedule with zero disputes.
If you are an absentee homeowner, investor, or expat planning a residential renovation or new build with a project budget of $20,000 or more, you are a perfect fit. We specialize in providing the institutional-grade oversight required for high-value projects. We conduct a free initial assessment to confirm project feasibility and outline a management plan.
Hiring a local contractor directly leaves you with the full burden of oversight, quality control, and financial risk. RemoteBuilder acts as your single, accountable partner, providing a complete management layer that eliminates those risks. We provide a network of elite, pre-vetted contractors, 100% escrow payment protection, a dedicated communication hub, and independent quality inspections—a level of institutional-grade oversight that a traditional contractor cannot offer.
Process & Management
Our proven four-step system is designed for clarity and control:
- Define Your Vision: We start with a detailed consultation to establish your project scope, budget, and timeline.
- Team Assembly & Planning: We match you with a top-tier, vetted contractor from our network. We then establish a detailed contract, permitting strategy, and a milestone-based payment schedule secured in escrow.
- Managed Construction & Milestone Verification: Your dedicated project manager oversees all on-the-ground work, providing weekly progress reports. You approve each completed milestone before any funds are released from escrow.
- Final Inspection & Handover: We conduct a final, independent quality inspection. Upon your approval, we finalize all documentation, warranties, and permit closures before the final payment is made.
You will be assigned a dedicated RemoteBuilder Project Manager who serves as your single source of truth. They coordinate with the contractor, manage the schedule, provide you with regular updates, and ensure your standards are met, eliminating the confusion of dealing with multiple parties.
Our local project teams manage the entire permitting process, from application to final sign-off. We coordinate directly with municipal inspectors to ensure all work is fully compliant with local building codes, preventing the common delays that can derail a project. You are kept informed at every stage.
For Real Estate Professionals
We partner with top real estate agents to help you close more deals and create a new revenue stream. Our Real Estate Referral Program is an invaluable service for your out-of-state buyers, sellers, and investors. By referring clients to us, you can help them manage a pre-listing renovation to maximize a property’s sale price or oversee a post-purchase renovation for their new home. It is the perfect solution for your fix-and-flip clients or absentee owners who need a trusted partner on the ground.
Payments & Security
Our 100% escrow payment system gives you complete control over your funds. Money is held securely and is only released to a contractor after you have reviewed evidence of completed work and given your explicit approval. This system eliminates the risk of paying for incomplete or substandard work and prevents issues like contractor “ghosting”.
If the work at a given milestone does not meet the agreed-upon standards, your funds for that phase remain securely in escrow until the issues are corrected to your satisfaction. Your Project Manager will work with the contractor to rectify all problems. Our process ensures that you only pay for results that you approve.
There are zero platform fees to get started with RemoteBuilder. For the project itself, you do not pay large, risky upfront deposits to a contractor. Instead, you fund the secure escrow account for only the first milestone of the project. This ensures work begins promptly without exposing you to unnecessary financial risk.
Quality Control & Communication
We use a multi-layered verification system to ensure the highest quality standards:
- Weekly photo updates documenting progress.
- Independent quality inspections at each major milestone.
- A dedicated project manager who is your advocate on the ground, ensuring work meets the contract specifications.
Our team has protocols for any contingency. In an emergency, your Project Manager is immediately notified, coordinates directly with the contractor for a rapid response, and informs you with a clear action plan.
You will receive weekly progress reports through the platform. Our communication hub allows you to view progress, access all project documentation, and communicate with your team at any time, from anywhere in the world.
Costs & Timeline
Our fee is a fixed 10-20% of the total construction cost. This single fee covers our entire suite of services: vetting elite contractors, providing a dedicated project manager, progress monitoring, independent quality inspections, and our 100% escrow payment protection system. Our clients find this fee provides invaluable peace of mind and is often offset by the significant savings we generate by preventing costly delays, mistakes, and overruns common in unmanaged remote projects.
While every project is unique, our focused management system consistently delivers projects faster than the industry average. For example, our $350K Brooklyn renovation was completed two months ahead of schedule. Most major renovations are completed within 3 to 6 months.
No. Our platform fee is transparent and all-inclusive of our management services. The only other costs are the direct costs of construction (labor and materials), which are competitively bid through our vetted contractor network. You receive a detailed, itemized proposal before any work begins.
Locations & Eligibility
We currently operate in over 50 major metropolitan areas across the United States, including Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C.. As our network of elite, vetted contractors is always expanding, please contact us to confirm service availability for your specific property.
Yes. We specialize in helping international clients manage U.S. property renovations. We handle time-zone coordination, provide meticulous documentation for your records, and ensure seamless communication, regardless of where you are in the world.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is here to help you understand how RemoteBuilder can work for your specific project.
🔒 Secure platform • No upfront fees • Free project assessment