What Are You Using to Keep Your Flip and BRRRR Projects Organized?
Aiden AvtgisBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2024 · 51 posts · 33 votesI'd love to hear what other investors are using to manage their renovation projects, particularly when it comes to coordinating the scope of work and tracking progress. There are so many different ways to handle it, from spreadsheets and shared Google Drive folders to dedicated project management software. I'm interested in hearing what people have found works best in practice.
For those managing flips or BRRRR projects, are you using a platform that allows contractors to update progress, upload photos, and track completed work? Or do you prefer having someone oversee everything and provide regular updates? I'm especially interested in hearing from investors managing multiple renovations at once or coordinating projects from out of state.
What systems or software are you using, and what do you like or dislike about them?
Afternoon @Aiden Avtgis,
I don't flip myself, but I help investors and property managers set up the behind-the-scenes side of projects like these, and the question you asked at the end is the one I'd start with. The software usually matters less than whether the contractor actually keeps it updated.
The setups that seem to work best, especially from out of state, have three things in common. First, one scope of work broken into line items that match the draw schedule, so every photo and every update ties to a specific line. Second, a set rhythm, like photos and a short note from the contractor every Tuesday and Friday, instead of "update us when you can." Third, one person whose job is to chase that update when it doesn't show up.
To your other question, I'd do both. Let the contractor post progress and photos directly, but keep someone on your side checking it against the scope twice a week. Contractors are usually great at the work and not so great at the paperwork, and the gap between the two is where out-of-state projects tend to drift.
Cheers,
Lee
I think the biggest difference is having a consistent system for documenting work and holding everyone accountable, especially when managing projects remotely.
I'd probably use a simple combination of a spreadsheet for the budget, scope of work, deadlines, and payment milestones, alongside a shared Google Drive folder for before-and-after photos, receipts, and progress updates.
For multiple renovations, I'd want contractors to submit photo updates against specific tasks rather than just sending general progress reports. That makes it easier to spot delays, compare completed work against the original scope, and keep payments tied to verified progress.
The key isn't necessarily having the most sophisticated software; it's having a process that makes the status of every project clear without constantly chasing people.
Aiden, are you currently managing your renovations yourself, or do you have someone overseeing the projects
on-site?
Aiden, I keep it simple. I run 236 single-family rentals in Memphis, and every rehab gets one scope of work and one budget next to the actual spend, line by line. The actuals set the next budget. I do not need fancy software — what matters is that the budget and the actual are side by side for every house, so I know where the money went before I underwrite the next one. I buy under $100K with an ARV of $180K to $265K, 3BR or more, Section 8 rent of $1,395 to $1,950, and the rehab has to fit that math. A 2/1 to 3/1 or 3/1 to 4/2 conversion gets its own lines, because the extra bedroom is what moves the rent. Simple beats fancy if you actually update it.
Aiden, the setups that hold up across multiple jobs (especially remote) usually separate two things: the job-site comms and the money/scope file.
On the job-site side, a spreadsheet plus a shared folder can work if you force updates onto the same line items as the scope. Have contractors post photos against a specific line, not a general "here's this week's progress" album, and tie each draw to those photos and invoices. Construction-focused tools (JobTread, FlipperForce and others) are built for contractor updates and scheduling if you GC heavily or run several jobs at once.
On the money side, track four numbers per line: original budget, approved changes, committed (signed bids), and paid. If there's a lender, use their approved scope lines as your categories so draw requests match what they review. Then keep that file on the same property record you'll manage as a rental afterward, so the appraisal, insurance, tax records, and refi package aren't rebuilt from scratch.
Disclosure: I'm on the Tenantivo team. Our Investor plan tracks planned vs. actual rehab budgets and draw schedules, and it's aimed at people who keep the property as a rental afterward (BRRRR), next to tenant management once it's leased. It isn't a contractor-scheduling tool, so if you need contractors updating progress themselves you may still want a construction app or a simple shared folder for the job site.
Coming from STR setups and management, I'd test the update process with one real job before committing everyone to a platform. Can the person on-site attach a photo to the right task from their phone, flag a blocker, and say what decision they need? I'd give 'work finished' and 'checked and accepted' separate statuses too. That's useful when the contractor is done but the property still needs a punch-list visit before it can go live. Who is responsible for that final check matters as much as where the photos live.