Homepolish, the site that offers design packages for residential and commercial spaces, as well as by-hour appointments with its designers, is expanding into the construction scene. Founded five years ago, Homepolish has raised some $20 million in funding, led by Warby Parker co-founder Andy Hunt’s Elephant Ventures, and is currently offering services available in over 15 U.S. cities. The new section of the site, Build, provides clients with contractor recommendations.
“Build works the same way our Design Services work,” explains Noa Santos, the company’s founder. “Once we collect sufficient details about a client’s project, we ‘cast’ for the appropriate contractor the same way we cast for the right designer. We aren’t simply curating a qualified team for each client, we’re making sure that team works well together—a critical element often overlooked.” Professionals should be interested, he says, because Homepolish “powers” their existing business but helps them scale using Homepolish’s reach and scope.
That’s a philosophy—concentrating on one’s skill sets—Santos pushes whether in building or designing. “Ultimately, we want each pro to focus on what they are best at, whether it’s designing or building, while we handle the operations that would otherwise distract them from perfecting their craft.”
There is no fee involved on the client side. The Homepolish team analyzes each of the submitted projects, organizes meetings with contractors, and presents at least one proposal for the client’s review, in addition to Homepolish’s own recommendations. Contractors are charged a fee that can vary “depending on a number of criteria,” says Santos.
Was Build, which joins other contractor-match sites like Sweeten and Angie’s List, developed in response to consumer demand? “Absolutely,” explains Santos. “We realized that in helping our clients create spaces they love, renovation and construction—and hiring a contractor—were critical considerations in the execution of a successful project. Rather than leave such an important piece of the puzzle to chance, we launched Build Services to integrate it into the Homepolish experience—giving our clients the same premium experience in Build as we do in Design.”
