Empyrean's House Flipper launched on 17 May 2018, published by Frozen District and PlayWay, and this is the original rather than the 2023 sequel. It is a first person renovation sim driven by an email inbox: clients write in, you mop, paint, knock down walls and fit radiators, and the money funds buying wrecked properties from the laptop to fix and auction off. House Flipper 2 arrived in December 2023 on a completely new code base and added the town of Pinnacove, an Assembly building mode and a true sandbox, none of which exist in this game. The 2018 original scored 68 on Metacritic for PC and still became a Steam bestseller.
House Flipper features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleaning Jobs | Opening hours, no perks required | The mop, the vacuum cleaner, the first Cleaning perk points, starting capital | Painting |
| 2 | Painting Jobs | After the first cleaning contracts | Paint roller, item scanner, Painting perk points | Painting |
| 3 | Installation Jobs | Mid career, Handyman perks recommended | Handyman perk points, higher job payouts, the fittings practice that flips depend on | Cleaning |
| 4 | House Flipper Mode Properties | After the full tool wheel is unlocked | Property profit, freedom over layout and decoration, the long term money engine | Cleaning |
| 5 | Garden Flipper Plots | Requires Garden Flipper DLC | Higher flip sale prices, outdoor furnishing catalogue, garden specific jobs | Cleaning |
Cleaning Jobs: Starting Area
The bulk of the early inbox and the reason the mop and vacuum unlock first. Jobs like Cleaning the Garage and the student house clean up are low paying but they build the Cleaning tree, which stays relevant for the rest of the game because every bought property starts filthy.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Opening hours, no perks required |
| Key Rewards | The mop, the vacuum cleaner, the first Cleaning perk points, starting capital |
| Recommended Build | Painting |
| Key Equipment | Vacuum Cleaner |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Email jobs from the laptop. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Painting Jobs.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Painting Jobs: Early Game
Redecoration contracts, opened up by Amanda Smith's Amaranth Walls. They pay better than cleaning and they hand over the scanner, which changes your economy by letting you sell items already sitting in a property.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | After the first cleaning contracts |
| Key Rewards | Paint roller, item scanner, Painting perk points |
| Recommended Build | Painting |
| Key Equipment | Vacuum Cleaner |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Six perk trees fed by tool use. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Vacuum Cleaner if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Installation Jobs.
Installation Jobs: Mid Game
Radiators, plumbing, plastering and fittings, the work the Handyman tree exists for. These jobs are the slowest in the game before perks and among the fastest after them, which makes them a good measure of whether your perk spending is paying off.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid career, Handyman perks recommended |
| Key Rewards | Handyman perk points, higher job payouts, the fittings practice that flips depend on |
| Recommended Build | Cleaning |
| Key Equipment | Vacuum Cleaner |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Mop becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Buying and reselling properties for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
House Flipper Mode Properties: Late Game
Buying a wreck from the laptop, renovating it and auctioning it off. Buyers weigh different things, one caring about cleanliness and another about family rooms, so the same house sells for different sums depending on how you finished it. This is the closest the 2018 game gets to a sandbox, since a true sandbox mode only exists in House Flipper 2.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | After the full tool wheel is unlocked |
| Key Rewards | Property profit, freedom over layout and decoration, the long term money engine |
| Recommended Build | Cleaning |
| Key Equipment | Mop |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Mop should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- The tablet catalogue and item scanner mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Garden Flipper Plots.
Garden Flipper Plots: Endgame
Outdoor areas added by the Garden Flipper DLC in May 2019. Planting, paving and garden furniture attach to properties you already own, and a finished garden raises the auction price on a flip that is otherwise complete.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Requires Garden Flipper DLC |
| Key Rewards | Higher flip sale prices, outdoor furnishing catalogue, garden specific jobs |
| Recommended Build | Cleaning |
| Key Equipment | Mop |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Handyman for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Cleaning Jobs → Painting Jobs → Installation Jobs → House Flipper Mode Properties → Garden Flipper Plots. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More House Flipper Guides
- House Flipper House Flipper Overview
- House Flipper Best Builds
- House Flipper Tier List
- House Flipper Walkthrough
- House Flipper Beginner's Guide
- House Flipper Tips & Tricks
- House Flipper Weapons Guide
- House Flipper Combat Guide
- House Flipper Boss Guide
- House Flipper Crafting Guide
- House Flipper Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy House Flipper, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Maps & Locations: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Maps & Locations: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Maps & Locations: simulation game with similar mechanics
