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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mop | S | Every cleaning contract, the first pass on any bought property, and farming Cleaning perk points quickly. | The first tool the game gives you, unlocked by Sara Lewis's opening job about the stolen radiator. |
| Vacuum Cleaner | A | Dusty properties, window work, and the pest clearing steps that some client jobs require before anything else. | The second cleaning tool, introduced through jobs like Cleaning the Garage. |
| Paint Roller | A | Redecoration contracts, raising a flip's sale price cheaply, and covering damage you did not want to rebuild. | Unlocked alongside the scanner by Amanda Smith's Amaranth Walls job. |
| Sledgehammer | B | Structural flips, opening cramped floor plans, and clearing broken fixtures faster than removing them by hand. | Comes with Thomas Johnson's Additional Walls job together with the wall building tools. |
| Tiling and Paneling Tool | B | Bathrooms and kitchens, finishing floors after demolition work, and completing the full tool set before your first property purchase. | The final tool slot, unlocked by Eric Camel's Necessary Extra Bathroom job. |
S-Tier: Mop
The first tool the game gives you, unlocked by Sara Lewis's opening job about the stolen radiator. It handles dirt, stains, graffiti and cobwebs, which between them account for the majority of the work in the first several hours.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Every cleaning contract, the first pass on any bought property, and farming Cleaning perk points quickly. |
| Key Mechanic | Email jobs from the laptop |
| Recommended Build | Cleaning |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Mop: Pairs naturally with Cleaning thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Vacuum Cleaner
The second cleaning tool, introduced through jobs like Cleaning the Garage. It handles dust on surfaces and windows, and a later job demonstrates its use for clearing roaches, which the mop cannot touch.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Dusty properties, window work, and the pest clearing steps that some client jobs require before anything else. |
| Key Mechanic | Six perk trees fed by tool use |
| Recommended Build | Painting |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Vacuum Cleaner: Pairs naturally with Painting thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Paint Roller
Unlocked alongside the scanner by Amanda Smith's Amaranth Walls job. Painting is the fastest visual transformation in the game and the perk tree behind it includes Instant painting, which removes the slowest part of any redecoration.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Redecoration contracts, raising a flip's sale price cheaply, and covering damage you did not want to rebuild. |
| Key Mechanic | Buying and reselling properties |
| Recommended Build | Demolition |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Paint Roller: Pairs naturally with Demolition thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Sledgehammer
Comes with Thomas Johnson's Additional Walls job together with the wall building tools. It knocks down walls and breaks fixtures, and paired with the Building tree it is what turns a cramped derelict into an open plan property that sells for more.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Structural flips, opening cramped floor plans, and clearing broken fixtures faster than removing them by hand. |
| Key Mechanic | Tool unlocks gated behind jobs |
| Recommended Build | Building |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Sledgehammer: Pairs naturally with Building thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Tiling and Paneling Tool
The final tool slot, unlocked by Eric Camel's Necessary Extra Bathroom job. It lays floor tiles and wall panelling, and it is the piece that completes the tool wheel, after which no job can present something you have no tool for.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Bathrooms and kitchens, finishing floors after demolition work, and completing the full tool set before your first property purchase. |
| Key Mechanic | The tablet catalogue and item scanner |
| Recommended Build | Handyman |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Tiling and Paneling Tool: Pairs naturally with Handyman thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Cleaning Jobs
- Vacuum Cleaner → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Paint Roller → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Mop → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- A job has to be completed to at least 70 percent for its tool unlock to become permanent and appear on your tool wheel. Walking away from a job at 60 percent costs you the tool as well as the payment.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Combat Guide
- House Flipper Boss Guide
- House Flipper Maps & Locations
- House Flipper Crafting Guide
- House Flipper Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy House Flipper, check out these related guides:
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- Satisfactory Weapons Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Weapons Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
