House Flipping is being a Developer or a Builder?

[Kunal Mishra]

Hello BP friends,

I have been flipping homes in Northern NJ for a few years now. Done very quick minor fixes to additions to complete gut to knock downs.

I am sure other flippers have similar experiences, so my question is are we Developers or Builders?

I don’t own the construction company, instead work with two GCs and subcontractors with whom I have developed a nice relationship.

The question is coming as I am planning to set up a Corp and planning to start branding my product, which in this case happens to be a fully rehabbed house.

Some google searches are defining Developers as the one who defines a big area or land into lots , runs the utilities and sewer system. Builder is the one who comes and purchases the individual lot(s) and then builds a house, ok I see myself as the latter guy but I don’t own the construction company still can I be called as a Builder?

Or we are just "Flippers" period!!!

[Jason Hsiao]

IMO, you can call yourself builder if you done knock downs or additions @Kunal Mishra. Builders certainly do some of the work developers do pre-construction. Developers do a lot more of the heavy lifting or project management like surveying, civil engineering, architecture, etc to get the property entitled.