Hardie Real Estate  ·  Residential Transformation

Professional Rehab Management
for Real Estate Investors.

Owner-side planning and project oversight for residential investors across the DMV — DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

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The Problem

Most rehabs don't fail because
of bad contractors.

They fail because no one owned the plan. The scope — the full list of what needs to be done and what it will cost — gets defined after bids go out. Budgets shift after demo. Change orders pile up with no one to push back. Timelines slip and holding costs climb.

By the time you close, your margin is gone. The problem isn't construction. It's the absence of real project management on the owner's side.

6 weeks
Average timeline slippage on unmanaged residential rehabs
25%+
Typical budget overrun when scope isn't defined before bids go out
0
General contractors whose fee goes down when costs run over
Our Services
Before You Close
Pre-Purchase Rehab Assessment
$500 flat fee  ·  Credited toward Phase 1 if you proceed

Thinking about buying a property but not sure if the numbers work? We walk the property, assess what it needs, and give you a written cost estimate broken down by type of work — so you know what you're getting into before you make an offer.

  • Property walkthrough and condition assessment
  • Written cost estimate — broken down by type of work (plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc.)
  • Written summary to evaluate the deal

The $500 fee is credited in full toward your Phase 1 planning engagement if you move forward.

Phase 1
Planning
$5,000 flat fee  ·  Paid before work begins

Before any contractor touches the property, we spend two weeks defining exactly what needs to be done and what it should cost. You get a complete written plan — room by room — so every contractor is bidding on the same job and there are no surprises once work begins.

  • Property walkthrough and condition assessment
  • Room-by-room scope of work
  • Detailed cost estimate — every expense broken out line by line
  • Material and finish selections — flooring, fixtures, cabinets, and finishes chosen before work starts so there are no delays mid-project
  • Contractor bid package — everything a contractor needs to give you an accurate quote
  • Written scope for every contractor
  • Project schedule and sequencing
Phase 2
Project Oversight
10% of approved budget  ·  Locked at project start

We run the project from contract to completion. Day-to-day contractor oversight, scheduling, and site coordination — managed on your behalf.

  • Contractor coordination and scheduling
  • Weekly site oversight
  • Cost tracking against approved scope
  • Change order review and investor approval
  • Weekly status reports
  • Issue identification and resolution

The oversight fee does not increase if contractors ask for more money.

Why Hardie Real Estate

Experience on your side.

We bring 30+ years of hands-on renovation experience, hundreds of completed projects, and millions in real estate bought and sold — all in the DMV and Baltimore markets.

Most investors work with a general contractor who is working for the contractor's interests — not yours. We know what a project should cost, how long it should take, and where contractors cut corners. That benefits you.

We're paid to plan and manage. Not to build. Our fee doesn't change based on what contractors spend.

Why Not Just Use a General Contractor?

Their incentives
are not yours.

Most general contractors
Paid on construction volume — more work means more revenue
Benefit financially from change orders
Do limited upfront planning — it costs them time with no return
Construction expertise is on the contractor's side
Hardie Real Estate
Paid for planning and oversight — not construction volume
Zero financial incentive for costs to run over
Upfront planning is our core product — it's where we earn our fee
30+ years of construction expertise and 30+ years of project management — both working for you
Who It's For

We're selective.

We work with investors who —
  • Own or are acquiring single-family homes, townhomes, or small multifamily properties (2–4 units)
  • Are running anything from cosmetic updates to full gut renovations, additions, vertical expansions, or major structural reconfigurations
  • Have a rehab budget of $70,000 or more
  • Have one clear decision-maker who can approve scope and changes on the spot
  • Understand that two weeks of upfront planning is how good projects start
We decline projects involving —
  • Foundation work
  • Condos, co-ops, historic homes, and mixed-use properties
  • Investors who want to skip the planning phase
  • Group consensus decision-making

We'd rather refer you out than take a project we can't own.

Who We Are

Construction expertise
working for you.

We are a professional services firm that works exclusively on behalf of the investor, planning and managing renovation projects from start to finish — and remaining accountable for scope, budget, sequencing, and outcomes.

We bring two things most investors don't have in their corner: structured project management and deep construction knowledge. No construction markups. No referral fees from contractors. No conflicting interests.

We are paid to plan and manage. That's it.

30+
Years of hands-on general contractor experience
30+
Years of project management experience on the owner's side
DMV
Active across DC, Maryland, and Virginia

You bring the deal.
We run the rehab.

Ready to move forward, or just evaluating a property? Submit your project and we'll follow up by email within one business day.

Submit Your Project →
Active across Maryland and the DMV corridor  ·  Minimum rehab budget $70,000
rob@hardie.realestate