How Beams is paid

Beams earns fees from three sources, in exchange for services we provide. Those fees fund the network, the contracts, and the tools that help builders and customers run projects more predictably. Here's how it works.

Why we're transparent about this

Construction has traditionally been an opaque industry. Hidden markups, unclear margins, and quotes that don't add up are part of why renovating has a reputation for going sideways. That opacity is one of the reasons we started Beams. So we want you to have a full picture of how we earn fees and where that money goes — not a rounded summary, but the actual mechanics. If you know how we're paid, you can judge for yourself whether our incentives line up with yours.

Builders pay a network fee

Every builder in the network has a commercial agreement with us. Great builders are busy, and we wanted to build a marketplace where they could grow their businesses by finding well-scoped projects and running them with tools that make the work more efficient. The fee covers what they get from being on Beams: a steady flow of well-matched leads, a contract structure that reduces disputes, a payment system that gets them paid reliably, tools like the materials tracker and project dashboard that cut admin, and operational support when something needs sorting out. The fee is between Beams and the builder; it isn't added on top of your quote.

Suppliers pay a commission on partner sales

When you buy materials from one of our partner suppliers, you get a trade discount on their published prices. The supplier pays Beams a commission on the sale. The discount is real — it isn't quietly recouped through a markup elsewhere — and the commission is how the supplier and Beams share the value of bringing a renovation customer through the door.

You're not required to use partner suppliers. You can buy materials from anywhere. The partner network is an option, not a constraint.

You pay for design and optional project management

You pay Beams directly for two things, if you choose to use them:

• Design time, charged by the hour. The first design call is free; ongoing design work is paid. The article Design pricing — what's free, what's paid covers the detail.
• Project Management Support, an optional upgrade for larger or more complex projects. The article What Beams does and what it doesn't do explains when it makes sense.

You don't pay Beams a markup on what your builder charges or on the materials you buy.

What this funds

Fees from builders, commissions from suppliers, and payments from customers fund the work that makes a Beams renovation run: vetting, the Home Improvement Contract, the Beams Account, the materials tracker, the project dashboard, the AI cost estimator, and the team that supports both sides when something needs attention. We exist to serve customers and builders — the commercial model is how we fund the work that does that.

If a number isn't adding up, ask your Planner. We'd rather walk you through it than have you guess.