– Craftspeople spend on average around 40 percent of their time on work that does not generate revenue. We think that’s completely unnecessary, says Harald Løberg at Flip.
Flip operates in the renovation industry, but is first and foremost a tech company. In the autumn of 2025, the company made a clear technological leap with vibe coding and AI, supported by dedicated senior developers from Cefalo. The result is significantly higher development speed – without losing control of architecture and quality.
First and foremost a tech company
Flip was founded by Harald Løberg and Håkon Kavli in 2021, after testing several business ideas in parallel. One idea quickly stood out: Surface-level redecorating in private homes. The industry is large and fragmented, with low levels of digitalization and considerable friction for both customers and contractors.
– We saw an industry characterized by low trust and a lot of negativity. It was clear that there were unresolved problems — for both customers and contractors, says Håkon Kavli, CEO of Flip.
Solves friction digitally
Flip has built a tech driven platform for delivering value-enhancing redecorations. At its core is an end-to-end system that handles everything from assessment and pricing to contracts, payments, and quality assurance within one unified solution.
Product development is iterative and closely connected to real projects in the market. Insights from customers, contractors, and completed projects are continuously fed back into the platform, with rapid iterations and frequent improvements.
– We test, fail, and learn extremely fast. Our entire business model is built around solving friction digitally, Kavli explains.
SEVERAL PROVIDERS WERE EVALUATED: After thorough research, a dedicated team of developers from Cefalo was chosen as the best match for Flip.
– Cefalo had the best model
The platform requires continuous development. Architecture, security, scalability, and user experience must function seamlessly — even as volumes grow.
Early on, Flip tested different ways of organizing development. It soon became clear that they needed dedicated developers working closely with the product every day — not just strategic advisory support or occasional capacity.
They chose Cefalo.
– We conducted thorough research and evaluated several international providers. Cefalo stood out in terms of professionalism, work environment, and how their teams are structured, says Kavli.
– For us, it was essential to have at least two developers who could discuss with each other, support one another, and build a shared understanding of our solution — at a competitive cost.
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«Uber for redecorating»
While many players in the market focus primarily on matching customers with contractors, Flip takes responsibility for the entire customer journey — from initial need to completed project. They are sometimes referred to as «Uber for redecorating».
– The difference lies in the tail end of the projects. That’s where most problems arise — and where we clearly differentiate ourselves, says Løberg.
This comprehensive approach has made Flip an attractive partner for larger players such as DNB Eiendom and Krogsveen. It creates value for real estate agents and their clients because the system reduces risk and adds predictability in an otherwise complex and fragmented industry.
The Cefalo team is the technological backbone
Flip currently has two dedicated developers through Cefalo, both at senior level. They are responsible for most of the ongoing development, working closely with the team in Norway.
– The developers in Dhaka are the backbone of our technology. We have a CTO in Norway involved in architectural decisions, but beyond that, these two build and maintain the platform, says Løberg.
Daily stand-ups, ongoing dialogue, and fast clarifications are key success factors — especially since the developers are not physically co-located with the business team.
– Proximity is probably the most important factor for success. The Cefalo-team does not have the same business context as we do, so we need to stay closely aligned at all times, he explains.
Over time, the collaboration has become increasingly efficient as both parties have developed a deeper understanding of each other and the product. This also laid the groundwork for a significant technological leap.
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SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SPEED OF DEVELOPMENT: – When AI was combined with developers who understood our complexity, then we got the speed everyone is talking about, says Flip.
Vibe-coding and AI in practice
In the autumn of 2025, Flip made a giant leap. With increasingly capable AI support for both frontend and backend development, the team in Norway began vibe-coding.
– We moved from describing what we wanted through sketches and specifications, to actually building it ourselves with AI, says Løberg.
This fundamentally changed the role of the developers in Dhaka — without making them less important.
– AI-generated code doesn’t necessarily work on its own — at least not yet. Without experienced senior developers who understand architecture, security, and how everything connects within the codebase, the promised productivity can quickly become a risk, says Løberg.
Today, the developers in Dhaka primarily focus on code reviews, quality assurance against existing architecture, and ensuring security, performance, and seamless interaction between frontend and backend.
– It’s only when AI is combined with developers who understand the bigger picture that we achieve the speed everyone talks about, Løberg emphasizes.
The result is a significantly higher development velocity.
– Without exaggerating, we’ve achieved at least ten times the speed we had before, he says.
– Cefalo is a hub of knowledge
Steve Jobs once described the computer as «a bicycle for the mind». To Flip, AI feels more like an electric unicycle: Powerful, but difficult to balance on its own.
– The developers from Cefalo are our second wheel. With them, we can use AI safely and effectively without losing control over architecture and quality, says Løberg.
As Flip grows and new needs arise — whether in architecture, apps, UX, security, or other specialized areas — the required expertise is already available within the Cefalo setup.
– We see Cefalo as a hub of knowledge, not just a supplier of development hours. It feels like a partnership where we’re challenged and always continue to evolve, says Løberg.
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Written by Jens Wahlberg
