Renovation projects are full of decisions: styles, materials, budgets and changes, spread over months and between three groups of people. Architects, homeowners and contractors usually keep track of them across email threads, text messages and paper notes. CollabMind set out to replace that with one shared workspace.
I led the development of the app with React Native. Here's how it came together.
The problem
The founders had seen the same problems for more than 20 years in residential architecture: decisions lost in long email chains, clients unsure what had been agreed, and contractors working from outdated information. Each group needed to see the project differently, but all of them needed the same source of truth.
The approach
Organise everything around how projects actually run. We structured the app around the three phases every renovation goes through: Dream, Design and Build. Ideas and inspiration collected early flow into design decisions, which flow into what gets built, so nothing gets lost between phases.
Role-based access. Architects, clients and contractors each see and do what's relevant to them. Role-based access control keeps the project transparent while still keeping some information private where it should be.
One structured place for project data. Communications, decisions and documents are tied to the part of the project they belong to, instead of living in a separate chat. That's what turns a messaging app into a project record.
Multi-device from the start. Clients often browse on their phones while architects work at a desk, so the app works across mobile and web.
The stack
- React Native for iOS and Android from one codebase
- React Hooks for state and UI logic
- Firebase with Cloud Firestore for real-time data, so every party sees updates as they happen
- Role-based access control enforced in the data layer
The result
CollabMind launched on the App Store and Google Play in 2025. It turns chaotic project communication into an organised, shareable workspace, and helps architects and clients manage expectations, picture styles and track progress all the way through construction.
Lessons
- Model the domain before the screens. The Dream / Design / Build structure shaped the data, the permissions and the navigation. Getting it right early saved rework everywhere else.
- Real-time data changes behaviour. When everyone sees the same live information, people stop sending "just checking" messages.
- Permissions are a product feature. Who can see and change what is as important to users as any screen.
See the full project on the CollabMind project page. Building a collaboration or marketplace app? Let's talk.