Building without chaos.
Modern tools, knowledge, and systems for self-builders and contractors who want more transparency, organization, and trust on site.
We believe building a house deserves more respect.
Behind every build there is a client investing a lifetime of savings, a mortgage, emotions, and trust.
Behind every build there is also a contractor taking responsibility for real physical work.
Most problems on site are not caused by bad intentions.
They are caused by chaos, lack of communication, missing documentation, and poor organization.
Kontrola Budowy was created to support a new building culture based on transparency, communication, and trust.
This is what building looks like today
Most problems on site are not about bad people. They are about missing systems.
The problem is not the people. The problem is the lack of tools.
A new building standard
This is what every build should look like: transparent, organized, and built on trust.
EMALINO supports this vision.
EMALINO gives every property a memory. Photos, documents, tasks, projects, schedules, and team conversations stay attached to the build they belong to, instead of scattered across email, WhatsApp, and your camera roll. When the work is finished, that history stays with the house.
Visit EMALINO Quick scorecard
Detailed assessment across eight operational categories with weights.
| Category | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Site and property organisation | 10 | 20% |
| Progress tracking | 8 | 15% |
| Collaboration with trades | 8 | 15% |
| Recurring-work automation | 9 | 10% |
| Build documentation | 10 | 10% |
| On-site mobile use | 9 | 10% |
| Ease of use | 9 | 10% |
| Value | 9 | 10% |
| Final score | 9 | 100% |
Who this platform is for
Kontrola Budowy connects clients with contractors, building a culture of collaboration on site.
People building a house
Track progress, costs, deadlines and documents. Build a complete memory of the project from foundations to handover.
Contractors and site managers
Coordinate trades, document progress with photos, communicate with the client and manage invoicing.
Building firms and developers
Run several sites, teams and document sets in parallel. Separate each development into its own workspace.
Problems Emalino solves
Real problems from the building site mapped to platform capabilities.
| Emalino solution | Solved problem |
|---|---|
| Galleries on the project | Site photos lost in camera roll |
| In-app conversations | Trades scattered across WhatsApp |
| Recurring schedules | Forgotten deadlines and recurring checks |
| Document management | Lost contracts, certificates and warranties |
| Projects and timelines | No visibility of build progress |
| Built-in invoicing | Manual invoicing and chasing |
Feature benchmark
The honest comparison is not with rival platforms. It is with the tools most builds actually run on: WhatsApp, Google Drive, a spreadsheet, Notion. Every one of them is good at its own job; this table is only about how much of a build a single one of them can hold.
| Feature | Emalino | Google Drive | Excel / Sheets | Notion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photos kept with the build | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Shared task list with owners | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Shared schedule with reminders | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| Documents stored with the build | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Budget and cost tracking | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Invoicing | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Discussion attached to the task | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Mobile app | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Free to start | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| One place for the whole build | Supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
Detailed feature analysis
Each feature described in real-world context with honest limitations.
Plots and properties
What it does
The central record for every plot and building you own or run. Each one holds its own photos, documents, tasks, projects, teams, and history.
Why it matters
Everything about the build stays in one place, not scattered across email, phone and a folder in the site hut.
How EMALINO differs
Unlimited properties on all plans. 9 categories (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and more). A timeline that becomes the finished house's memory after handover.
Limitations
No integration with listing portals or MLS systems.
Tasks and snags
What it does
Track anything that needs to be done, from a wall that needs making good to the deadline for ordering windows.
Why it matters
Remarks made while walking the site become visible, trackable actions with a priority and a name against them.
How EMALINO differs
48 built-in labels. 6 statuses. 5 priorities. Task dependencies, so one job cannot start before the one it waits on is closed. Linked to properties, projects and schedules.
Limitations
No Gantt chart view.
Projects and stages
What it does
Group related work under one roof. Shell, services, fit-out, the snagging list before handover.
Why it matters
A build is not one job but a chain of stages. Each needs a clear start, progress and finish line.
How EMALINO differs
Unlimited projects. 11 types (renovation, repairs, gardening, maintenance and more). Own gallery, team, timeline and milestones.
Limitations
No visual Gantt board for projects.
Schedules
What it does
Set up work that repeats or needs to happen at a specific time. EMALINO creates the tasks for you.
Why it matters
Inspections, formal deadlines and seasonal checks never slip. The system remembers, during the build and long after it.
How EMALINO differs
Unlimited schedules. Frequencies: once, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, custom.
Limitations
No integration with external calendars (Google Calendar, iCal).
Teams and trades
What it does
Invite everyone involved in the build (a partner, site manager, main contractor, subcontractor) and share work in context.
Why it matters
No more forwarding screenshots or explaining last week's decision to each trade separately.
How EMALINO differs
Unlimited members on the free plan. Invite by email. Per-resource permissions: the electrician does not need to see your invoices.
Limitations
No built-in contractor directory or marketplace.
Photos and galleries
What it does
Build a visual history of the site. Progress shots, sign-off evidence, services photographed before they are covered up.
Why it matters
A photo of a pipe inside a wall, taken at the right moment, is worth more than a report, provided you can still find it two years later.
How EMALINO differs
Automatic GPS and camera data extraction, verifying the shot was taken on site. Short video clips. Up to 10 cover photos per property. Hierarchical galleries.
Limitations
1 GB on Free (100 GB to 5 TB on paid plans).
Documents
What it does
Store contracts, drawings, permits, certificates, warranties and invoices alongside the build they belong to.
Why it matters
At handover and at every warranty claim, what counts is whether the document can be found in a minute. Later the whole set travels with the house.
How EMALINO differs
PDF, Word, Excel, CSV. Documents attached to properties. OCR with full-text and semantic search. Ready to hand over at sale.
Limitations
Individual files capped at 10 MB on Free (50 MB to 500 MB on paid plans).
Messaging
What it does
Discuss the work on the task and stage it belongs to, not in a separate chat app.
Why it matters
A trade arriving mid-build sees the full history of what was agreed, with no more "scroll up in WhatsApp".
How EMALINO differs
Thread-based conversations. File attachments. Voice messages. Emoji reactions. Read receipts. Real-time delivery (WebSocket).
Limitations
No video calls or voice calls.
Assets and inventory
What it does
Track what goes into the building: heat pump, ventilation unit, boiler, appliances, smart-home devices.
Why it matters
You know what was installed, its serial number, and when the warranty started running.
How EMALINO differs
15 categories (appliances, electronics, HVAC, smart home and more). Custom data fields. Condition tracking.
Limitations
No barcode/QR code scanning.
Invoicing
What it does
Create invoices and credit notes directly from your workspace.
Why it matters
For a contractor, billing a completed stage is part of the job, so no separate tool is needed.
How EMALINO differs
Invoices with line items, tax rates, payment terms. Status tracking. Credit notes. PDF export.
Limitations
No automatic sync with accounting systems.
Mobile app
What it does
Full EMALINO on your phone, on Android and iOS. Snap photos on site, check tasks, message your team.
Why it matters
A build happens in mud and a hard hat, not at a desk.
How EMALINO differs
Native apps with full feature parity. Camera integration with batch photo uploads. Push notifications. Same account as web.
Limitations
A few advanced workspace settings are only available on the web.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- One platform for the whole build, from plot to handover
- Strong collaboration with built-in messaging
- Unlimited core features on free tier
- Native iOS and Android apps with full parity
Limitations
- Broader scope than simple task-only apps
- Learning curve for someone running one small build
- A general build tool, not a specialist estimating system
Pricing
Start free. Move up a step only when the build asks for it.
Free
€0/mo
One person running one build
1 workspace · 1 GB soft limit · 10 MB/file · ad-supported
- Unlimited properties & projects
- Tasks & recurring schedules
- Photo galleries & documents
- Built-in messaging
- Invoicing & credit notes
Plus
€7/mo
or €70/yr · two months free
A house build documented stage by stage
1 workspace · 100 GB · 50 MB/file
- Everything in Free
- 100 GB storage
- Custom branding
- Priority support
Pro
€16/mo
or €160/yr · two months free
Contractors and site managers running several builds
1 workspace · 1 TB · 200 MB/file · 14-day trial
- Everything in Plus
- 1 TB storage
- Larger file uploads
- Automated schedules
Premium
€34/mo
or €340/yr · two months free
Heavy photo and video records from site
1 workspace · 5 TB · 500 MB/file
- Everything in Pro
- 5 TB storage
- Priority processing
- Largest file uploads
Business
€14/mo per seat
or €140/yr per seat · two months free
Building firms and developers with several sites
Unlimited workspaces · pooled storage · 500 MB/file
- Everything in Premium
- Pooled storage across the team
- API access
- White-label branding
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Dedicated support
No credit card required
Alternatives and comparisons
Nobody picks these tools by mistake. They are simply what is already open on the phone when the diggers arrive. Here is how far each one carries a build, and where the rest of it quietly falls back on you.
EMALINO vs WhatsApp
WhatsApp is where a build really talks: instant, already on everyone's phone, and a photo of the rebar reaches you seconds after it is taken. What it never becomes is a plan: no task list with a name against each job, no budget, no invoices, and no way to find one decision again inside a thread that only remembers what came last.
EMALINO vs Google Drive
Google Drive is the quiet hero of a lot of builds: drawings, permits, quotes, certificates and site photos all in one shared folder, reachable from any phone, and nothing gets lost. But a folder is storage, not a plan. It will not say what happens next, when it is due, what it costs, or where the conversation about it ended up.
EMALINO vs Excel / Google Sheets
A spreadsheet is powerful, and for a build cost plan it is still hard to beat: trades, owners, costs and dates in exactly the columns you want, free and shared in one click. What it will not do is speak up: no reminder when a date slips, no invoice at the end, nowhere for the photo from site to go, and every conversation about the work still living somewhere else, which leaves the sheet only as true as the last person who remembered to update it.
EMALINO vs Notion
Notion is the strongest tool on this list. Given enough evenings you can build close to the site system you actually want: tasks with owners, dates that remind you, comments in the right place, all under one page. The cost is that you have to build and maintain that system yourself before the foundations are poured, it knows nothing about construction until you teach it, and it still cannot issue the invoice when a stage is signed off.
Frequently asked questions
Is Emalino good for someone building a house?
Yes. Emalino helps you track progress, collect photos from every stage, store contracts, certificates and warranties, and coordinate contractors, all in one place that stays with the house after handover.
Can contractors and site managers use Emalino?
Absolutely. Contractors can run jobs, document progress with photos, coordinate trades via built-in messaging, and invoice each completed stage.
Is Emalino free?
Yes. The Free plan never expires and stays genuinely unlimited on properties, projects and tasks, with photo galleries, documents, messaging and invoicing included; it is supported by ads. Paid plans are Plus at €7/mo, Pro at €16/mo, Premium at €34/mo, and Business at €14/mo per seat. Paying yearly costs ten months instead of twelve. Only Pro comes with a 14-day trial.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Pro includes a 14-day free trial, and no credit card is required to start.
Which languages does Emalino support?
The app is fully translated into English, German, Polish, and Dutch.
Does Emalino replace WhatsApp for site communication?
Yes. Emalino's built-in messaging keeps all conversations in context, attached to the right build, stage, or task, instead of scattered across chat apps.
Can I run several builds at once?
Yes. Emalino supports unlimited properties on every plan. Separate workspaces per development, however, are a Business-plan capability; every other plan has a single workspace.
Does Emalino work on site, on a phone?
Yes. Native iOS and Android apps with full feature parity: take photos, close tasks and message the team straight from the site.
Will Emalino remind me about recurring deadlines?
Yes. Set up recurring schedules for anything (servicing checks, heat-pump maintenance, seasonal inspections) and Emalino creates the tasks automatically, during the build and after it.
Ready to take control of your build?
Start freeNo credit card · Unlimited properties