The HQ — Dumbville's hub between Jobs
A free-roam area where Beans hang out before jobs — and the fastest designed grind zone for two certifications.
What the HQ is
The HQ is the game's hub space — a scene with reusable objects and props where crews hang around before starting a Job. It is the no-Job area on the map list: no objective timer, no survival goal, pure sandbox furniture and tool belt play.
The certified use: nail-grind zone
Community guides flag the HQ as the intended fast route for Nailed It (nail 100 objects): load into the HQ, fire the Nailgun at every loose object, reload the scene when you run out of props. Two certifications can be ground here without touching a Job.
Player questions about HQ activities
Players also try HQ-flavored build tasks — display grows of “build a piece of art at HQ” type queries. Beyond the nail-grind, no HQ-specific objective, checklist or reward is documented in official material or community clips, so we do not publish invented HQ tasks: the nail counter and free building are what is verifiably there.
Unverified details
- Whether HQ objects reset automatically when re-entering or only on menu reload — reported as menu-reload, no official note.
- Whether any hidden HQ props exist (community lore in Discord is qualitative and unverifiable).
FAQ
Common questions about this topic.
What is the HQ in Dumb Ways to Build?
The hub area between Jobs — a free-build scene with loose objects where crews gather and where two certifications can be ground.
Can you build in the HQ?
Yes — the nail-gun grind and free building are verified there per community guides.
Are there secrets in the HQ?
None are documented officially; no reliable report pins one, so we publish none.
Does HQ progress count for achievements?
Yes for the nail-based ones — the community Nailed It route is done in the HQ.