The Startup Ideas Podcast

The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.

Permit Sync

For: Homeowners doing DIY renovations and small contractors

Buildability

The Problem

Homeowners get overwhelmed by complex permit paperwork requirements that vary by city, causing project delays and frustration

The Solution

Automated permit document generator that creates correctly filled forms and checklists based on city, project type, and square footage

Why Now?

AI makes document generation and form filling much easier to automate than before, and DIY renovation market is growing

Build MVP in 7 Days

Day 1

Scrape permit requirements for 5 major cities

Day 2

Build Next.js form with 3 questions: city, project type, square footage

Day 3

Create PDF generation with basic forms and checklists

Day 4

Set up Stripe payments and basic landing page

Day 5

Test with local Facebook renovation groups

How to Validate

Post in local Facebook groups asking if people would pay $99 for automated permit help

Create landing page and measure sign-up interest

Manually help 5 homeowners with permits to understand pain points

Check Google search volume for 'city name permit requirements'

Revenue Model

$99 one-time fee per project + $19/month SMS status updates, later $299/year for contractors with multi-address dashboard

Competitive Moat

Localization - adding 2+ new jurisdictions weekly creates geographic network effects and higher switching costs

Risks to Consider

Permit requirements change frequentlyLocal governments may not appreciate automationMarket may be seasonal with construction cyclesCompetition from established legal/permit services

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