The conversational layer for US residential building permits

US home renovation runs through one of the most fragmented administrative systems anywhere. 1.43 million residential permits were issued across the US in 2025, spread over 20,000 permit-issuing jurisdictions that each maintain their own forms, portals and submission rules. A typical filing takes days to weeks of manual back and forth, inside a 2.2 trillion dollar construction industry.

Zermit set out to become the conversational layer between renovation intent and permit submission. To get there it needed a product stack that could translate a plain-language project description into city-specific documents, verify them, and file them directly into the right municipal portal.

AlterSquare architected and built the product stack that turns project intent into city-specific permit execution: seven connected components behind one guided conversation.

• A conversational UI that lets homeowners describe their renovation in plain language.
• A city intelligence engine that adapts the workflow to each jurisdiction's requirements, documents and submission paths.
• A document generation pipeline that produces the exact city-specific paperwork required.
• GIS-backed address verification and direct portal submission integration.
• A dual AI plus human review layer that catches errors before filing, and a contractor marketplace that matches homeowners with local professionals.

• Seven connected components delivered as one seamless submission workflow, modular by design and unified for the user.
• Coverage of the seven most common over-the-counter residential permit types, from kitchen and bathroom remodels to general renovation.
• A two-sided platform: guided compliance for homeowners, high-intent leads for contractors at the exact moment project intent peaks.

Quantitative benefits

• From project description to city-ready permit submission in under 3 minutes.
• 99% claimed submission accuracy with AI plus human review.
• Zero paperwork required from the homeowner.
• Launched in Los Angeles in March 2026, with nationwide rollout planned across Dallas, Miami, New York and Chicago.