Who Built This
I'm Alex Colombo, an electronics technician and software developer based in Westchester County, NY. My day job involves troubleshooting complex systems — mechanical, electrical, networking, software — and understanding how different parts of a system connect to each other. That same skillset is what I bring to building data tools.
I've spent over two years building production software with AI tools. I built ShowFloor.ai, a SaaS product that helps flooring contractors visualize custom epoxy blends on real photos — a tool that a contractor used to close a $15,000 deal. I've built clinical decision support tools for physicians. I understand what it takes to ship a working product that real people depend on.
Why I Built PermitBeam
I saw a gap: insurance agents and contractors in NYC have no easy way to track what's being built and renovated in their territory. Every time someone pulls a building permit, it creates an opportunity — for insurance agents to update coverage, for contractors to find leads, for real estate pros to spot market trends.
That data is public. It's sitting in NYC government databases. But it's scattered across three different systems (DOB NOW, BIS, and ECB), each with their own API, their own data format, and their own update schedule. Nobody has time to check three databases every day and filter by ZIP code.
Enterprise tools like BuildFax (acquired by Verisk for $80 million) proved the market for permit intelligence. But BuildFax serves carriers like State Farm at enterprise pricing. PermitBeam serves independent agents at a fraction of the cost, with the same underlying government data.
Data Sources
Transparency matters. Here's exactly where PermitBeam gets its data — no black boxes, no proprietary estimates.
DOB NOW: Build
The city's current permitting system. New building permits, job filings, and approved permit records across all five boroughs. PermitBeam captures approved filings within 1-2 business days.
BIS (Building Information System)
The legacy database with historical permits and expiration data. PermitBeam monitors BIS for permits approaching expiration, flagging them 30 days before the recorded date.
ECB (Environmental Control Board)
Active violations issued by the Department of Buildings — work without a permit, unsafe conditions, code violations. Violations appear in digests within 3-5 business days of being issued.
Westchester Municity5
Permit filings from five Westchester County municipalities: Yonkers, New Rochelle, Ossining, Peekskill, and Mamaroneck Village. Pulled from official Municity5 permitting systems.
Methodology
Every permit in your digest goes through a scoring algorithm that classifies it as high, medium, or low insurance relevance based on the type of work (renovation, structural, mechanical, etc.) and the estimated project cost. A $179K kitchen renovation is flagged as high-value because it likely requires updated replacement cost, builder's risk coverage, or construction liability endorsements. A $2K plumbing repair is flagged as low because it rarely affects a homeowner's insurance needs.
The full details — data pipeline steps, scoring criteria, data freshness timelines, and known limitations — are documented on the methodology page.
What the data can tell you
Property address, owner name, work description, estimated project cost, permit type, filing date, approval date, and insurance relevance tier. For violations: the violation type, issuing date, and current status.
What the data cannot tell you
Contact information (phone numbers, emails), whether the property owner has existing insurance coverage, or whether the work description is accurate (it is self-reported by the applicant). Roughly 15-20% of permit filings have no cost data. Many NYC properties list LLC names rather than individual owner names.
How It Works
You tell us the ZIP codes you care about. We monitor the government databases daily and compile a digest of every new building permit, renovation filing, code violation, and expiring permit in your territory. You get it in your inbox — clean, organized by relevance, and ready to act on.
No login required. No dashboard to learn. Just the data you need, delivered where you already work: your email.
Who It's For
PermitBeam was designed for professionals whose livelihood depends on knowing what's happening in their territory:
Insurance agents who need to know when a client's property is being renovated, or when a new building permit signals a coverage opportunity. One permit upsell from a $179K renovation yields $800-2,000 in annual premium.
Contractors and subcontractors looking for leads on active job sites and renovation projects in their area. Permit data shows you exactly where work is happening and what kind of work it is.
Real estate professionals tracking market activity, renovation trends, and neighborhood development patterns. Permit volume by ZIP code is a leading indicator of property value changes.
Get in Touch
Questions, feedback, or partnership inquiries — I read every email.
hello@permitbeam.com