University of Utah computer science students Rishen Cao, Quinn Pritchett, Mel Umble, and Eric Zhuo are streamlining renter communications with their app, Roof. The app connects landlords and renters to streamline payments, maintenance requests, and other communications.
The idea came from Umble’s frustrations with her own landlord.
“I would have super long text message threads, and I wasn’t able to communicate effectively with him,” Umble said.
Roof solves that problem by consolidating all communications in one place. The app allows renters to submit maintenance requests, view their rental documents, and talk to their landlord. There are also community features to enhance roommate relations, allowing roommates to post chore charts and other similar items.
The app started as a capstone project, but the team has seen the potential to take Roof even further. They have a fully developed app, and they are putting the final touches on it before its official launch.
“Getting the app on the app store would be a great achievement for a team coming out of a capstone project,” Pritchett said. “It shows that we can do more than the 80% required for the course — the last 20% is the majority of the work.”
Their ultimate goal is to get the app onto the app store and start generating revenue.
“We’re looking into putting together a business-model,” Zhuo said. “It’s a challenge, because none of our background are too business-centered, but that’s one of the next steps.”
Looking forward, the team is thinking of new ideas and features to add to the app, including the possibility of a subscription model with premium features.
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