Suite expansion board — similar, supporting, ancillary
Product context: One company · one plan-reading spine · peer products. Canonical framing: AI-first positioning · suite map.
Purpose: Ranked board of what to add next so we offer more buyer value without cloning five engines or inventing a second suite. Monetization + marketing live here with the ranks.
Not a public rate card · not Now work · not five new apps this quarter.
Updated: 2026-09-01
Companions: Lines of revenue · Suite backlog · Suite value · Marketing · Paul notes
Public: /docs/suite-expansion
How to read this board
The five peer products already on the board are Estym8, ColdEyes, PlanM8, Bodi, and SiteM8. This file is everything adjacent that still uses the same folder-native, evidence-or-abstain engine.
| Class | Meaning | Default packaging |
|---|---|---|
| Similar | New job + buyer that could look like a peer workflow app | Brand or a named mode on an existing product — brand only when GTM truly diverges |
| Supporting | Makes a current product much more valuable inside the same job | Mode, pack, export, or portal — not a sixth homepage |
| Ancillary | Money or access around the software (services, partners, channels, later regulated lanes) | Services line, partner, or thin export until the core five have a working path |
Rank score (1 = do next after the core five prove): spine fit × buyer value × time-to-cash × honesty (humans keep stamps / bid numbers) × GTM we already know how to run.
Gate before any new app: the parent product has an A0 golden path (suite autonomy). Do not start a diligence app, insurance app, or shop-drawing app to chase chrome.
1. Strategy in one page
| Principle | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deepen before you multiply brands | Estym8 seats and ColdEyes city licenses fund the suite. Expansion attaches to those wedges. |
| Mode / pack / export before a new brand | Owner diligence, addenda deltas, discipline packs, inspector exports — same spine, new output. |
| One company story, job-specific landings | Do not market twelve logos. Suite section + waitlist is enough until a product has A0. |
| Sell the work product, not “AI” | Completeness memo, citation comment log, organic takeoff, BOD with sources. |
| Services close cities; software compounds | Implementation, training, and grant packaging are ancillary revenue that unlocks ACV — not a consulting firm identity. |
| Never | Auto-stamp, city BOM, chatbot-only product, full Estym8 clone per vertical, selling city package contents, success-fee on permit value as the primary meter. |
Money order (unchanged): Estym8 seats → ColdEyes city license + implementation → PlanM8 firm seats → Bodi bundle → SiteM8 site credits → then this board, in the ranks below.
2. Similar products (ranked)
New jobs that look like the suite: distinct buyer, structured workflow, AI assist inside it.
| Rank | Idea | Buyer | Job | Package | Why this rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Owner / CM bid-package diligence | Owners, CMs, developer’s reps | Completeness, conflicts, scope gaps before award — no BOM | Estym8 Diligence mode first; brand only if owner GTM needs its own landing | Highest unowned value next to takeoff; folder intelligence already points here |
| S2 | Applicant pre-check | GC / A/E / developers submitting | “Will the city bounce this?” before submit | Inside ColdEyes (dual-sided) + PlanM8 city-style packs — not a third municipal brand | Same rules as city review; attach revenue on both sides of one pursuit |
| S3 | Outsourced plan-check firm workspace | 3rd-party examiners serving many AHJs | Multi-city queues, comment logs, back-check | ColdEyes multi-tenant / memberships | Faster volume than town-by-town; needs memberships (PM8-28) |
| S4 | Campus / institutional AHJ | Universities, hospital systems, federal campuses | Internal “building department” | ColdEyes shared-AHJ config | Same product, different procurement; high ACV, slow cycle |
| S5 | Third-party peer review | Structural / code peer reviewers | Comment log + back-check without being the AHJ | ColdEyes tenant or PlanM8 hybrid | Strong if PlanM8 comment primitives exist; do not fork a “PeerM8” |
| S6 | Design-build bridging workspace | Design-build GC + A/E on one pursuit | Shared folder, takeoff + pre-issue QA, one audit story | Bundle Estym8 + PlanM8 (linked org) — not a new engine | Packaging + auth (B2), not a sixth product |
Do not rank as similar (wrong job): another estimating brand, municipal cost estimating, “Estym8 for plumbers” as a clone, chatbot plan-Q&A as the product.
3. Supporting products (ranked)
These make Estym8 / ColdEyes / PlanM8 / Bodi / SiteM8 obviously more valuable. Prefer shipping them into those apps.
| Rank | Idea | Parent | Job | Package | Why this rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Addenda / revision / bid-day delta | Estym8 (+ PlanM8) | What changed between issues; what the takeoff / QA must reopen | Revision memory + delta memo | Estimators lose days on Friday addenda; spine already classifies folders |
| P2 | Shop drawing / submittal vs issued set | Estym8 (CA / buyout) | Drawn vs approved / shop-set gaps | Estym8 CA depth — not ColdEyes | Natural after estimate-to-submittal; GC money in buyout |
| P3 | Sub bid-leveling vs organic takeoff | Estym8 | Compare sub quotes to drawn quantities | Leveling grid on the estimate | Incredible GC value; honesty = organic counts first, then bids |
| P4 | Discipline rule packs (fire, accessibility, energy / IECC) | ColdEyes + PlanM8 | Edition-locked findings beyond completeness | Annual pack add-on | Completeness alone under-monetizes compliance; after citation UX (S5) |
| P5 | Spec vs drawing gap memo | Estym8 | Productize folder cross-file intel into a named deliverable | Export / “Diligence lite” | Already partial; naming it sells it |
| P6 | Model audit (Revit / BIM) | Shared spine; flagship ColdEyes + PlanM8 | PDF ↔ model consistency; measured vs required or not judged | Module S8 — not a chatbot HUD | Partner signal is strong; spike before GA; do not block takeoff |
| P7 | ROM / ITB chase-vs-pass | Estym8 | Which of ~200 monthly invites deserve a full run | Already in product (runDepth) — finish promote + $ band | Supporting, not new; still the highest Estym8 attach |
| P8 | Inspector field pack | ColdEyes | Deficiency + evidence export for inspections | Thin export from comment log | Paul module; cheap once comment log exists |
| P9 | Trade-partner portal | Estym8 | Subs see only their scope / sheets / counts | Seat add-on or guest link | Retention; don’t build until Firm orgs exist |
| P10 | Prefab / modular shop-set check | PlanM8 pack | Fabrication set vs design intent | Niche pack | High value, thin market; after PlanM8 A0 |
| P11 | CA drawing conformance | PlanM8 later | Field RFI / sketch vs issued set | Later phase | After pre-issue QA is trusted |
| P12 | Closeout / punch vs record set | Estym8 → facility precursor | Record drawings vs punch | Export mode | Bridge to ancillary ops; not a construction-PM product |
4. Ancillary products (ranked)
Around the software: services, partners, channels, regulated-later lanes.
| Rank | Idea | Buyer | Job | Package | Why this rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Implementation / config / training | Cities first; then firms | Checklist, editions, comment library, staff onboarding | One-time or annual services | Closes ColdEyes deals; often grant-funded; do this as soon as a city pays |
| A2 | Grant-packaging assist | Cities | CalAPP / DIGIT-class narratives | Services, not software | Same motion as A1; unlocks license ACV |
| A3 | Jurisdiction / code-edition packs | Cities + A/E | Maintained adopted-code + amendment packs | Annual subscription | Recurring attach once S6 exists |
| A4 | Insurance / surety assist | Carriers, brokers | Risk flags with sheet evidence — not “approved for coverage” | Partner / white-label after citation UX | Real money, regulated messaging; partner-first |
| A5 | Lender / special-inspector pack | Lenders, SI agencies | Drawn vs claimed; deficiency lists | Export on diligence or ColdEyes | Thin; do not staff a lending product |
| A6 | Coop / state catalog channel | Purchasing coops | Faster city procurement | Channel, not a product | TXShare-class; accelerates ColdEyes |
| A7 | Managed review (SaaS + examiners) | Small AHJs | Platform + contracted reviewers | High ACV, ops-heavy | Optional; only if we want a services org |
| A8 | Facility / as-built ops inventory | Owners, facility managers | Device/system inventory from record drawings | Later product or Estym8 export | Takeoff-like counts, different buyer; after precon proof |
| A9 | Commissioning (Cx) drawing checklist | CxA / owners | Drawing-derived Cx items with citations | Pack on diligence / Estym8 | Valuable; after P5 |
| A10 | Special inspection agency workspace | SI firms | Deficiency lists + evidence | Thin ColdEyes cousin or A5 export | Overlaps A5; don’t double-brand |
| A11 | Estym8 trade depth packs | GC / estimators | Concrete, openings, etc. beyond MEP core | Vertical add-on | After MEP trust (E15) |
| A12 | HOA / private design-review board | Private DRBs | Lighter completeness + guidelines | ColdEyes lite | Only if inbound demand; easy to distract |
| A13 | Lighting-vendor / manufacturer calibration | Vendors + GC | Symbol QA against human schedules | Estym8 ops / P9 | Supporting data, not a customer SKU |
5. How we monetize
Meters stay illustrative until pilots lock them. Prefer one primary meter per product. Detail for the five peers: SUITE_LINES_OF_REVENUE.md.
5.1 Default meters by class
| Class | Primary meter | Secondary | Avoid as primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similar workflow app | Annual seats or org license (Firm / city band) | Package or site credits | Success fee on permit or bid value |
| Supporting mode | Included in parent tier or Firm add-on | Overage on extra deltas / packs | A second subscription for the same user |
| Discipline / code pack | Annual pack per jurisdiction or code family | Multi-pack bundle | Per-finding fees (feels like a tax) |
| Export pack (inspector, lender, Cx) | Per-export credit or included in Firm | — | Per-page (Jonas: pages are not equal) |
| Services | Fixed SoW (config + training) | Annual “pack refresh” | Hourly that never ends |
| Partner (insurance / surety) | Seat license to the carrier or revenue share on underwriting assists | — | Claiming coverage decisions |
5.2 Attach math (how expansion makes the core worth more)
| Move | Who pays | Why it raises willingness-to-pay |
|---|---|---|
| Diligence mode on Estym8 | Owner/CM or GC precon selling a cleaner package | New buyer on the same folder run |
| Applicant pre-check | Submitter credits after city is live | City stays “free enough”; applicants pay for speed |
| Discipline packs | City and PlanM8 firm | Same pack sold twice (staff vs pre-submit) — honest dual GTM |
| Addenda delta | Estym8 Studio/Firm | Saves the Friday panic; keep inside the seat |
| Bid-leveling | Estym8 Firm | Turns takeoff into buyout; enterprise conversation |
| Implementation | City | Unlocks the license; often a different budget line |
| Bundle Estym8 + Bodi / PlanM8 | Same org | One pursuit, two jobs, one login (B2 / S*) |
5.3 Packaging rule
- Ship the deliverable (memo, log, grid, export).
- Price it as a mode or pack on the parent.
- Brand it only when the buyer would not buy the parent (owner diligence vs estimator Estym8; carrier vs GC).
- Never five Stripe products that are the same PDF ingest with a different CSS theme.
5.4 What we will not sell
City cost estimating · auto-approve / auto-deny · chatbot-only · anonymized municipal package contents · success-fee on permit value as the headline meter · “approved for coverage” · PE stamp replacement.
6. How we market
6.1 Voice and surfaces
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
One company, job-named landings (already: /, /coldeyes, /planm8, /bodi, /sitem8) | Twelve brands in the hero |
| Completeness, organic counts, citation, human ownership | “AI suite that does everything” |
| Waitlist + request access until A0 exists | Fake GA, live case counts, scarcity |
Suite section on each landing (#suite-products) | ColdEyes stamp language on Estym8, bid-day language on ColdEyes |
Public copy rules: MICROCOPY_GUIDELINES.md. Psychology: UX_PSYCHOLOGY_GUIDELINES.md.
6.2 Channel by buyer (when that rank is in market)
| Buyer | Product ranks | Where they listen | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| GC / estimators | Estym8, P1–P3, P7, P9 | r/estimators, LinkedIn precon, NECA / AGC, Advancing Preconstruction | Time-to-number; addenda delta; ROM chase-vs-pass |
| City / AHJ staff | ColdEyes, S2–S4, A1–A3, A6 | ICC chapters, league of cities, plan-check associations, grants | Incomplete-package hours back; staff keep the stamp |
| Outsourced examiners | S3 | Same as cities + consultant networks | Multi-AHJ queue |
| A/E / design agencies | PlanM8, P4, P6, P10–P11, S6 | AIA, ACEC, Paul / design-partner path | Issues caught pre-issue; city-style pre-submit |
| ICT / LV | Bodi | BICSI, security/AV integrators | BOD from sources, not re-keying |
| Architects / developers | SiteM8, S1 | ULI, developer precon, AIA practice | Go/no-go with citations |
| Owners / CMs | S1, P5, A8–A9 | CMAA, owner precon forums | Diligence memo before award |
| Carriers / brokers | A4 | Wholesale brokers, surety associations — via partner | Evidence pack; underwriter stays in the loop |
Estym8-only channel detail stays in MARKETING_AND_OUTREACH.md. ColdEyes city motion: ops/coldeyes-marketing-plan.md.
6.3 Content that actually sells expansion
Lead magnets should be the work product, not a newsletter:
| Rank | Asset | CTA |
|---|---|---|
| S1 / P5 | One-page “bid-package completeness” checklist (disciplines, index, addenda) | Request Estym8 access — diligence is a mode later |
| S2 | “Will the city bounce this?” self-score (title block, index, code edition) | ColdEyes / PlanM8 waitlist |
| P1 | “Friday addenda” one-pager (what to re-open on a takeoff) | Estym8 |
| P4 | Honest “what a fire/accessibility pack is not” (no auto-stamp) | City / A/E waitlist |
| A1 | Grant-budget line samples (software + implementation) | ColdEyes conversation |
Do not invent city names, live case counts, or social proof. Do not pulse CTAs.
6.4 Sequencing GTM (do not market the whole board)
| Phase | Market | Silence |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Estym8 takeoff + ROM; ColdEyes waitlist as permit review (not estimating) | Insurance, facility ops, HOA, managed review |
| City A0 | Implementation + grant packaging (A1–A2); applicant pre-check as a sentence, not a campaign | Multi-brand ads |
| PlanM8 A0 | Pre-issue QA + city-style packs; design-build bundle with Estym8 | Prefab, CA, peer-review brands |
| After citation UX | Discipline packs, inspector export, owner diligence mode | Carrier product until a partner is named |
| Later | Facility inventory, Cx, HOA lite | Anything that needs a new engine |
6.5 Bundle narrative (sales, not ads)
- Same pursuit: Estym8 takeoff + PlanM8 pre-issue + ColdEyes city review — three jobs, one spine.
- Same org: Estym8 + Bodi on an ICT-heavy bid.
- Same site: SiteM8 go/no-go → PlanM8 schematic QA (F21).
Sell that in conversations and investor optionality. Do not put three full buttons in a hero.
7. Roadmap placement (when ranks become work)
Execution stays in SUITE_BACKLOG.md §9. This table is the promote rule, not a second Now queue.
| When | Promote |
|---|---|
| Estym8 organic trust + Firm orgs | P1 addenda delta, P5 named gap memo, P7 ROM finish |
| ColdEyes comment log + notify loop (A0) | S2 applicant sentence → credits later; P8 inspector export; A1 services rate card |
| PlanM8 A0 (checklist + findings) | P4 first discipline pack; S6 bundle story |
| Shared citation primitives (S5) + jurisdiction schema (S6) | P4 priced packs; A3 edition packs |
| Owner inbound or slow city GTM | S1 Diligence mode (decide brand after 3 logos) |
| Memberships (PM8-28) | S3 outsourced examiners |
| Revit spike bar met (S8) | P6 GA decision |
| Citation UX trusted + counsel | A4 partner conversations only |
Do not promote A7 managed review, A12 HOA, or a new brand until the parent A0 is boringly reliable.
8. Working decisions
- S1: Estym8 Diligence mode vs separate landing/brand
- S2: when (if ever) applicant credits vs city-only SaaS
- P3 bid-leveling: Firm-only vs Studio
- P4 first pack: fire vs accessibility vs energy
- A4: named partner vs wait
- A7: in-house examiners ever, or never
Keep this file and SUITE_LINES_OF_REVENUE.md §5 in sync.
9. Doc map
| Doc | Role |
|---|---|
| This file | Ranked similar / supporting / ancillary + monetize + market |
SUITE_LINES_OF_REVENUE.md | Meters for the five peers + services |
product/plan-intelligence-skus.md | Job map for branded products |
SUITE_BACKLOG.md | Execution IDs (including §9 expansion) |
MARKETING_AND_OUTREACH.md | Estym8 channels |
ops/coldeyes-marketing-plan.md | ColdEyes city GTM |
Document history
| Date | Note |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | Ranked expansion board; monetization + marketing; roadmap promote rules |