Roommate Expectations App - PRD

Executive Summary

A Progressive Web App (PWA) designed to transform written roommate expectations into a living, trackable system. Built for Gary Sheng and Dawson Carroll as they begin their new living arrangement at Hyde Park, Austin.

The core philosophy: Make expectations stupidly clear. No ambiguity. No "I thought you were going to do that." Just a shared source of truth that both roommates can reference and update in real-time.

Problem Statement

Roommate conflicts rarely stem from malice. They stem from:

Unclear expectations - "I didn't know that bothered you"
Memory gaps - "Whose turn was it to take out the trash?"
Invisible labor - "I always buy the dish soap"
Communication friction - Awkwardness around bringing up small issues before they become big ones

Traditional solutions (verbal agreements, posted lists on the fridge) fail because:

They're not accessible when you're at the store wondering "did we need paper towels?"
They don't track history
They require manual mental tracking of rotating responsibilities
They create friction around accountability

Solution Overview

A mobile-friendly web app that:

Codifies expectations - Every rule is visible, agreed-upon, and referenceable
Automates rotation tracking - The app knows whose turn it is
Creates accountability without awkwardness - The system does the reminding, not your roommate
Builds trust through transparency - Shared expense history, task completion logs

Target Users

Primary Users

Gary Sheng - Moving into Dawson's apartment at Hyde Park, Austin
Dawson Carroll - Current resident, podcast strategist, fellow Christian

User Context

Both are busy professionals with unpredictable schedules
Both value clear communication and have discussed expectations upfront
Both are Christians who want to "push each other towards Christ"
Both are technically literate and comfortable with apps

Core Features

1. Dashboard (Home Screen)

The first thing you see when opening the app. Shows at-a-glance status of everything that matters.

Components:

Your Turn Alert - Prominent banner if any rotating task is on you
Today's Cleaning Status - Quick view of daily checklist completion
Balance Summary - "Dawson owes Gary $14.50" or "All square"
Recent Activity Feed - Last 5 actions (tasks completed, expenses logged, guests announced)
Faith Encouragement - Daily verse or encouragement widget (optional, can be hidden)

Design Notes:

Should load in under 2 seconds
Everything important visible without scrolling on mobile
Dark mode default with light mode option

2. Rotating Tasks

Tracks "who did it last" for tasks that alternate between roommates.

Tasks to Track:

Task	Frequency	Notes
Regular trash	As needed	When full or stinking
Friday trash day	Weekly	Put out bins for pickup
Shared supplies purchase	As needed	Dish soap, detergent, hand soap, counter cleaner
Vacuuming	Weekly minimum	Common areas

For Each Task, Display:

Task name and icon
Who did it last
When they did it (relative time: "3 days ago")
Whose turn is next (prominently displayed)
History log (expandable)

Interactions:

One-tap "I did this" button
Confirmation dialog to prevent accidental taps
Optional: Add notes ("Bought the big bottle this time")

Logic:

Simple alternation: Gary → Dawson → Gary → Dawson
System automatically updates "next up" when task is marked complete
If same person does it twice in a row, that's fine (sometimes you just do it) but the system notes it

3. Daily Cleaning Checklist

Personal accountability for daily cleaning habits. Not about tracking each other, but about personal commitment to shared standards.

Daily Tasks:

Task	Rule
Dishes	Either drying on rack or in dishwasher by end of day
Dishwasher	Run it when full
Counters	Wipe after cooking
Cups	Don't leave empty cups lying around
Common area	Keep tidy by end of day
Leftovers check	Nothing older than 1 week in fridge

Behavior:

Resets at midnight each day
Each roommate checks off their own items
No nagging or notifications to the other person
Weekly summary shows completion rates (for self-reflection, not judgment)

Design:

Simple checkboxes
Satisfying animation on completion
Green checkmarks persist until midnight reset

4. Expense Tracker

Tracks shared expenses and calculates running balance.

Expense Categories:

Shared Supplies (rotating purchase responsibility)
- Dish soap
- Laundry detergent
- Hand soap
- Counter cleaner
- Paper towels
- Trash bags
- etc.
Utilities (split 50/50)
- Electric
- Internet
- Water (if applicable)

Expense Entry Fields:

Item/description (required)
Amount (required)
Category: Shared Supplies / Utilities / Other
Paid by: Gary / Dawson
Date (defaults to today)
Receipt photo (optional)

Balance Calculation:

For Shared Supplies: Track who bought what, running total
For Utilities: Enter total, auto-calculate 50% split
Display: Net balance ("Dawson owes Gary $X" or "All square")

Settlement:

"Settle Up" button to record when balance is paid
Settlement history log

Monthly Summary:

Total shared expenses
Breakdown by category
Who paid what

5. Guest Notifications

Simple visibility into when guests are expected. Not a permission system. Just a heads-up.

Fields:

Who's posting (auto-filled)
Brief message ("Friend coming over for dinner")
Date/time (optional, defaults to "today")

Display:

Reverse chronological feed
Shows: Who posted, message, when
Last 30 days visible, older archived

Rules Codified:

"If someone needs to crash, just communicate"
"Don't allow guests to use each other's things"
These appear as reminder text in the guest section

6. Move-In Todos

Shared checklist for one-time setup tasks.

Initial Items:

Move Gary in
Get second key made
Work out shared common space
Figure out rent payment method

Features:

Add new items
Mark complete (shows who completed, when)
Archive completed items
Can be repurposed for future projects (apartment improvements, etc.)

7. Expectations Reference

A static page that displays the full roommate expectations document. Always accessible. The source of truth.

Sections:

Core Values (Communicate well, Respect space, Push each other towards Christ)
Cleaning Standards
Expense Rules
Space Rules
Guest Etiquette

Design:

Clean typography, easy to read
Expandable sections
Last updated timestamp
Option to propose edits (creates a discussion item)

8. Faith Integration (Optional Feature)

Given the shared commitment to "push each other towards Christ," include optional faith elements.

Options:

Daily verse on dashboard (from API or curated list)
"Praying for you today" quick action
Weekly reflection prompt ("How did we honor God in our home this week?")
Can be fully hidden if preferred

Technical Architecture

Platform: Progressive Web App (PWA)

Why PWA over native:

Works on any device (iOS, Android, desktop)
No app store approval needed
Can be installed to home screen
Offline capable
Faster to build and iterate

Tech Stack

Component	Technology	Rationale
Framework	Next.js 14 (App Router)	Modern React, great PWA support, easy deployment
Styling	Tailwind CSS	Rapid UI development, consistent design
Database	Firebase Firestore	Real-time sync, generous free tier, easy auth if needed
Hosting	Vercel	Free tier, automatic deployments, great DX
PWA	next-pwa package	Simple service worker setup

Data Model (Firestore)

/config
  - roommates: ["gary", "dawson"]
  - createdAt: timestamp

/rotatingTasks/{taskId}
  - id: "trash"
  - name: "Take out trash"
  - icon: "🗑️"
  - lastDoneBy: "gary" | "dawson" | null
  - lastDoneAt: timestamp | null
  - nextUp: "gary" | "dawson"
  - history: [
      { by: "gary", at: timestamp, notes: "" },
      { by: "dawson", at: timestamp, notes: "" }
    ]

/cleaningLogs/{YYYY-MM-DD}
  - date: "2026-01-02"
  - gary: {
      dishes: true,
      counters: false,
      cups: true,
      commonArea: true,
      completedAt: timestamp
    }
  - dawson: {
      dishes: true,
      counters: true,
      cups: true,
      commonArea: true,
      completedAt: timestamp
    }

/expenses/{expenseId}
  - id: auto-generated
  - item: "Dish soap"
  - amount: 8.99
  - category: "shared" | "utilities" | "other"
  - paidBy: "gary" | "dawson"
  - date: timestamp
  - notes: ""
  - receiptUrl: "" (optional)
  - createdAt: timestamp

/settlements/{settlementId}
  - amount: 50.00
  - from: "dawson"
  - to: "gary"
  - date: timestamp
  - notes: "Venmo'd"

/guests/{guestId}
  - postedBy: "gary" | "dawson"
  - message: "Friend coming over for dinner"
  - expectedDate: timestamp
  - createdAt: timestamp

/todos/{todoId}
  - text: "Get second key made"
  - completed: false
  - completedBy: null | "gary" | "dawson"
  - completedAt: null | timestamp
  - createdAt: timestamp
  - createdBy: "gary" | "dawson"

Security Model

Simple approach (no auth):

App is accessible only via direct URL
URL not indexed by search engines
Firestore rules allow read/write from app domain only
Acceptable for two trusted roommates

If auth desired later:

Add Firebase Auth with email/password or Google
Each user authenticates
Firestore rules restrict to authenticated users

User Interface Design

Design Principles

Mobile-first - Primary use case is checking/updating from phone
One-tap actions - Common tasks require minimal interaction
Glanceable - Key info visible without drilling down
Dark mode default - Easier on eyes, modern aesthetic
No clutter - Every element earns its place

Bottom navigation bar with 5 items:

Home (Dashboard)
Tasks (Rotating tasks)
Clean (Daily checklist)
Money (Expenses)
More (Guests, Todos, Expectations, Settings)

Color Palette

Element	Color	Usage
Background	#0a0a0a	Dark base
Cards	#1a1a1a	Elevated surfaces
Primary	#22c55e	Actions, success states
Warning	#f59e0b	Attention needed
Danger	#ef4444	Overdue items
Text	#fafafa	Primary text
Muted	#71717a	Secondary text

Typography

Headings: Inter or similar geometric sans-serif
Body: System font stack for performance
Monospace: For amounts and dates

Key Screens Wireframes

Dashboard:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  🏠 Gary & Dawson           │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  ⚠️ YOUR TURN: Take out     │
│     trash                   │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  Today's Cleaning    3/5 ✓  │
│  [━━━━━━━━━━░░░]            │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  Balance         All square │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  Recent Activity            │
│  • Gary: Bought dish soap   │
│  • Dawson: Vacuumed         │
│  • Guest: Friend tmrw       │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  📖 "Iron sharpens iron..." │
└─────────────────────────────┘
│ 🏠  📋  🧹  💰  ⋯ │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Rotating Tasks:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  ← Rotating Tasks           │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  🗑️ Regular Trash           │
│  Last: Gary, 3 days ago     │
│  Next up: DAWSON            │
│            [I Did This]     │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  📦 Friday Trash Day        │
│  Last: Dawson, Jan 3        │
│  Next up: GARY              │
│            [I Did This]     │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  🧴 Shared Supplies         │
│  Last: Gary (dish soap)     │
│  Next up: DAWSON            │
│            [I Bought...]    │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│  🧹 Vacuuming               │
│  Last: Dawson, 5 days ago   │
│  Next up: GARY ⚠️           │
│            [I Did This]     │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Implementation Phases

Phase 1: Foundation (Day 1 Morning)

Initialize Next.js project with TypeScript
Configure Tailwind CSS with dark theme
Set up Firebase project and Firestore
Configure PWA manifest and service worker
Create basic layout and navigation shell
Deploy to Vercel

Phase 2: Core Features (Day 1 Afternoon)

Build Dashboard with placeholder data
Implement Rotating Tasks with full CRUD
Implement Daily Cleaning Checklist
Wire up Firebase real-time listeners

Phase 3: Expenses & More (Day 2 Morning)

Build Expense Tracker with balance calculation
Implement Guest Log
Implement Move-In Todos
Add Expectations reference page

Phase 4: Polish (Day 2 Afternoon)

Success Metrics

Functional Success

Both roommates can access the app from their phones
Real-time sync works (one person's action appears for the other)
PWA can be installed to home screen
App works offline for viewing (syncs when back online)

Adoption Success (1 month check-in)

App is used at least weekly by both roommates
Rotating task disputes: zero
"Whose turn was it?" questions: zero
Both roommates report feeling clarity around expectations

Relationship Success (3 month check-in)

No roommate conflicts related to tracked areas
Both report the system as helpful, not annoying
Optional: Positive impact on faith accountability

Future Enhancements (Not in V1)

Push notifications - "Reminder: Trash day tomorrow"
Recurring expense scheduling - Auto-log monthly utilities
Photo evidence - Before/after cleaning photos
Gamification - Streaks, achievements (maybe too much)
Multi-roommate support - Scale to 3+ people
Receipt OCR - Scan receipts to auto-fill expense
Integration with Venmo/Splitwise - Direct settlement
Calendar sync - Guest notifications to phone calendar

Risks and Mitigations

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
One person doesn't use it	Medium	High	Make it so simple there's no excuse. One-tap actions.
App feels like surveillance	Low	High	Focus on self-accountability, not tracking the other. No notifications about what the other person didn't do.
Over-engineering	Medium	Medium	Stick to the weekend timeline. Ship MVP first.
Firebase costs	Very Low	Low	Two users, minimal data. Free tier is more than enough.

Appendix A: Full Expectations Document

For reference, the complete roommate expectations as agreed upon:

Core Values

Communicate well and don't be afraid to.
Respect each other's space and things.
Push each other towards Christ!

Cleaning

Dishes either drying on rack or in dishwasher by end of day.
When dishwasher is full, run it.
Wipe counters after cooking.
Don't keep leftovers in fridge for longer than one week.
Vacuum at least one time a week.
Keep common area clean.
Don't leave empty cups lying around, either put them in dishwasher or clean and dry them.
When trash is stinking or full, take it out (rotating list).
Trash day is Friday morning; put out bins for pickup (rotating list).

Expenses

For shared use items, rotate buying (rotating list).
Split utilities down the middle.
Groceries are separate (ask before eating something the other bought).

Space

Keep common area clean by end of day.
Ask before using another's things unless specified.
Don't allow guests to use each other's things.

Guests

Text each other if someone will be coming over to give a heads up.
If someone needs to crash, just communicate with each other.

Appendix B: Project Structure

roommate-app/
├── app/
│   ├── layout.tsx              # Root layout with nav
│   ├── page.tsx                # Dashboard
│   ├── tasks/
│   │   └── page.tsx            # Rotating tasks
│   ├── cleaning/
│   │   └── page.tsx            # Daily checklist
│   ├── expenses/
│   │   ├── page.tsx            # Expense list & balance
│   │   └── add/page.tsx        # Add expense form
│   ├── guests/
│   │   └── page.tsx            # Guest log
│   ├── todos/
│   │   └── page.tsx            # Move-in todos
│   └── expectations/
│       └── page.tsx            # Full expectations doc
├── components/
│   ├── ui/
│   │   ├── Button.tsx
│   │   ├── Card.tsx
│   │   ├── Checkbox.tsx
│   │   └── ...
│   ├── Dashboard/
│   │   ├── YourTurnAlert.tsx
│   │   ├── CleaningStatus.tsx
│   │   ├── BalanceSummary.tsx
│   │   └── ActivityFeed.tsx
│   ├── Tasks/
│   │   └── TaskCard.tsx
│   ├── Expenses/
│   │   ├── ExpenseForm.tsx
│   │   └── ExpenseItem.tsx
│   └── Navigation.tsx
├── lib/
│   ├── firebase.ts             # Firebase config & init
│   ├── db.ts                   # Firestore helpers
│   ├── hooks/
│   │   ├── useTasks.ts
│   │   ├── useExpenses.ts
│   │   ├── useCleaning.ts
│   │   └── ...
│   └── utils.ts                # Date formatting, etc.
├── public/
│   ├── manifest.json           # PWA manifest
│   ├── icons/
│   │   ├── icon-192.png
│   │   └── icon-512.png
│   └── sw.js                   # Service worker (generated)
├── styles/
│   └── globals.css             # Tailwind imports
├── next.config.js              # Next.js + PWA config
├── tailwind.config.js
├── tsconfig.json
├── package.json
└── README.md

Appendix C: Firebase Setup Checklist

Create new Firebase project at console.firebase.google.com
Enable Firestore Database (start in test mode, lock down later)
Get web app config (apiKey, authDomain, projectId, etc.)
Create .env.local with Firebase credentials
Initialize collections with seed data

Firestore Rules (initial permissive, tighten later):

rules_version = '2';
service cloud.firestore {
  match /databases/{database}/documents {
    match /{document=**} {
      allow read, write: if true;
    }
  }
}

Document created: January 2, 2026 Authors: Gary Sheng, with AI assistance Status: Ready for implementation

Executive Summary​

Problem Statement​

Solution Overview​

Target Users​

Primary Users​

User Context​

Core Features​

1. Dashboard (Home Screen)​

2. Rotating Tasks​

3. Daily Cleaning Checklist​

4. Expense Tracker​

5. Guest Notifications​

6. Move-In Todos​

7. Expectations Reference​

8. Faith Integration (Optional Feature)​

Technical Architecture​

Platform: Progressive Web App (PWA)​

Tech Stack​

Data Model (Firestore)​

Security Model​

User Interface Design​

Design Principles​

Navigation​

Color Palette​

Typography​

Key Screens Wireframes​

Implementation Phases​

Phase 1: Foundation (Day 1 Morning)​

Phase 2: Core Features (Day 1 Afternoon)​

Phase 3: Expenses & More (Day 2 Morning)​

Phase 4: Polish (Day 2 Afternoon)​

Success Metrics​

Functional Success​

Adoption Success (1 month check-in)​

Relationship Success (3 month check-in)​

Future Enhancements (Not in V1)​

Risks and Mitigations​

Appendix A: Full Expectations Document​

Core Values​

Cleaning​

Expenses​

Space​

Guests​

Appendix B: Project Structure​

Appendix C: Firebase Setup Checklist​