How to Find Construction Leads Using Building Permits

Start with new-build permits in your delivery or service area. Check the project type, application date, status, and work description. Then confirm who makes the buying decision and whether the package is open. That call determines whether you should quote, ask to join the bid list, or follow up later.

What does the permit status tell you?

The status tells you where the permit sits in the city’s process: applied, issued, in inspection, or closed. It does not tell you whether the builder has chosen a supplier or sub for your package, so treat it as a reason to call. Both Austin records compared below read Active. The dates and the work description show how far apart those two projects are.

Applied or under review: Check whether the project fits your territory and ask when the plans will be ready for pricing. Set a follow-up date if the scope is still moving.
Issued or active: Verify the project stage with the contractor. If the package is open, ask for the plans and quote deadline. If it has been awarded, ask when the next phase or job will go out for pricing.
In inspection: Check which part of the job the inspection covers. Rough-in and finish packages can be at different stages on the same job.
Final, expired, or withdrawn: Review whether to close the lead or follow up on another phase. Keep the builder relationship if there is a fit for future work.

Jurisdictions name and expose stages differently. Austin publishes issued records, while Seattle’s dataset includes in-progress and issued applications. Austin Issued Construction Permits · Seattle Building Permits

Compare two Austin permits: call, follow up, or pass

Both records come from Austin’s issued-permit dataset. Status and dates are the city’s, checked November 14, 2026. Days since issue are counted to that date.

Permit	Work	Status and dates	Decision
2026-142754 BP	New two-story single-family house with four bedrooms, an attached four-car garage, and a covered porch and patio. The description names a production builder.	Active. Applied October 14, 2026. Issued November 2, 2026, 12 days before we checked.	Call.
2026-117661 BP	Addition and remodel to an existing single-family home, including a new attached carport with storage.	Active. Applied August 4, 2026. Issued September 9, 2026, 66 days before we checked.	Follow up on finish packages, or pass.

2026-142754 BP: call

The permit is new and the description names a production builder. If the job fits your territory and size, call. Ask who buys your package and whether the builder keeps an approved-vendor list. The city issued the permit on November 2. Ask the builder whether the package is still open.

2026-117661 BP: follow up on finish packages, or pass

The city issued this addition on September 9, so early packages may already be placed. Finish work such as windows, doors, flooring, or cabinets can still be open, so a sub or supplier in those trades can call and ask. A rough-framing supplier can follow up on the builder’s next job. Pass if your minimum order or service area excludes additions. The record does not show whether the builder, the owner, or another contractor buys your package, so ask.

Three checks before you call

Check the project fit. A single-family job may fit a window supplier’s delivery route or a plumbing crew’s capacity. Ask for the scope before allocating time to an estimate.
Read both dates. An issue date can bring an earlier application back to your attention. Ask how far the project has progressed and when the buyer expects to make the award.
Verify the buying role. Find the builder or general contractor through the official record or a public business listing. Ask whether the builder, installer, or another contractor buys your package.

Ask the questions that earn the quote or bid

Suppliers. Who buys this package? Can you send the current schedule and specs? When do you need pricing and delivery?
Subcontractors. Are you still taking bids for this scope? Who handles prequalification? What stage and crew dates are you planning for?

Record the permit number, source date, person responsible for the package, and the next decision. Treat related building and trade filings as one opportunity until the contractor tells you they are separate jobs.

What if a permit search misses the work?

Local rules and the scope of the public dataset determine which records you can see. Radar tracks eligible new-build records in supported jurisdictions. For other work, start with where building permits miss remodeling jobs. Lumberyard teams can use the lumber sales permit data guide for additional field-level checks.