PermitPipeline
Home / Construction leads

Construction Leads from Building Permit Data

Find permit-backed construction projects earlier, before they become obvious on bid boards.

Request 3 sample projects →No card needed. Or start a 14-day trial (card required, no charge for 14 days).

What construction leads from permit data are

A construction lead from permit data is a real project that has just entered the public record as a building permit filing. The filing usually shows the address, owner or applicant, architect, scope, declared value, and permit status, often weeks or months before the project shows up on a bid board. PermitPipeline scores these filings by fit, timing, scope, and trade so you can focus on the ones worth pursuing.

Why permit filings are earlier than bid boards

Bid boards surface a project once it is already packaged for bidding, when the bid list is forming and competition is high. A permit filing appears earlier, during the pre-bid window, when the owner and architect are usually in place but the contractor and trade team may still be forming. Reaching out then gives you a better chance to be early, not late.

Commercial construction leads from permit filings

PermitPipeline is built for commercial, multifamily, renovation, retrofit, and other permit-backed construction opportunities, not homeowner repair leads. If you chase commercial construction leads, tenant improvements, ground-up, gut renovations, or retrofit work, permit filings are where those projects first become visible.

Who it is for

What fields turn a filing into a lead

FieldWhat it tells you
Filing dateHow early you are. Recent filings are the most useful.
Owner and architectWho may be worth researching during the pre-bid window.
Scope and declared valueWhether the project fits your work and size.
GC / buyer signalsWhether a contractor is named yet, and who may control the package.
Example signal (illustrative): A mid-size commercial alteration filed this month names the owner and architect, with no GC named in the public filing yet. For a GC, that may be worth early owner or architect outreach. See how a filing becomes a lead.

How PermitPipeline scores leads

Instead of asking you to search city portals by hand, PermitPipeline reads new filings daily, scores them A+/A/B by fit and timing, and surfaces the projects that match your city, trade, and project size. It covers NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami-Dade. For the full method, read how to find construction leads from permit data.

About the data. PermitPipeline was built by Josh Steinman, who spent 20 years in construction as a carpenter, estimator, and project manager. It monitors public permit filings from the NYC Department of Buildings, the City of Chicago, San Francisco DBI, and Miami-Dade. Coverage and fields vary by jurisdiction, and a filing is an opportunity signal, not proof a project is open or awarded. Built for general contractors, specialty trades, business development, preconstruction, and estimating teams, focused on commercial, multifamily, renovation, and retrofit work, not homeowner repair leads.

Frequently asked

What are construction leads from permit data?

They are real projects that have just entered the public record as building permit filings, showing address, owner, architect, scope, value, and status, often before the project reaches a bid board. PermitPipeline scores them by fit and timing for contractors.

How is this different from a bid board or a post-issuance permit service?

Bid boards and post-issuance permit services surface projects once they are packaged for bidding. PermitPipeline focuses on the earlier permit-filing signal, during the pre-bid window, so you can reach the owner before the bid list is fully set.

Which cities are covered?

NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami-Dade today. Coverage and fields vary by jurisdiction.

See current projects that match your market

Tell us your city and trade. We will send 3 current, permit-backed matches. No card needed.

Request 3 sample projects →
Want the full daily feed? Start a 14-day trial.

Permit Insights, our free weekly brief

What just got filed, where the work is, and what the data shows.