Frequently asked questions.

What is PermitPipeline?

PermitPipeline is early project intelligence for contractors. We rank new city permit filings by fit, timing, scope, and contractor match, then surface the projects most likely to be worth pursuing before the project team is set.

Who is this built for?

General contractors and specialty trades that want a clearer view of permit-backed projects forming in their market — especially estimators, business development teams, preconstruction teams, and owners of smaller contracting firms.

Do you sell permit data, or ranked projects?

Ranked projects. Raw permit data is noisy. Most contractors do not have time to sort through hundreds of filings to find the few that fit their trade, territory, and job-size range. PermitPipeline filters, scores, and organizes permit-backed projects so you can focus on the ones that matter.

Which cities do you cover?

NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami-Dade. We're adding cities monthly based on demand — if you want a city covered, email [email protected] and tell us which one.

Which trades do you support?

On the GC side: anyone bidding new construction, alterations, or major renovation. For specialty trades: plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, electrical, sprinkler/fire protection, structural, demolition, roofing, finishes, and envelope. If your trade isn't on this list, ask — most can be added.

How are projects scored?

Each filing gets an A+, A, or B grade based on project value, scope, trade fit, filing stage, freshness, and whether useful owner, architect, or contractor signals are available. A+ projects are the strongest fit; A and B are progressively less actionable.

How often is the data updated?

Every weekday. We pull fresh data from each city's building department overnight, score every new filing, and email subscribers their digest by the next morning. Weekends are quiet — most cities don't publish on Saturday or Sunday.

What does "estimated value" mean on a permit?

It's what the contractor or owner declared on the permit application — typically lower than the final construction cost. Expect actual costs to run 10–40% higher than declared. We surface declared value because it's the most consistent number across all four cities; treat it as a relative ranking, not an exact bid target.

What information comes with each project?

Each project includes the address, neighborhood, work description, estimated value, filing date, permit status, GC permittee if assigned, architect if listed, and owner name plus mailing address when available.

What does "GC permittee — not yet assigned" mean?

It means the permit was filed by an architect or engineer but no general contractor has been named yet. This is exactly the timing window the product is built for — you reach out to the owner or architect before the GC is locked in and the bid list closes.

What's the difference between the GC and Specialty Trade product?

The GC product highlights projects where the general contractor may not yet be set. The Specialty Trade product highlights projects likely to need your specific trade, including projects where a GC may already be named. Same permit data, different scoring logic.

How much does PermitPipeline cost?

Specialty Trades: Basic $99/mo, Pro $249/mo.
General contractors: Basic $149/mo, Pro $399/mo.

Pro plans add a searchable database, project history and saved project tracking, owner mailing addresses, architect data, and CSV export. Multi-city add-ons and annual prepay reduce the monthly rate. Full pricing is on each city page.

Is there a free trial?

Yes — every public plan includes a 14-day free trial. A credit card is required to start, and you can cancel anytime before the trial ends with no charge. After 14 days the plan auto-renews unless you cancel.

How do I cancel?

One click in your account settings, or reply to any email. We won't make you call. If you cancel mid-month, your access continues through the end of the billing period.

Why should I trust this is good data?

Because the data comes directly from city building departments — it's the same source municipal inspectors and developers use. We don't scrape or guess.

PermitPipeline was founded by a 20-year construction veteran (carpenter → estimator → project manager → owner's representative) who got tired of finding out about projects after they were already bid. Built for contractors. By contractors.