Most contractors rely on two or three lead sources and leave the rest on the table. Here are nine ways to find new construction work — residential and commercial — ranked roughly by cost-effectiveness for a small-to-mid Southeast Michigan contractor.
1. Referrals and repeat customers
Still the best leads there are: no acquisition cost, high close rate, low price resistance. The limit is volume and timing. Systematize it, but do not depend on it alone.
2. Building permit data
Every permitted project is a real, funded job at a known address. Permits are public record, most competitors do not watch them, and they surface early. Cost: DIY, or a monitoring service from about $99/month. See How to Get Construction Leads from Building Permits.
3. General contractor and builder relationships
For subs, a handful of active GCs can fill a schedule. Find them by name on permits — new-construction permits list the GC — then call to get on their bid list. See GC and new construction leads.
4. Bid boards and plan rooms
ConstructConnect, Dodge, local AGC and ABC plan rooms. Good for commercial GCs and larger subs. Downsides: you bid against everyone else on the board, and subscriptions are expensive.
5. Shared-lead marketplaces
Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, Modernize. Fast to start, but leads are resold to multiple contractors and cost $30 to $150 each. See alternatives to Angi Leads.
6. Local SEO and Google Business Profile
Ranking for “[trade] contractor [city]” and showing in the map pack produces inbound, higher-intent leads. Slow to build, compounding once it works.
7. Paid search
Google Local Services Ads charge per lead and show at the top of results. Google Ads gives more control. Both work; both need budget and management.
8. Door-to-door and neighborhood marketing
When you are doing a job, the neighbors are your warmest market. Pairing this with permit data — who nearby just pulled a permit — sharpens it.
9. Networking: suppliers, associations, trade groups
Supply houses know who is busy and who is hiring subs. Associations run bid networks and member directories.
How to combine them
- Foundation: referrals + Google Business Profile + local SEO.
- Pipeline: permit data, daily, filtered to your trade and cities.
- Fill-in: paid search or a shared-lead service when you have capacity to burn.
FAQ
What is the cheapest way to find construction jobs?
Referrals and permit data. Both beat per-lead marketplaces on cost per booked job for most contractors.
How do subcontractors find new construction to bid?
Get named on GC bid lists. Identify active GCs from new-construction building permits, then contact them directly.
Related
How to Get Construction Leads from Building Permits · Best Construction Lead Services in 2026, Compared · Permit leads by trade
Request access to Build Siren — daily permit leads for Southeast Michigan contractors, from $99/month. Call (248) 290-8979.