Every real construction project leaves a paper trail before the first truck shows up: a permit. For contractors, that permit is one of the highest-intent leads available — it means a specific project, at a specific address, is funded and scheduled. This guide covers where permit data comes from, how to read it, and how to turn it into booked work.
Why building permits are better leads than shared leads
Shared-lead platforms sell the same homeowner inquiry to several contractors at once. You pay per lead, you compete on price against three or four others, and a large share of those inquiries never had real budget behind them.
A building permit is the opposite:
- It is verified intent. The homeowner or GC paid a permit fee and filed plans. The project is happening.
- It is exclusive by default. Most of your competitors are not monitoring permits, so you are often the only one calling.
- It has the details. Address, scope of work, sometimes the estimated value, and the name of whoever pulled the permit.
- It is early. Permits are typically issued before work starts — and demolition permits show up weeks before the new-build permit.
Where building permit data comes from
Building permits are issued at the local level — city, township, or county building departments — not the state. In Southeast Michigan that means dozens of separate jurisdictions, each with its own system:
- Many communities use online portals such as BS&A Online, Accela Citizen Access, or eTRAKiT.
- Some publish permit reports or council-agenda attachments.
- All of them must release permit records on request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
- Regionally, SEMCOG compiles residential building permit counts for Southeast Michigan — useful for trends, but not address-level leads.
How to read a building permit
A typical permit record includes the address, the permit type (building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, demolition), the description or scope, the estimated job cost, the applicant or contractor, the owner, and the issue date. The two fields that decide whether a permit is a good lead: scope (is this the kind of work you do at the size you want?) and applicant (is a competitor already named, or is it open?).
A step-by-step process for permit-based lead gen
- Define your box. Trades and scopes you want, job-size range, and the exact cities or counties you will drive to.
- List your jurisdictions. Every city and township in your service area, plus their permit-lookup method.
- Pull new permits on a schedule. Daily is ideal; weekly at minimum. Filter to your scope.
- Score and prioritize. Rank by value, by “no contractor named,” and by time-sensitivity.
- Reach out fast. A letter or door hanger for homeowner-pulled residential permits; a call or email to the GC for new-construction and commercial permits.
- Track it. Log every permit, contact attempt, and outcome so you learn which permit types actually convert for you.
What to say when you reach out
- Homeowner-pulled remodel or addition permit: “I saw you are planning a project at [address]. We do a lot of that work in [city] — happy to give you a second bid or answer questions, no pressure.”
- New-construction or commercial permit (call the GC): “I see you pulled the permit for [project]. Have you awarded the [your-trade] scope yet? We are local and can turn a bid around quickly.”
- Demolition permit: “Saw the demo permit at [address] — are you the builder on the new structure? We would like to bid the [your-trade] work when it is ready.”
The catch — and how to solve it
Doing this by hand across a real Southeast Michigan service area means checking 15 to 40 separate portals every day, each with a different interface. Most contractors start strong and quit within a month.
That is what Build Siren does automatically: it monitors building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties, filters to your trade, scores each lead, and emails you one report every weekday morning in HTML, PDF and CSV.
FAQ
How much do permit leads cost compared to shared leads?
A single shared lead can run $50 to $150 and is sold to multiple contractors. A permit-monitoring subscription for a whole metro and trade starts around $99/month with unlimited permits.
Are permit leads only for new construction?
No. Re-roofs, HVAC changeouts, water heaters, panel upgrades, remodels and additions all pull permits.
How soon after a permit is issued should I reach out?
Within a few days. For homeowner-pulled permits the decision window is often still open; for GC-pulled permits, subs get awarded fast.
Related
Are Building Permits Public Record in Michigan? · Permit-to-Bid: Winning Jobs Before Your Competitors Call · Permit leads by trade
Request access to Build Siren — daily permit leads for Southeast Michigan contractors, from $99/month. Call (248) 290-8979.