What are construction reports?
The term covers three different things. Only two of them help you find new work.
| Report type | What it shows | Where to get it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit and inspection records | Permit type, address, status, contractor of record, inspection results | City and county building departments | Confirming a project is approved and moving |
| Construction project reports | Upcoming projects with stage, value, timeline, materials, and contacts | Project data services | Finding and pursuing work early |
| Jobsite reports | Daily logs, progress, safety, and cost tracking | Project management software | Running a project already underway |
This guide covers the first two, and our guide on how to find construction projects before they go to bid covers every other source. New to terms like plan room or pre-bid? See the construction lead glossary.
How can I access building reports online?
Work from the most official source outward. Each step adds coverage, and the last one adds the early stages and contacts that public records lack.
Search the local building department portal
- Cost: Free
- Stage: Permit and later
Most cities and counties publish permits and inspections online. Search by address, permit number, or contractor to see permit type, status, and inspection results.
Seattle’s portal, for example, shows permit and inspection activity back to 2005, searchable by address or record number. Toronto’s online status search covers active permits up to 10 years old.
Check planning and zoning records
- Cost: Free
- Stage: Planning
Rezoning requests, site plan reviews, and planning commission agendas show projects before permits are filed. They name the applicant, the site, and the proposed use.
Use state and federal sources
- Cost: Free
- Stage: Varies
State agencies publish their own work, such as transportation lettings and state-funded schools, and some review plans for schools or hospitals. SAM.gov lists federal contract opportunities.
National permit statistics are a different tool. The Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey tracks residential permit trends for market research, not individual leads.
Add a researched project report
- Cost: Annual plan
- Stage: Planning onward
A project data service tracks projects from planning and design and adds what permits leave out: estimated value, timeline, materials, and who to call. Construct-A-Lead’s research team confirms every project by phone, so each one includes at least one named contact with a phone number.
Are building permits public record?
In most U.S. jurisdictions, yes. Permit applications, issued permits, and inspection results are public records kept by the local building department, and many departments post them online.
Drawings are often handled differently. Seattle posts permits and inspections online but releases most plans only on written request, and it does not release plans for some facilities, such as jails. Rules vary by city and state, so check the local records policy.
There is also no single national permit database. The Census Bureau counted about 19,900 permit-issuing places in the U.S. as of January 2023, each with its own system.
How do you find building permits?
- Identify the jurisdiction that issued the permit: city, county, or township.
- Find its permit portal, usually under the building department or permits and inspections.
- Search by address, parcel, permit number, or contractor name.
- For many addresses at once, look for the city’s open data portal or a permit export.
- Request plans or older records through a public records request if they are not online.
Are pulled permits a good source of leads?
Permits are free, official, and tied to an exact address. Their weakness is timing: a building permit is usually filed once construction drawings are complete, so the owner has picked the architect, often the general contractor, and most of the products.
| Stage | Public record you might find | Still open |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | Rezoning or site plan application | Design team, builder, products, subcontractors |
| Design | Design review or plan review submittal | Builder, subcontractors, many product choices |
| Permit | Building permit application | Some subcontracts and supply |
| Construction | Issued permit, inspections | Late supply, service, and change work |
Building permit leads work best for trades and suppliers that sell late, and for watching market activity. General contractors, subcontractors, and manufacturers who want in during design need earlier sources; our contractor leads guide shows how builders use them.
Public records vs. researched project reports
| Source | Cost | Earliest stage | Contacts | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building department portals | Free | Permit | Applicant or contractor of record | High: one portal per jurisdiction |
| Planning and zoning agendas | Free | Planning | Applicant, sometimes the architect | High |
| State and federal sources | Free | Varies | Agency contacts | Medium |
| Human-verified project reports | Annual plan | Planning and design | Named contact with a phone number | Low |
Most teams use public records to watch their market and a project data platform as the backbone. Our guide on how to choose a construction data platform covers what to compare.
Want to compare a researched report with your local permit portal? Start your free test drive: 3 days or 5 projects, whichever comes first, with no credit card required.
What should a construction report include?
- Project name, location, and facility type
- Stage and timeline, so you know how much is still open
- Estimated value, to match your capacity
- A materials list, so suppliers and manufacturers can confirm fit
- At least one named contact with a phone number
- A clear research method, so you know how the information was confirmed
Construct-A-Lead records include all of these, and you can read how we verify every project. Then use a lead scoring checklist to decide which projects to chase first.
Early project signals by sector
Each building type leaves its own records before the permit. These guides show where to look.
- Hospital construction projectsCertificate-of-need filings and capital plans
- School construction projectsBond elections and board agendas
- Hotel construction leadsBrand approvals and financing
- Multifamily construction leadsZoning and site plan approvals
Frequently asked questions
How can I access building reports online for construction projects?
Start with the local building department’s online portal and search by address, permit number, or contractor. Check planning and zoning agendas for earlier projects. For projects in planning and design, with estimated value and a named contact, use a researched project report service such as Construct-A-Lead, which confirms every project by phone.
Are building permits public record?
In most U.S. jurisdictions, yes: permit applications, issued permits, and inspection results are public records held by the local building department, and many post them online. Plans and drawings are often handled separately and may require a written request, and some facility types are restricted. Rules vary by city and state.
How do you find building permits?
Identify the city or county that issued the permit, then search its online permit portal by address, parcel, permit number, or contractor. For bulk data, check the city’s open data portal. If records are not online, file a public records request with the building department, which can also tell you how to get plans.
Are pulled permits a good source of leads?
They help, but they arrive late. A building permit is usually filed after construction drawings are done, when the owner has chosen the design team, often the general contractor, and most products. Permits suit trades and suppliers that sell late, while earlier work starts with planning records and researched project reports.
What is a Dodge Report?
A Dodge Report is a construction project report published by Dodge Construction Network, one of several companies that sell construction project data. Whatever the source, judge a project report on how early it finds projects, how its contacts are confirmed, and whether it includes stage, value, materials, and a phone number you can call.
How much do construction reports cost?
Permit and planning records are free from local governments, though searching them takes time. Construct-A-Lead’s annual plans range from $1,195 for county coverage to $14,495 for national coverage, and the free test drive covers 3 days or 5 projects with no credit card. Compare plans and pricing.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey methodology (accessed November 11, 2026)
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Research a project, permit, or property (accessed November 11, 2026)
- City of Toronto, Search the status of a building permit application (modified September 18, 2025)
