The Complete Guide to Builder Leads in the UK

10/09/2025

Every builder knows the struggle: one month you’re stacked with work, the next you’re staring at gaps in the diary. Chasing new jobs is exhausting when you’re already flat out on site. Add in paperwork, phone calls, quoting, and dead leads from paid sites — and it’s no wonder so many firms feel stuck in a feast-or-famine cycle.

This guide is for working builders who want a steady flow of local jobs without wasting evenings trawling council sites or paying £50 for a lead that five competitors already rang. It’s practical, straight-talking, and focused on the jobs that actually keep crews busy: extensions, lofts, garage conversions, porches, re-roofing, dropped kerbs, and garden rooms.

The Real Painpoints Builders Face

Inconsistent workload: Feast or famine kills cash flow and makes scheduling lads a nightmare.
No time to chase work: After a full day on site, nobody wants to wade through portals or answer tyre-kickers.
Dead leads: Checkatrade, Bark and Facebook bring volume, but too many enquiries are vague or price-shopping.
Late to the job: By the time a job hits a paid site, the homeowner is fielding five quotes.
Travel miles: Jobs 45 minutes away look fine on paper but the logistics eat margin fast.
Council chaos: 300+ portals with different naming (“roof extension”, “dormer loft”). Manual checks are a time sink.

Why Most Builder Lead Generation Doesn’t Work

Builders try everything: ads, platforms, flyers, door-knocking, and waiting for referrals. Here’s the honest take:

Checkatrade / Bark: Shared leads, high costs, heavy competition — you’re one of many.
Facebook / Google ads: Can work, but it’s easy to burn budget on unqualified clicks. Needs constant attention.
Referrals: Gold when they come, impossible to forecast.
Door-knocking: Occasionally lands a job, but slow and morale-sapping.

What a “Good Lead” Actually Looks Like

A good builder lead is simple: clear intent, real budget, local to you, and you’re speaking to them early. The easiest proxy for all of that is a planning application — the homeowner has paid an architect and committed to the project.

DIY Ways to Find Builder Leads (Pros & Cons)

If you’ve got an hour or two each week, these methods still work — just be consistent:

Council planning portals — Free and high intent, but every council is different and search terms vary. Best if you cover one or two councils.
Architect relationships — Early access and pre-vetted briefs. Takes time to build trust; you must be reliable and tidy on site.
Referrals / neighbour jobs — High conversion, but unpredictable. A good extension can trigger two more on the same street.
Local networking — Merchants, surveyors, block managers. Keep a one-pager with photos and references behind the trade counter.

A Smarter Way to Do This

Most builders don’t have hours each week to trawl through portals and build spreadsheets. That’s where BuildAlert comes in.

BuildAlert pulls planning applications from every UK council into one dashboard. Filter by project type — extensions, lofts, garage conversions, porches, re-roofing, garden rooms — set your radius, and see live jobs near you. When you find the right one, send a branded letter for £2 straight to the homeowner. No shared leads. No faff.

Most users see BuildAlert as an extra pair of hands doing the admin they don’t have time for — meaning more time on site and a steadier pipeline.

The Core Jobs That Keep Builders Busy (What to Target & Why)

Extensions

The backbone of many small builders. Single- and double-storey jobs typically involve steels, brick/block, roofing, glazing, and a high-spec finish. High value and strong referral potential on the same street.

Loft Conversions (Dormers, Hip-to-Gable)

Bedrooms, bathrooms, offices; often includes dormers and re-roofing. Medium–high value and quick to benchmark for homeowners.

Garage Conversions

Affordable extra space and quick turnaround — perfect diary fillers between bigger builds.

Porches & Dropped Kerbs

Bread-and-butter local jobs that keep crews busy. Dropped kerbs often lead to driveways and drainage work.

Re-Roofing

Seasonal and often urgent. Great scope to upsell insulation, fascias, gutters, and rooflights.

Garden Rooms / Outbuildings

Home offices, studios and gyms. Many are PD, but apps still appear (conservation, height, boundaries). Mid-ticket and quick builds.

Reading Planning Applications Fast (Without Drowning)

Shortlist by type & radius: Only the jobs you actually want within 5–10 miles.
Open drawings first: Scan elevations/sections for scale and complexity.
Check access & logistics: Rear access, party walls, narrow streets, scaffold positions.
Flag budget signals: Big openings, glazing, cladding = higher spend.
Note the architect: Familiar practices often mean smoother specs and communication.

Contact Playbook: From App to Job Won

Day 0–1: Send a short, branded letter immediately. Who you are, similar jobs nearby, 1 photo, direct mobile.
Day 3–5: Friendly follow-up call or postcard: “Did you receive my letter? Happy to pop round, no obligation.”
Day 7–10: Second touch if no reply — a quick message or postcard with a testimonial.
Site visit: On time, clean kit, clear questions (access, programme, budget range, decision-makers).
Quote: One-page cover (scope bullets, assumptions/exclusions), staged payments, one case study.
48–72 hrs post-quote: Check in. “Any questions? Happy to adjust scope to fit budget.”

Letter that gets read (copy & paste)

I’m a local builder who’s worked on [Street/Estate]. I saw plans for your [extension/loft/porch]. We recently completed a similar job on [Nearby Street] — photo enclosed. If you’d like a quick look and a straight quote, I can pop over this week. Here’s my mobile: [number]. Happy to work weekends to suit.

Company name · Insurance details · Tidy site & clear comms · Staged payments

Pricing Without Wasting Time

Bracket early: “For this footprint and spec, recent jobs have been £XX–£YY.”
List assumptions: Access, waste, provisional sums (steel, kitchen, glazing).
Offer options: Base build vs upgraded spec — people like choice.
Protect margin: Flag exclusions (kitchen supply, appliances, bespoke glazing) clearly.

Common Objections (and Calm Answers)

“We’re still deciding.” “No rush. If I pencil a visit next week, I can give you a clear range to help plan.”
“Two other builders are quoting.” “Great — always smart to compare. I’ll keep mine simple and tidy so it’s easy to line up.”
“That’s more than we expected.” “Let’s look at scope or spec we can phase. Plenty of ways to bring cost down without cutting corners.”
“We’ll come back to you.” “Perfect. I’ll check in Friday — if you need anything in the meantime, here’s my mobile.”

Regional Hotspots (How to Prioritise Your Time)

South East: Extension-heavy, larger footprints, glazing.
Midlands: Loft & garage conversions strong around Birmingham/Nottingham.
North West: Manchester/Liverpool steady on home extensions and re-roofing.
Scotland: Glasgow/Edinburgh see dormers and re-roofing spikes.
South West & Wales: Bristol/Cardiff active for garden rooms and porches.

Where to Go Next (Internal Guides)

These deeper guides show city-level tactics and examples. Start with your nearest patch:

Tips to Increase Your Win Rate

Mention specific streets/estates to prove you’re local.
Include one photo and a short testimonial — keep it real.
State clear programme and tidy-site standards; homeowners fear mess more than price.
Use smaller jobs (porches, kerbs) to fill gaps between big builds.
Follow up politely at 48 hours, 7–10 days, and 14 days.

Get Started Today

Want more builder leads without losing evenings to admin? Register with BuildAlert now. See pricing on our Pricing page, or explore Construction Leads and Home Improvement Leads.

FAQs

1) How do I find builder leads without wasting time?

Either spend an hour a week checking your local council portals, or use a tool that pulls them into one place with filters and a radius. If your time is tight, centralise it. Start here: See local leads.

2) Do all planning applications become real jobs?

No, but they’re the best indicator of serious intent. Even modest conversion rates keep a small firm fully booked if you contact applicants early and professionally.

3) How fast should I reach out?

Within 24–48 hours. A simple letter first, then a quick follow-up call in 3–5 days works well. For timing tactics, see: The best times to reach out to planning applicants.

4) Is this better than Checkatrade?

Different tools for different moments. Paid platforms bring volume but are competitive and late. Planning applications get you in earlier with warmer intent. For broader business advice, see the Federation of Master Builders.

5) What should I include in my first quote?

A short cover page (scope bullets, assumptions, exclusions), staged payments, one relevant photo, and a tidy programme. Keep it simple so homeowners can compare fairly — clarity wins.