The Commercial Permit Playbook
A building permit isn't just a lead for the trade on the permit — it predicts the next five purchases at that address. Six plays businesses run with permit data.
Signage permit → Janitorial, security & services
The signal: A commercial signage permit means a new tenant is 4–8 weeks from opening day.
They need recurring cleaning, security, waste pickup, and a point-of-sale vendor — and most haven't chosen any of them yet.
The pitch: "Saw your sign permit go up at [address] — congrats on the new location. Can we quote weekly cleaning before your soft-open?"
The pitch: "Saw your sign permit go up at [address] — congrats on the new location. Can we quote weekly cleaning before your soft-open?"
New restaurant permit → Kitchen, grease & food supply
The signal: A new-restaurant or drive-thru build-out means someone is about to buy hood systems,
grease interceptors, refrigeration, smallwares — and sign recurring contracts for hood cleaning and grease-trap service.
The pitch: "We service every drive-thru on that corridor — want a hood-cleaning quote before the fire marshal asks for one?"
The pitch: "We service every drive-thru on that corridor — want a hood-cleaning quote before the fire marshal asks for one?"
Tenant improvement → Furniture, IT & everything inside
The signal: A TI permit means a business is moving or expanding. Desks, network cabling,
AV systems, access control, movers, interior signage — all unpurchased the day the permit is filed.
The pitch: "Saw the build-out starting at [address]. We handle structured cabling — can we walk the space before drywall closes?"
The pitch: "Saw the build-out starting at [address]. We handle structured cabling — can we walk the space before drywall closes?"
Commercial re-roof → Solar & rooftop equipment
The signal: A fresh commercial roof is the ideal — and sometimes only — window to install solar.
Panel installers who wait until the roof is old quote against a tear-off; the ones who call at the re-roof permit quote clean.
The pitch: "Your new roof is the perfect foundation for solar — quote now and the racking goes on while the warranty's fresh."
The pitch: "Your new roof is the perfect foundation for solar — quote now and the racking goes on while the warranty's fresh."
Demolition permit → Everyone, 6–18 months early
The signal: Nobody pays to demolish a commercial building without a plan for the lot.
A demo permit is the earliest public signal of new construction — months before trade packages go to bid.
The pitch: "Saw the demo at [address]. When the new building bids, we'd like to be on the list — who's the GC?"
The pitch: "Saw the demo at [address]. When the new building bids, we'd like to be on the list — who's the GC?"
EV charger permit → Electrical, concrete & striping
The signal: EV charger installs come in waves across a property portfolio — one site this month
means sister sites next quarter. They also mean trenching, concrete pads, bollards, and lot re-striping.
The pitch: "We did the striping after your charger install at [address] — want pricing for the other locations before the next phase?"
The pitch: "We did the striping after your charger install at [address] — want pricing for the other locations before the next phase?"
The pattern
Permit data is the earliest public signal that money is about to move at an address. Whoever sees it first calls first, and whoever calls first usually wins. JustPermitted sends the signals to your inbox every morning at 7am — no database to remember to search.
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