How To Get Leads for a Construction Business in 2025

Contractors have loads of lead generation options, from network referrals to online promotion. But using them wisely is key to maximizing the number and value of your leads.

Whether you’re just starting your construction business or looking to expand, this guide shows you how to get construction leads with step-by-step instructions, examples, and templates.

How To Get Leads for a Construction Company: A Step-by-Step Guide 

Here’s how to get leads for construction in 7 straightforward steps.

Prep step: Define qualified leads 

Construction leads are potential clients who already have an interest in your services. For example, they might’ve:

• Asked you for a quote.
• Engaged one of your business partners.
• Posted a “job needed” ad on a contractor website.

But you must qualify them to know whether they’re a good fit for your type of construction business, location, ideal project scope and size, customer vertical (e.g., residential versus commercial), and other factors. 

So, establish the criteria for qualified leads before looking for them. For example, define a specific budget range (e.g., $50,000–$100,000), location (e.g., inner city vs. suburban), timeline (e.g., under 6 months), and property type (e.g., single- versus multi-unit).

Step 1: Start in your network

Getting hired often depends as much on trust as on proven skills. If you’re just starting out or going through a dry spell, your first step is drawing on your immediate network, because they already trust you.  

Say you reach out to a few local businesses for construction opportunities or optimize your contractor platform profile, but get no leads. Don’t abandon your venture. Instead, ask your network if they need any work done.

This could include extended family members, friends, former colleagues and employers, and ex-classmates. Make a list of contacts and search for contact details in your phone, email inbox, and social media. 

You don’t need a complicated pitch. You could:

• Send a short email asking them to bear your business in mind for specific services.
• Text them asking for a phone or in-person catch-up.
• Call them up, build rapport, and ask the question.
• Go to their home or workplace and talk face-to-face.   

Step 2: Build a referral system 

Next up is your network’s network. This includes friends of friends and contacts of former or current clients. While some might be happy to recommend you for free, you want to incentivize more and quicker recommendations using a referral system. 

Thomas Borcherding, Owner of Homestar Design Remodel, told us that “referrals are the lifeline of a construction business” and “by far the cheapest source of leads.”

It’s not too complicated. Simply prepare:

• A referral request template.
• A reward (or several) for successful referrals.
• A channel for sending the reward.

Referral request template

Start with a short, polite intro thanking them for their past business or support. Then make the request clear and easy to do.

Referral rewards

Choose referral rewards that match your budget and your relationship with the referrer—for example:

• Cash reward: Good for straightforward motivation, no matter the audience.
• Business or retail gift card: Good for adding a personal touch.
• Future discount: Good for repeat customers.
• Informal rewards (e.g., “I owe you”): Good for close personal or professional connections.

Reward channels

Depending on your reward type, you may use:

• Bank transfers.
• E-payments (e.g., Paypal).
• A specific vendor’s gift card system.
• A gift card aggregator platform.
• Invoices: for cash awards or discounts.

Step 3: Seek repeat business 

Current and former clients are still leads, and they’re already familiar with you.

Here are 5 tips to encourage repeat business, both during and after your client engagements. 

• Offer outstanding customer service: On top of delivering on time and on budget, ensure transparent, timely, and polite communication.
• Arrange a feedback session: Gather post-project feedback and explain how you’d implement it on future jobs.
• Suggest follow-up services: Suggest small jobs or inspections related to past projects, such as site cleanup.
• Keep in touch: Send no-strings-attached check-ins, such as seasonal greetings, to stay top of mind.
• Provide loyalty incentives: Offer discounts, bundled services, or other perks.

Step 4: Establish your online presence

Get even more construction leads by letting new clients find you. Leads might look for your name or business online when a contact has recommended you or they’re googling suppliers in their local area.

Here are 2 must-have platforms where leads check you out.

Search results business profile

Set up business profiles on relevant platforms so your services show up in map services and search engines. For example, create a Google business profile to appear in Google Maps and Google Search searches, and use Apple Business Connect to show up in Apple Maps. You can also use platforms like Yelp to build trust. 

• Keep your contact info, service areas, and hours up to date.
• Add high-quality photos of past work and categorize your services.
• Ask former clients for reviews and respond to them promptly.

Business website

A professional website with a custom URL (such as bobthebuilder.com) builds credibility. You can capture and qualify leads using contact and quote forms, and offer info including service descriptions, case studies, testimonials, and blogs.

Go the extra mile by:

• Implementing basic search engine optimization (SEO) practices like adding keywords (e.g., “Cleveland best home decorators”) to your website content and meta descriptions.
• Ensuring your website looks and functions as expected on mobile devices.
• Adding high-resolution, professional-looking photos of past projects, especially in the “Services” and “Case studies” sections. 

Step 5: Form partnerships 

In the construction sector, different firms specializing in one or multiple types of construction services, from engineering to general contracting and remodeling. This gives you an excellent opportunity to partner with trusted collaborators that offer complementary services. 

For example, a door and window installer might recommend a painter-decorator for a client’s finishing work. In return, the painter could pay a referral fee or agree to a revenue split.

This is what’s called a referral agreement. The 2 parties must outline:

• The referral reward (where relevant): A fixed fee or percentage of the referred job’s value, agreed upfront.
• The revenue share (where relevant): The percentage each party receives and whether it applies to labor, materials, or the total invoice.
• Project or client criteria: Specify the type of projects or clients that qualify.

Typically, you should partner with firms that don’t compete directly on the same services, but there are exceptions. For instance, a renovation firm might take on multi-family building projects and refer single family units to another renovation business. 

To build and retain these industry partnerships:

• Research complementary firms online and through your network. Prioritize those with extensive experience, reputation, and reliability.
• Contact decision-makers (e.g., general contractor or marketing manager) and propose an online or in-person discovery meeting.
• Pitch how a partnership or referral arrangement would benefit both parties. Include previous partnership examples if possible.
• Negotiate on the referral reward or revenue split, project criteria, and communication process. Always put it in writing (in an email or a signed contract).
• Maintain regular contact (e.g., monthly) to stay top of mind and iron out concerns.

Potential industry partners	Good for
Real estate agents	Capturing leads needing renovations and repairs.
Property managers	Stable, recurring maintenance work on rental units.
Commercial leaseholders	Big-budget, large-scope commercial projects.
Designers and architects	New build referrals and specialized work (e.g., custom roofing or masonry).
Complementary contractors	Mutual referrals on projects outside your core services.

Step 6: Use lead generation platforms 

Construction lead generation websites are platforms where clients search for suitable contractors or firms and you can advertise your services and bid for projects. They usually charge per lead (or a specific number of leads), and the price varies depending on location, the type of service and target client, and the platforms’ feature complexity. 

To nail your lead gen profile:

• Pick the right platforms: Choose 1-2 lead gen sites that align with your services or audience type, so your efforts stay focused and effective.
• Complete your profile: Fill out every section in detail, including services, certifications, and past project descriptions and images.
• Highlight social proof: Encourage client reviews and ratings to build trust.
• Respond ASAP: Ensure you get instant notifications for lead inquiries, and respond to messages within minutes to increase conversion.

Contractor lead gen website	Good for
Angi (formerly Angie’s List)	Localized advertising and analytics.
HomeAdvisor	Quick residential project quoting.
Houzz	Residential renovation and design projects.
Thumbtack	Directory-based residential jobs.
ConstructConnect	Commercial and larger projects.
The BlueBook	Linking general contractors to subcontractors.
Taskrabbit	Quick, simple tasks (like 1-day repair jobs).
BuildZoom	Mid-to-large-scale bids from licensed contractors.

Step 7: Run online and offline campaigns 

Finally, it’s worth investing in cold outreach campaigns (both online and off), especially if network- and platform-based leads haven’t resulted in the projects you were expecting. Cold outreach basically means reaching out to an audience who’s likely not heard of you and/or isn’t expecting to hear from you. 

For example, you can design a promo flyer and drop it in mailboxes in specific neighborhoods (residential leads) or mail out formal breakdowns of services and case studies to businesses (commercial leads). 

Hunter Kosar, Owner at Twisted Nail Broker Services, swears by “being annoyingly in our customers [sic] phones and offices” to get contracts going. They’re also not shy about “messag[ing] someone back-to-back-to-back even without a response,” since it’s “often the last person in the GC’s phone that gets the ultimate call.”

As for online lead gen campaigns, you don’t necessarily need a tech-savvy person on your team. Here’s how to handle them:

1. Define your target audience: Choose demographics, locations, and interests that match your ideal clients.
2. Build your contact list: Gather emails, social profiles, or other direct contact info from online directories, Google Maps, and LinkedIn.
3. Select relevant outreach channels: Contact leads by email, social media DM (for instance, Facebook, Instagram, or Nextdoor), or other appropriate channels.
4. Craft a compelling message: Highlight your services, past projects, and a clear call to action (e.g., book an intro call).
5. Prepare 2–3 follow-ups: Gently follow up with each non-responsive prospect with new information, such as service discounts for new clients.

FAQs 

What’s the fastest way to generate construction leads?

The fastest way to get leads in construction is asking your immediate network for jobs or referrals, and joining contractor lead generation platforms such as Thumbtack.

How do you get construction leads for free online?

No leads are 100% free because you spend time researching and qualifying them. That said, no-cost online lead gen options include asking former clients to refer you, securing repeat business, maintaining online business profiles, and doing cold email outreach.

How much do construction leads cost?

Construction leads cost, on average, $50–$200, and sometimes more. The figure depends on which construction marketing strategies you use, clients’ budget range, and services offered.