Planning Applications

[AMtek]

Just been to look at a job for a builder mate of mine and we got talking about finding work and advertising and he said that he finds a lot of his work by looking in the local paper at the planning applications people have submitted and sending them a letter to introduce his business and ask them if they wanted a quote.

It seems like it could work quite well, has anybody else tried this?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Be careful approaching people in this way. Dom Littlewood and the Cowboy Builders team looked at a case where a builder had done the same thing to a vulnerable woman who needed adaptions to her home to deal with her disabilities. The builder did a runner after failing the carry out proper work, taking her money and leaving her with nothing. Just don't want you guys to get tarred with the same brush. Your mate has the right idea to introduce his business to a client, but be careful you don't force people to take on your services. The vulnerable woman in the Cowboy Builders case was hounded by the builder until she accepted him to do the work after he told her the council had "allocated" her work to him.

 

[AMtek]

See what you're saying and I was thinking about just sending them a letter and if they contact me then I'll go and quote, if they don't then I'll just leave it. I had a look on the papers website and they have a list of the planning applications from every week this year and in August there were 12 conservatories and about 15 extensions with bathrooms going in them then there would be work for the joiner and the plasterers. Were steady away at the minute but extra work can only be a good thing

 

[Ajax123]

Just been to look at a job for a builder mate of mine and we got talking about finding work and advertising and he said that he finds a lot of his work by looking in the local paper at the planning applications people have submitted and sending them a letter to introduce his business and ask them if they wanted a quote.

It seems like it could work quite well, has anybody else tried this?

used the planning apps for years now. It's great for finding small domestic work. You can view planning applications for most local authorities online now. its free to view. Just go to the local .gov website and look up planning applications. I usually just send a letter of introduction ... For me it's about getting names and brands in front of potential customers rather than picking up specific jobs.

 

[AMtek]

used the planning apps for years now. It's great for finding small domestic work. You can view planning applications for most local authorities online now. its free to view. Just go to the local .gov website and look up planning applications. I usually just send a letter of introduction ... For me it's about getting names and brands in front of potential customers rather than picking up specific jobs.

What sort of % return do you get? sounds like it could be worth doing

 

[Ajax123]

What sort of % return do you get? sounds like it could be worth doing

Dont expect big returns. Perhaps 20% turn into enquiries. Which maybe 10 to 15% turn into orders. It depends as well on how much effort you want t put in. I just send letters and emails out and wait for what comes back.

 

[White Room]

Just been to look at a job for a builder mate of mine and we got talking about finding work and advertising and he said that he finds a lot of his work by looking in the local paper at the planning applications people have submitted and sending them a letter to introduce his business and ask them if they wanted a quote.

It seems like it could work quite well, has anybody else tried this?

I know of loads of builders who do that and have done over many years....

 

[Rookery]

I do this every month by going through the local council planning portal on line. Admittedly the response isnt that geat but it only takes a little time and the price of a stamp.

 

[peteablard]

You've just got to hope that there's no tilers in your area that read this as the potential customer will now end up with several tilers details landing on their doorstep after giving them the idea!! I do some work for a builder who gets a lot of jobs from doing this.

 

[AMtek]

You've just got to hope that there's no tilers in your area that read this as the potential customer will now end up with several tilers details landing on their doorstep after giving them the idea!! I do some work for a builder who gets a lot of jobs from doing this.

Its not just for tiling, we do tiling, bathrooms, kitchens, plastering, rendering and dashing (not all me, got lads for the different trades) and to be fair there probably is a tiler local who uses the planning portal anyway. worth a go though