Guides / 8 min read
How to find new-construction landscaping leads in BC (without cold-calling)
A practical guide for BC landscapers: where new-build permits are published, how to read them, when to reach the builder, and how to turn a permit into a quote.
Published September 15, 2026 · PermitRadius team
Why permits beat every other lead source
A building permit is the earliest public signal that a yard will exist. It is issued weeks before excavation and months before the homeowner starts searching for a landscaper. In most BC cities it also names the company doing the work. That combination, early plus a named company, is why permit-based prospecting outperforms directories, paid ads and referrals for new-build work.
Where BC permits are published
Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster, Maple Ridge and Victoria publish issued permits as open data under an Open Government Licence. Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam and Kelowna publish permit records on their own portals. Each city uses a different format, updates on a different day and names fields differently. PermitRadius reads all of them every Monday and normalises the result.
Which permits are worth a call
For landscaping, the permits that matter are new single-detached homes, laneway houses, duplexes and multiplexes, and additions over roughly $350k. Commercial and demolition permits are useful for other trades. Filter by type first, then by declared value, then by distance from your yard.
When to contact the builder
The window opens the week the permit is issued and stays open for about eight weeks. Most builders line up exterior trades before framing is done. Contact the builder, not the homeowner. Use the company details on the permit: BC’s privacy law (PIPA) allows business-to-business contact but not marketing to individuals from a public record.
Turning a permit into a quote
Lead with the site, not your company. A one-line message that references the address block and the permit type, then offers a 20-minute site walk, gets replies. Track the builder’s other permits: a builder with six permits this year is worth more than one with one.
PermitRadius reads every BC permit source every Monday and sends the new builds inside your radius.
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