In the currently competitive and fast-moving climate of the construction industry, knowledge is more than power—it’s profit. Whether you’re a home builder, contractor, supplier, or service provider, knowing where, when, and what types of projects are being built plays a critical role in identifying new opportunities and gaining a leg up on the competition. One of the most powerful tools available for gaining these insights is historical building permit data.
As HBW subscribers are already aware, HBW provides construction professionals with access to decades of building permit data through customizable reports that detail construction activity by region, builder, project value, and more. Here’s why this data is so valuable—and how you can put it to work.
Why Historical Permit Data Matters
Permit data is more than just paperwork—it’s a footprint of construction activity. When collected and analyzed over a 10-year span, building permits reveal patterns and shifts that help forecast future market behavior. And while the unexpected can and will happen, permit data is a solid source for understanding current trends and construction patterns over time.
Over the span of 10 years, permit data can reveal robust information, including but not limited to:
- Market Cycles and Trends: Understand how different regions have weathered economic shifts, housing booms, or downturns.
- Growth Hotspots: Identify geographic areas with consistent long-term growth or sudden surges in residential or commercial building.
- Builder Activity: Track which builders are most active in which regions—and how their focus may have changed over time.
- Permit Values: See how construction costs and home values are trending by year and location.
- Seasonal Patterns: Determine when construction is rising and falling throughout the year to plan accordingly.
How to Use Historical Data Strategically
Having access to this data is a start—but knowing how to use it is what truly gives a construction professional an edge. Here are several key ways professionals are leveraging HBW’s historical permit data:
1. Identify Emerging Markets
Use multi-year trend reports to spot previously overlooked areas that are on the rise. A steady increase in residential permits over several years can signal a strong growth market worth targeting for expansion or investment.
2. Refine Your Sales and Marketing Strategy
By knowing where certain types of permits (e.g., new residential, pools, etc.) are most prevalent, you can tailor your marketing campaigns geographically and seasonally. Historical data shows you where demand has existed—and potentially where it may return.
3. Benchmark Against Competitors
Track builder activity over time to see how your business compares. Are your competitors pulling more permits in your region? Are they entering new markets? This intelligence helps you assess your market share and adjust your strategy.
4. Forecast Seasonal Demand
Looking at trends year over year can help you prepare for seasonal fluctuations in work volume. Knowing when permits typically surge allows you to plan staffing, supply orders, and promotional pushes accordingly.
5. Support Business Planning and Investment Decisions
Use permit data to justify business moves—whether you’re expanding into a new territory, hiring, or adding services. Historical trends provide the evidence you need to reduce risk and back your decisions with data.
As an HBW subscriber, there are a number of ways to maximize the value of your subscription. With the system enabling users to customize reports, you can drill down by county, city, zip code, builder, permit type, and more; it is important to set filters that align with your goals. Additionally, by comparing time frames, you can gain a clear look at year-over-year (YOY) data to understand long-term shifts and recent surges or slowdowns. Filtering and tracking projects by value is also useful as it can help builders zero in on luxury developments vs. budget builds, which can be used to match services and offerings to the right markets.
Whether you’re looking to grow your business, monitor competitors, or simply stay current on building trends, HBW building permit data reports are designed to be clear, relevant, and customizable to your unique needs. Contact HBW today to learn how the HBW database and customizable reports can bring clarity to your market strategy.