Builder Intelligence

Find builders with a history you can explore

Choosing a builder is easier when you have something concrete to discuss. Dwellhand's Builder Intelligence helps you discover builders through their recorded permit activity, the types of work associated with them, and the areas where that work appears.

Start with the project you have in mind, then open the records behind the results.

Begin with what you want to build

Explore categories for new construction, alterations and additions, accessory dwelling units, and mechanical, electrical, or plumbing work.

Looking for experience with a more specific challenge? Depending on the category, you can narrow your search to hillside or basement work, detached ADUs, additions, conversions, and junior ADUs.

You can also search by city or county to focus on recorded activity in an area relevant to you.

Look for the right trade

If you are organizing parts of a project yourself, the Owner-Builder section helps you find contractors by their license classifications. These describe the types of work covered by the recorded license.

Choose a trade such as roofing, landscaping, concrete, framing, or pool construction. Selecting several classes narrows the results to contractors holding all the classes you checked.

The MEPs category separates electrical, heating and air conditioning, and plumbing contractors. An additional option lets you focus on trade specialists by excluding contractors who also hold general building or general engineering licenses.

Compare different kinds of experience

Change the order of results to explore builders by project count, recorded valuation, or the date their license was issued.

A builder with a high volume of smaller projects may have a different history from one associated with a smaller number of higher-valued projects. Neither ranking tells you which is the right fit on its own.

Business-type and recorded workers' compensation filters provide additional ways to narrow the list. Review the underlying licensing information and discuss your project's requirements directly with the professional.

Open the builder's card

A builder card brings together available license information, project summaries, an activity map, permit history, and architects or engineers named on shared permits.

Read the work descriptions to understand what the records actually describe. Follow an address to explore its permits, or open a connected professional's profile to learn more about the wider team.

Recorded valuations describe amounts declared on permits. They are useful context for the scale of recorded work, rather than quotes for what your own project will cost.

Turn your research into a better conversation

Save builders you want to revisit. Then use their history to ask specific questions:

• Have you handled a project with conditions like mine?
• What was your role in the work recorded at this address?
• Can you share references for similar projects?
• Who would be responsible for design, engineering, and permit coordination?
• Are you available for my proposed schedule?

Where available, Request this Builder sends an introduction request to Dwellhand. It does not automatically send a bid request to the builder.

Builder Intelligence gives you evidence to explore. Your conversations, references, and project requirements help you decide whom to hire.

Explore Builder Intelligence