Sales Toolkit for Concrete and Foundation Contractors: Win Work From Builders and GCs
Concrete and foundation contractors win work from builders and general contractors by reaching them before the concrete package is awarded, sending a bid that is easy to compare and following up as the build moves. The window runs from about 5% before construction starts to about 5%, with the last realistic approach at about 15%. Builtie, a sales automation platform for construction trades, counted 13,532 concrete projects inside that window across 25 markets on October 9, 2026 and finds each builder's decision maker; this toolkit has the timing, copyable bid and follow-up templates, and where the work is.
The same four steps, whether the buyer is a builder, a designer, an owner or a company you want to acquire.
How concrete and foundation contractors win work from builders and GCs
- Find the projects early, on building permits: most private concrete work is awarded by the builder or general contractor without a public bid.
- Call inside the window: from about 5% before construction starts to about 5%, with the last realistic approach at about 15%.
- Reach the person who buys concrete work. The general contractor or builder awards foundations first, usually before or right at permit issue, and mostly to contractors it already trusts with the schedule.
- Send a bid that is easy to compare: scope, price and validity, exclusions, allowances and a schedule tied to the build.
- Follow up when the build moves, not on a timer, and ask for the builder's next project when this one is decided.
When concrete work gets picked
Builtie times concrete work from about 5% before construction starts to about 5%, with the last realistic approach at about 15%. That is before or right at permit issue, so the projects to watch are the ones about to be permitted.
Tap a stage. The highlighted stage is where concrete is typically awarded.
The window is a share of the build, so its dates depend on how long the build runs. Builtie's own estimate sets the build length from the declared construction value on the permit; in weeks after construction starts:
| Declared value | Window opens | Window closes | Last realistic approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250k to $1M (7-month build) | 2 weeks before the start | week 2 | week 5 |
| $1M to $5M (13-month build) | 3 weeks before the start | week 3 | week 8 |
| $5M to $25M (20-month build) | 4 weeks before the start | week 4 | week 13 |
| $25M to $100M (30-month build) | 7 weeks before the start | week 7 | week 20 |
Check one project: the award window calculator takes a trade and a stage (or months since the permit was issued) and says whether concrete work is before, inside or past its window.
Bid cover note template
Send this with the price. It answers the questions an estimator asks before comparing bids: what is in, what is out, what is an allowance, and when you can start. Replace everything in [brackets].
Subject: [Project address]: Concrete price from [Your company] Hi [First name], Attached is our concrete price for [project address], based on [drawings / specification, revision and date]. Scope: footings, foundation walls and slabs per structural drawings [sheets]. Price: $[amount] [plus tax], valid until [date]. Excludes: excavation and backfill; dewatering; testing and inspection fees; winter heat and hoarding unless listed. Allowances: [number] pump days; winter protection at $[rate] per day if needed. Schedule: Concrete work is usually decided from before construction starts to about 5% of the build. We can hold [crew / production slot] for [weeks or dates] if we hear back by [date], and will confirm again when the permit date and excavation start are confirmed. Why us: [show pour dates you can hold, pump and formwork capacity, and how you handle inspections in cold or hot weather]. One question: [the one thing that would change the price, such as a spec choice or a phasing date]. [Your name] [Company] | [phone] | [email]
Three-touch follow-up and a LinkedIn note
Three emails, each tied to the project rather than to a calendar: the first a few days after the bid, the second when the permit date and excavation start are confirmed, the third before the window closes at about 15% of the build. The LinkedIn note is for the estimator or project manager you have not met.
Subject: Re: [Project address]: concrete price Hi [First name], Checking the concrete price for [project address] reached you and reads clearly. If anything in the scope or the exclusions does not match your other bids, tell me and I will line it up so you are comparing like for like. [Your name] | [phone]
Subject: [Project address]: concrete schedule Hi [First name], I see [project address] is moving: the permit date and excavation start are confirmed. That is usually when concrete work gets decided. We are still holding [crew / production slot] for [dates]. Can I get 10 minutes this week to confirm the scope, or is there a revision I should price? [Your name] | [phone]
Subject: [Project address]: releasing our concrete slot Hi [First name], We will release the [crew / production slot] we held for [project address] on [date] unless you need it. If concrete work has been awarded, no problem: what is your next project, and when does it go out to price? [Your name] | [phone]
Hi [First name], saw [Company] has [project address] in the works. We do concrete work for builders and GCs in [city] and price to your schedule. Worth a look before concrete work is awarded? [Your name]
Where concrete projects are open now
| Market | State or province | Projects in the award window |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | New York | 6,592 |
| Austin | Texas | 2,282 |
| Miami-Dade | Florida | 1,193 |
| Calgary | Alberta | 665 |
| Los Angeles | California | 642 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | 553 |
| Chicago | Illinois | 389 |
| Vancouver | British Columbia | 217 |
13,532 concrete projects were inside the award window across 25 markets in the United States and Canada on October 9, 2026: 5,462 new buildings and 8,070 renovations or alterations. Every market: concrete leads by city.
More for concrete and foundation contractors
- Sales automation for concrete and foundation contractors
- How to find clients for concrete and foundation contractors
- How to find concrete projects
- How to get more concrete jobs
- New construction projects for concrete and foundation contractors
- CRM for concrete and foundation contractors: what to track
- Concrete and Foundation construction leads by city
- The award window calculator
- Construction sales email templates
- Sales toolkits for every trade
Plans
Builtie's Starter plan is $79 per seat per month (CAD) for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds the LinkedIn and email outreach you run yourself. Opening a project spends one credit, and the decision makers, emails, phones and AI call script inside it are included. Your monthly credits reset at each renewal, and extra credit packs are valid for 30 days. The free trial runs 7 days with 10 projects. Custom, where Builtie's team runs the outreach for you, starts from CAD $1,500 a month on top of a Growth seat.
Frequently asked questions
How do concrete and foundation contractors win work from builders and general contractors?
By finding projects early on building permits, reaching the builder or general contractor while the concrete package is still open (from about 5% before construction starts to about 5%, with the last realistic approach at about 15%), sending a bid that states scope, exclusions, allowances and schedule, and following up as the build moves.
When is concrete work awarded on a new building?
Builtie times concrete work from about 5% before construction starts to about 5%, with the last realistic approach at about 15%. The general contractor or builder awards foundations first, usually before or right at permit issue, and mostly to contractors it already trusts with the schedule.
What should a concrete bid cover note include?
The drawings and revision it is based on, the scope (footings, foundation walls and slabs per structural drawings [sheets]), the price and how long it holds, what it excludes, the allowances, and a schedule tied to when concrete work is decided.
How should I follow up on a concrete bid?
Three touches tied to the project: a few days after sending, when the permit date and excavation start are confirmed, and before the window closes at about 15% of the build. If the package is gone, ask for the builder's next project.
Is Builtie a CRM?
No. A CRM stores the contacts and deals you already have. Builtie is sales automation: it finds the projects from building permits, times each one to your trade's award window, finds the decision maker and runs the LinkedIn and email outreach. Most customers keep their CRM or job-management tool for the work they win.
What does Builtie cost?
Starter is $79 per seat per month (CAD) for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds LinkedIn and email outreach. There is a 7-day free trial with 10 projects.