Sales Toolkit for Elevator Contractors: Win Work From Builders and GCs
Elevator contractors win work from builders and general contractors by reaching them before the elevator package is awarded, sending a bid that is easy to compare and following up as the build moves. The window runs from the start of construction to about 20%, with the last realistic approach at about 30%. Builtie, a sales automation platform for construction trades, counted 16,356 elevator 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 elevator contractors win work from builders and GCs
- Find the projects early, on building permits: most private elevator work is awarded by the builder or general contractor without a public bid.
- Call inside the window: from the start of construction to about 20%, with the last realistic approach at about 30%.
- Reach the person who buys elevator work. The developer and general contractor choose the elevator supplier early, because the shaft, pit and machine room are designed around it; an elevator consultant or the architect writes the specification.
- 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 elevator work gets picked
Builtie times elevator work from the start of construction to about 20%, with the last realistic approach at about 30%. That is early in the build, so the projects to call are the recently permitted ones.
Tap a stage. The highlighted stage is where elevator 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) | the start | week 6 | week 9 |
| $1M to $5M (13-month build) | the start | week 11 | week 17 |
| $5M to $25M (20-month build) | the start | week 17 | week 26 |
| $25M to $100M (30-month build) | the start | week 26 | week 39 |
Check one project: the award window calculator takes a trade and a stage (or months since the permit was issued) and says whether elevator 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]: Elevator price from [Your company] Hi [First name], Attached is our elevator price for [project address], based on [drawings / specification, revision and date]. Scope: supply and installation of [number] [type] elevator(s), [stops] stops, per specification [section]. Price: $[amount] [plus tax], valid until [date]. Excludes: shaft, pit and machine room construction; power feed to the disconnect; phone line and fire alarm interface wiring; cab finishes beyond standard. Allowances: cab finishes at $[amount]; maintenance from handover for [months]. Schedule: Elevator work is usually decided from the start of construction to about 20% 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 elevator specification is issued. Why us: [show cab and machine specifications, manufacturing lead time and the maintenance contract that follows the install]. 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 elevator specification is issued, the third before the window closes at about 30% of the build. The LinkedIn note is for the estimator or project manager you have not met.
Subject: Re: [Project address]: elevator price Hi [First name], Checking the elevator 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]: elevator schedule Hi [First name], I see [project address] is moving: the elevator specification is issued. That is usually when elevator 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 elevator slot Hi [First name], We will release the [crew / production slot] we held for [project address] on [date] unless you need it. If elevator 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 elevator work for builders and GCs in [city] and price to your schedule. Worth a look before elevator work is awarded? [Your name]
Where elevator projects are open now
| Market | State or province | Projects in the award window |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | New York | 8,863 |
| Austin | Texas | 4,450 |
| Miami-Dade | Florida | 984 |
| Los Angeles | California | 698 |
| Chicago | Illinois | 210 |
| Toronto | Ontario | 208 |
| Calgary | Alberta | 208 |
| San Antonio | Texas | 188 |
16,356 elevator projects were inside the award window across 25 markets in the United States and Canada on October 9, 2026: 7,018 new buildings and 9,338 renovations or alterations. Every market: elevator leads by city.
More for elevator contractors
- Sales automation for elevator contractors
- How to find clients for elevator contractors
- How to find elevator projects
- How to get more elevator jobs
- New construction projects for elevator contractors
- CRM for elevator contractors: what to track
- Elevators 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 elevator contractors win work from builders and general contractors?
By finding projects early on building permits, reaching the builder or general contractor while the elevator package is still open (from the start of construction to about 20%, with the last realistic approach at about 30%), sending a bid that states scope, exclusions, allowances and schedule, and following up as the build moves.
When is elevator work awarded on a new building?
Builtie times elevator work from the start of construction to about 20%, with the last realistic approach at about 30%. The developer and general contractor choose the elevator supplier early, because the shaft, pit and machine room are designed around it; an elevator consultant or the architect writes the specification.
What should an elevator bid cover note include?
The drawings and revision it is based on, the scope (supply and installation of [number] [type] elevator(s), [stops] stops, per specification [section]), the price and how long it holds, what it excludes, the allowances, and a schedule tied to when elevator work is decided.
How should I follow up on an elevator bid?
Three touches tied to the project: a few days after sending, when the elevator specification is issued, and before the window closes at about 30% 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.