Sales Toolkit for Tile Contractors: Win Work From Builders and GCs
Tile contractors win work from builders and general contractors by reaching them before the tile package is awarded, sending a bid that is easy to compare and following up as the build moves. The window runs from about 45% of the way through the build to about 65%, with the last realistic approach at about 75%. Builtie, a sales automation platform for construction trades, counted 39,222 tile 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 tile contractors win work from builders and GCs
- Find the projects early, on building permits: most private tile work is awarded by the builder or general contractor without a public bid.
- Call inside the window: from about 45% of the way through the build to about 65%, with the last realistic approach at about 75%.
- Reach the person who buys tile work. The builder or general contractor awards tile around drywall; on custom and higher-end work the designer or owner chooses the product first.
- 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 tile work gets picked
Builtie times tile work from about 45% of the way through the build to about 65%, with the last realistic approach at about 75%. That is after the rough-ins, when the interior finishes are priced.
Tap a stage. The highlighted stage is where tile 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) | week 14 | week 20 | week 23 |
| $1M to $5M (13-month build) | week 25 | week 37 | week 42 |
| $5M to $25M (20-month build) | week 39 | week 56 | week 65 |
| $25M to $100M (30-month build) | week 59 | week 85 | week 98 |
Check one project: the award window calculator takes a trade and a stage (or months since the permit was issued) and says whether tile 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]: Tile price from [Your company] Hi [First name], Attached is our tile price for [project address], based on [drawings / specification, revision and date]. Scope: tile [supply and] installation, with waterproofing in wet areas, per the finish schedule. Price: $[amount] [plus tax], valid until [date]. Excludes: substrate repair beyond [tolerance]; fixture removal and reinstall; heated floor wiring. Allowances: tile at $[amount] per [unit]; [number] patterns. Schedule: Tile work is usually decided between about 45% and 65% 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 selection meeting is booked. Why us: [show product lead times, waterproofing in wet areas and install dates that follow drywall]. 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 selection meeting is booked, the third before the window closes at about 75% of the build. The LinkedIn note is for the estimator or project manager you have not met.
Subject: Re: [Project address]: tile price Hi [First name], Checking the tile 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]: tile schedule Hi [First name], I see [project address] is moving: the selection meeting is booked. That is usually when tile 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 tile slot Hi [First name], We will release the [crew / production slot] we held for [project address] on [date] unless you need it. If tile 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 tile work for builders and GCs in [city] and price to your schedule. Worth a look before tile work is awarded? [Your name]
Where tile projects are open now
| Market | State or province | Projects in the award window |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | New York | 17,325 |
| Austin | Texas | 7,532 |
| Miami-Dade | Florida | 3,615 |
| Calgary | Alberta | 2,080 |
| Los Angeles | California | 1,913 |
| Toronto | Ontario | 1,649 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | 1,081 |
| Chicago | Illinois | 920 |
39,222 tile projects were inside the award window across 25 markets in the United States and Canada on October 9, 2026: 16,754 new buildings and 22,468 renovations or alterations. Every market: tile leads by city.
More for tile contractors
- Sales automation for tile contractors
- How to find clients for tile contractors
- How to find tile projects
- How to get more tile jobs
- New construction projects for tile contractors
- CRM for tile contractors: what to track
- Tile 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 tile contractors win work from builders and general contractors?
By finding projects early on building permits, reaching the builder or general contractor while the tile package is still open (from about 45% of the way through the build to about 65%, with the last realistic approach at about 75%), sending a bid that states scope, exclusions, allowances and schedule, and following up as the build moves.
When is tile work awarded on a new building?
Builtie times tile work from about 45% of the way through the build to about 65%, with the last realistic approach at about 75%. The builder or general contractor awards tile around drywall; on custom and higher-end work the designer or owner chooses the product first.
What should a tile bid cover note include?
The drawings and revision it is based on, the scope (tile [supply and] installation, with waterproofing in wet areas, per the finish schedule), the price and how long it holds, what it excludes, the allowances, and a schedule tied to when tile work is decided.
How should I follow up on a tile bid?
Three touches tied to the project: a few days after sending, when the selection meeting is booked, and before the window closes at about 75% 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.