Whether you’re just starting out as a subcontractor or looking to grow your business, there are many opportunities to take on new projects available in today’s market. Learn how and where to find subcontracting work and discover ways to stand out from the competition.
10 tips to find subcontracting jobs
1. Understand your capabilities
Before you take proactive steps to start new projects, it’s important to understand what kind of work your business can effectively handle based on the size of your team, your skills, and your current schedule.
Defining your capabilities in advance will help you avoid wasting time on opportunities that aren’t a good fit.
2. Connect with general contractors
One of the best ways to find work with local GCs is to reach out to them directly. Research general contractors in your area and gather a list of contact info from their websites, social media, or through personal connections.
Compose a brief, friendly message introducing your business and explaining your capabilities. Let them know you’re open to new projects and are interested to work with them.
3. Attend networking events
Networking is one of the oldest and most effective ways to find opportunities for growth in any industry, including construction. Consult your local chamber of commerce and see if there are any events or trade shows that would allow you to network within your service area.
4. Use online bidding platforms
Be sure to utilize online bidding boards that collect and share job opportunities from multiple sources and help you market your services. There are free and paid options, including:
You can even keep a passive eye out for new work by setting up alerts. The platform you use will send you immediate notifications via text or email as soon as an opportunity that meets your criteria becomes available.
5. Join professional organizations
There are many online trade organizations specific to construction. Consider joining groups like the American Subcontractors Association, which hosts events and provides networking resources and educational opportunities for its members.
Connecting with fellow subcontractors can lead to more work, as you can trade contacts and helpful information.
Additionally, you may join organizations that also serve GCs, like Associated Builders and Contractors.
6. Advertise your business
Market your business within your service area to reach GCs and potential customers who are actively searching for subcontractors. While choosing the right channels for advertising (including search engines, social media, and local print publications) can be complex, you can start small and scale up strategies that prove successful. If you have the budget, invest in third-party marketing services from an ad agency.
One of the easiest ways to get started with advertising your business is to create a professional website that clearly shows who you are and explains your capabilities. Start simple with a clear logo and examples of your previous work.
The website should prominently feature a way to get in touch by phone, email, or contact form that you consistently monitor.
7. Seek government opportunities
Don’t forget about government work. Your state or local government may have a website that lists construction opportunities that are open for bidding.
There may be stricter rules and regulations for what types of businesses can bid on government jobs. Be sure to read all requests thoroughly before applying.
8. Grow your skill set
Attending training or seeking further education can help expand your network and make your business more attractive to GCs and project owners.
Research similar businesses in your specialty area and take a look at their capabilities to identify any knowledge gaps your team may have. To stay competitive, consider investing in training or certifications to help close those gaps and be able to advertise the same services as other local subcontractors.
9. Invest time in proposals
Bidding on projects is not often a quick and easy process. Take the time to make sure your bids are accurate, error-free, and truly reflect your capabilities and the project’s specifications.
You may be tempted to quickly bid on a high quantity of projects, but the quality of your bids is equally important.
10. Expand your service area
If it makes financial and logistic sense, consider expanding your service area. Research the cities and towns within a reasonable distance and see if any have more opportunities for construction work than your current location.
While you always need to factor in travel costs for jobs outside your current service area, having flexibility can provide you with additional worthwhile opportunities to consider.
Smart tools for subcontractors
Finding opportunities to grow is only the first step to growing your subcontracting business. As you take on new projects, you’ll need to manage progress efficiently and keep GCs and your customers informed.
Raken’s simple, streamlined app is your one-stop shop for better documentation and communication. We offer:
Daily progress reporting - Quickly publish professional PDF reports with automated workflows
Time and production tracking - Closely track your resources and measure performance against estimates
Safety and quality management - Standardize procedures to minimize risk and identify potential issues
Document management - Get easy access to all the forms, documents, and drawings you need from the field or offsite
Get all the tools you need to keep projects on track in one convenient app.
Build better with Raken
Get a personalized demo to see how our easy-to-use field management tools improve profitability and productivity.