The jobs that come after new construction: HVAC, landscaping, fences and more

A new house is one permit and a long list of later jobs: HVAC, plumbing fixtures, fences, driveways, lawns, irrigation, pools and solar. Which trades come in when, how to tell from the permit how far along a build is, and when to reach the builder or the new owner.

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A permit for a new house looks like one job, and it's really the start of a dozen. The builder frames, roofs and closes up the house. Around that work, and long after it, other trades get hired: some by the builder, many by the owner once they move in. If you know the order those jobs come in, a new-construction permit tells you who will need you, and roughly when.

The order of the work

Every build is different, but the trades tend to arrive in the same order:

Site work: clearing, grading, foundations, temporary fencing and the dumpster that stays on the lot for months.
Rough-in: HVAC ducts and equipment, plumbing lines and electrical wiring, while the walls are still open. The builder usually hires these trades.
Finishes: drywall, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, lighting and paint.
Outside, near the end: the driveway and walkways, the fence, the lawn or sod, irrigation and landscaping. The lot is bare when the builder leaves, and the owner often hires this work separately.
After move-in: a pool, a patio or pergola, solar, window coverings, security, and the services that come back every season or every week: lawn care, pest control, pool service, HVAC maintenance.

Your trade decides which stage is yours. A plumber or an HVAC company wants the builder at the rough-in stage; a fence or landscaping company wants the house that is nearly done; a pool company or lawn service wants the new owner.

Two customers on every new build

The builder. A builder who pulls permits all year hires the same trades again and again. Being on that list brings steady work, and the permit names the contracting business, so you know who to call. One good job for a busy builder is worth more than any single house.

The owner. Once the build is done, the property becomes the customer for everything the builder doesn't include. New owners are setting up a house from scratch: they're choosing a lawn service, a fence and someone to keep the HVAC running, often all in the same few weeks.

Read how far along the build is

The permit record tells you where a job stands:

Issued: work can start. Too early for the owner, the right time to reach the builder.
Inspections passed: the build is moving. Rough-in trades are already on site.
Final inspection, finaled or closed: the house is done, or close to it. This is the moment for the trades that come after: outside work, move-in services and maintenance.

Cities publish these statuses and dates differently. Some record a final inspection date; others only change the status.

Let FirstDig watch the timing for you

Permit alerts bring you the new-construction permits in the areas you draw, the morning after the city publishes them. That's your signal to reach the builder.
Job-finished alerts tell you when a permit you follow reaches its final inspection or closes, so you hear about the finished house when the owner is about to need you.
Ready-date estimates show, from the city's own history of similar permits, roughly when a job is likely to be finished. A permit with too little history gets no estimate instead of a guess.
Builder insights list the businesses pulling the most permits around you: the builders worth a call.
Hot streets and the door-hanger route show where finished builds cluster, so one morning covers a whole new subdivision in driving order.

A routine that works

Each morning, scan new-construction permits in your areas and note the builders you see most.
Each week, call or visit one or two of those builders, with the addresses of their current jobs in hand.
When builds near the end, plan a door-hanger route around the finished houses in the same neighborhood.
Keep track of what you contacted, quoted and won, so you learn which builders and stages pay off for your trade.

Stay within the rules

Permits are public records, but how you contact people is regulated. Respect local rules on door-to-door visits and no-solicitation signs, address mail to the current resident, and never present yourself as working with the city or the builder unless you do.

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The numbers right now

In the 30 days to 2026-10-28, 7,969 new construction permits were filed in the 91 cities and counties FirstDig covers.

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