Landscaping and fence jobs: reaching new homes at the right time

A new house is finished with a bare lot, and the yard work is hired at the very end. Here is how landscapers, irrigation and fence companies use the final inspection on a permit to reach new homes at the right moment.

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A new house, a bare lot

A new house is often finished with a bare lot: no lawn, no fence, no irrigation and no plants. All of that work is still to come, and much of it is not in the builder's contract.

Hired at the very end

The yard is usually done last: at the very end of the build, or in the weeks after the owners move in. Reach out too early and nobody lives there yet. Reach out too late and someone else has already done it.

Watch for the final inspection

Many cities record a final inspection on the building permit, sometimes with a date. It is the clearest signal that the house is finished and the owners will soon need the yard done.

Status: final, finaled or closed, depending on the city.
Date: when the inspection passed.
Builder: who built the house, useful for the next point.

New homes come in groups

New homes are often built in subdivisions. When one finishes, a single street can have ten new yards at once: one visit, many quotes, and neighbors who talk to each other.

Ask what the builder leaves out

Builders often leave the fence, the lawn or the irrigation to the buyer. Ask the builders who file the most permits near you what they don't include; some will point their buyers to a company they trust.

Stay within the rules

Respect local rules on door-to-door visits and no-solicitation signs, address mail to the current resident, and never present yourself as working for the builder unless you do.

How FirstDig helps

FirstDig can alert you the moment a new home in your area passes its final inspection, in the service area you draw on a map.

Start free at firstdig.net: 14 days of Pro, no card needed.

The numbers right now

In the 30 days to 2026-11-15, 1,323 landscaping & irrigation permits were filed in the 53 cities and counties FirstDig covers.

Get the new permits in your service area by email: start free (14 days of Pro, no card needed).