How roofers find work in reroof permits

A reroof permit usually means another roofer already won that job. The value is around it: aging streets, storm areas, busy builders and your competitors. Here is how roofers read roofing permits.

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A reroof permit is a job already won

Most US cities require a permit to replace a roof, and the roofing company usually pulls it after the owner has signed. So a reroof permit in itself is rarely a lead: another roofer already has that job. What the permit gives you is everything around it.

Roofs on a street age together

Houses on a street were often built in the same years, with the same materials, so their roofs reach the end of their life at about the same time. When several houses on one street file reroof permits within a few weeks, the rest of the street is worth a look.

Where: the street address of each reroof.
When: the filing or issue date, so you can see a street heating up.
How big: the declared value, a rough guide to the size of the job.

Storms show up in permits

After a hail or wind storm, reroof permits jump in the areas that were hit. A map of new roofing permits shows exactly which streets and neighborhoods, often before any other source does.

New homes: the builder chooses

New construction works differently: the builder hires a roofer for every house. Builders who file many new-home permits near you are worth a visit of their own, long before the roofs go on.

Know your competitors

Permits name the roofing company, often with its license number. Count who files the most reroof permits in your area and you know who you are up against, how busy they are and which neighborhoods they work.

Stay within the rules

Reaching out on a street 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 connected to the city or to the roofer who did the house next door.

How FirstDig helps

FirstDig sorts every reroof and new-roof permit into roofing, shows the busy streets on a map and emails you the new ones in your service area every morning.

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

The numbers right now

In the 30 days to 2026-10-28, 113,078 permits were filed in the 98 cities and counties FirstDig covers.

New York, NY: 8,796
Miami-Dade County, FL: 5,561
Los Angeles, CA: 5,298
Austin, TX: 4,581
Fort Worth, TX: 4,517
San Antonio, TX: 4,443

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