Mecklenburg Extension Office

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Charlotte, North Carolina

Harry W. WattBusiness Improvement Specialist

Wood Products ExtensionNC State University

harry_watt@ncsu.edu704-880-5034

www.cnr.ncsu.edu/localwood

Researching Building Permitsfor Sales Prospects

Discrimination Policy Statement

The work upon which this project is based was funded in whole or in part through a grant awarded by the Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service.

In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Building Permits-a Gold Mine of Useful Marketing Information

• Required for New Construction and Remodeling Projects

• Issued by County Building Permit Offices

• Contains Valuable Information About Specific Construction Projects• Contact Information of the Owner• Contact Information of the Builder or Contractor• Size of the Project• Nature of the Project• Location of the Project

Few Take Advantage of the Information Available in Building Permits

Harry’s Personal Story-• Took Out a Building Permit in Iredell County in July 2009• Four Companies Contacted Harry for Sales the First Week• None Followed Up or Any New Contacts Afterwards• No Contacts By Local Building Supply Centers• Harry Initiated Every Buying Event

Large Home That Would Show Potential Sales Leads in the Permit

Information Varies Whether Summary Listings or Full Permit Information

• Summary Information Lists Only a Limited Amount of Information

• Full Permits Lists All Available Information

• Can Use the Summary Listings to Pinpoint Permits for Further Study

• Every County Has a Different Information Set and Presentation

Charlotte Metro Building Permit Offices

See Handout for County Building Permit Offices

Lancaster

YorkUnionGaston

MecklenburgCabarrusRowan

LincolnCatawbaIredell

Iredell County Building Permit Office

• Have to Visit the Permit Office and Manually Review Permits

• Iredell County’s Permits Are Concentrated in the South-Due to Overflow Construction From Charlotte

• I-77 and I-40 Make Iredell County Relatively Easy to Travel to Building Sites

• Iredell County Has Approximately the Same Population as Catawba County

Catawba County Building Permit Offices

• Traditionally an Important Economic County in NC But Recently Hurt by the Declines in the Furniture and Textile Industries

• Has a Permit Office in Newton and Hickory

Lincoln County Building Permit Office

• Borders Lake Norman• A Smaller County Than Those That

Surround It• Building Permit Information is Available

Online

Rowan County Building Permit Office

• Borders High Rock Lake

• I-85 Connects to Charlotte and Greensboro Markets

Cabarrus County Building Permit Office

• Traditionally a Textile Manufacturing Center

• An Important Bedroom Community of Charlotte

• I-85 Connects to Charlotte

Gaston County Building Permit Office

• Traditionally a Textile Manufacturing Center

• Large Population County• I-85 Crosses East to West• Catawba River and Two Lakes on the

Eastern Border

York County Building Permit Office

• Traditionally an Industrial and Textile Manufacturing Center

• High Current Unemployment Rates• I-77 Runs North and South• A Bedroom Community of Charlotte

Lancaster County Building Permit Office

• Traditionally a Textile Manufacturing Center

• Currently Has a High Unemployment Rate

• Catawba River is the Western Border

• A Bedroom Community of Charlotte