For pros tired of Thumbtack's pay-per-quote auction model

The Thumbtack Alternative for Trade Contractors

Thumbtack charges you $20-80 every time you SEND A QUOTE — whether the homeowner reads it or not. Five other pros are quoting the same job. PermitGrab gives you raw permit data — homeowner name, address, project type — from public records before anyone else has access. No quote auctions, no shared inquiries, no per-quote charges.

Filed this week — live sample

● Pulled from official city records, updated daily

Real permits filed in the last 7 days. Contractor names and phone numbers unmask on the trial.

Date City Trade Contractor Phone Value
2026-06-18 Mecklenburg County, NC General Construction A••••••• R••••• M••••• LLC (916) •••-••62
2026-06-18 Mecklenburg County, NC Electrical G•••• E••••••• (916) •••-••62
2026-06-18 Bradenton, FL Structural A••••••• INC (941) •••-••35
2026-06-18 Bradenton, FL Roofing G••••• R•••••• (863) •••-••15
2026-06-18 Mecklenburg County, NC Electrical P•• T••• E••••••• (980) •••-••61
2026-06-18 Austin, TX Electrical S•••••• E••••••• LLC (512) •••-••68
Unmask these leads — start now

Cancel anytime. Your leads aren't resold to four competitors like Angi or HomeAdvisor.

Why PermitGrab

Thumbtack: pay-per-quote ($20-80) competing against 5 other pros
PermitGrab: $149/mo flat, unlimited permit data, one buyer per zip
Thumbtack quotes are unverified curiosity — permits are committed action
No "Pro Rewards" ranking games or response-time penalty boxes
Daily-fresh feed across 150+ cities — Thumbtack lead volume varies wildly
Direct-mail / door-knock ready: address + name on every permit

Frequently asked questions

Why is Thumbtack so expensive per quote?

Thumbtack auctions every job to 4-6 pros. Each pro pays $20-80 to send a quote, regardless of whether the homeowner reads it. Even with a 30% close rate, your effective cost per closed deal can exceed $400-1,000 once you account for quotes that go unread.

Does PermitGrab cover Thumbtack's service categories?

For trades requiring permits — roofing, solar, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, general contracting, restoration — yes, fully. For trades that don't typically require permits (lawn care, pest control, cleaning), Thumbtack still has a role though our address lists work for those via direct mail.

How does the contractor speed-to-call advantage work?

When a homeowner pulls a permit, you see it within 12 hours. Thumbtack pros sometimes don't see an inquiry until 24-48 hours after the homeowner sent it. First-to-respond contractors close 3-5x more often than late responders.

What's the right way to call a homeowner from a fresh permit?

Lead with the project type and offer value, not a sales pitch: "Hi [name], I'm [contractor]. I noticed you just pulled a permit for [roof / HVAC / etc] at [address]. I wanted to offer a free 15-minute walkthrough to make sure you got the right contractor — no pressure, just want to make sure your project goes smoothly." Conversion rates run 8-15% from cold call on a fresh permit.

Ready to start?

14-day trial. Cancel anytime in one click.

Stop Paying Per Quote — Switch to Permit Data
Start 14-Day Trial →
14-day
14-day trial