How to Find Homes with Old Roofs Using Permit Data

Every roofing contractor faces the same problem: how do you find homeowners who actually need a new roof? Door knocking is slow. Buying shared leads from HomeAdvisor or Angi means competing with 4-5 other contractors for the same homeowner. And blasting postcards to entire zip codes means half your budget goes to homes with brand-new roofs.

There's a better way — and it starts with public permit data.

Why Permit Data Is a Goldmine for Roofers

Every time a roof gets replaced in the United States, the contractor (or homeowner) is required to pull a building permit. These permits are public record. That means you can look up any address and see whether a roof replacement permit was ever filed — and when.

If a home was built in 1998 and has no roof replacement permit on file, that's a 28-year-old roof. In Florida, where sun, humidity, and hurricanes destroy roofing materials faster than anywhere else, a roof that old is almost certainly in need of replacement. In Colorado, hailstorms along the Front Range can shorten a roof's life even further.

This is exactly how Lead-Spy works. We cross-reference property records (year built, ownership, mailing address) with building permit databases to identify homes where the roof hasn't been replaced in 20+ years.

How the Process Works

Step 1: Pick your target area. Instead of blanketing a zip code, you draw a specific neighborhood on a map.

Step 2: The system pulls every residential parcel. Using county parcel data, the system identifies every home inside your drawn area — including the owner's name and mailing address.

Step 3: Cross-reference with permits. For each address, the system checks whether a roof replacement permit has been filed. If no permit exists and the home is 20+ years old, it's flagged as a lead.

Step 4: Send targeted direct mail. You now have a list of homeowners with aging roofs, complete with mailing addresses. Send postcards only to the people who actually need you.

Why This Beats Traditional Lead Generation

Traditional roofing lead sources charge $50-150 per lead and share them with multiple contractors. With permit-based leads, you're the only one reaching out. The lead costs $1.20 instead of $75. And the homeowner actually needs a new roof.

Getting Started

Start by trying Lead-Spy for free. Draw any neighborhood in our coverage areas, and see exactly how many homes have 20+ year old roofs. No subscription required — you only pay for the leads you want.