Plats, permits, plan review, explained.
The public construction record is one of the most useful - and most poorly-explained - datasets a contractor can read. These reference guides break down what each layer is, how it works, and how to use it.
Plats
5 guides
What Is a Plat?
A complete reference to plats: what they are, what they contain, the different types, the approval lifecycle, and why they matter for contractors.
Plat vs. Replat
When you'd see each, how the approval timelines differ, and what the distinction means for contractors watching the public record.
The Platting Process
A step-by-step reference to the platting process: the survey, the application, staff review, the planning commission decision, and recording - with typical timelines for each stage.
How to Read a Plat Map
A field reference for reading plat maps: the title block, lot and block numbering, bearings and distances, easement notation, plat notes, and the symbols that trip people up.
Preliminary Plat vs. Final Plat
The difference between preliminary and final plats: what each one approves, what can still change, typical timelines between them, and why the gap between the two is the highest-signal window for contractors.
Permits
2 guides
Construction Permit Types: A Reference
Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, demolition, sign, and specialty permits - what each one is for, who pulls them, and how to use them as lead signal.
How to Pull a Building Permit in Houston
When a building permit is required in Houston, how to apply through the Houston Permitting Center and the online portal, the step-by-step process from project number to final inspection, and what tends to slow it down.
Houston Reference
4 guides
Houston PlatTracker: A Complete Walkthrough
Everything contractors need to know about the PlatTracker portal - what it is, how the biweekly cycle works, how to read agendas, and where the workflow falls short.
Top Commercial Construction Companies in Houston
The major commercial construction companies in Houston, organized by what they actually build - healthcare, higher-ed, industrial, and high-rise - plus how to spot their next projects early.
Cost per Square Foot to Build a House in Houston
2026 Houston cost-per-square-foot ranges to build a house by quality tier - economy to luxury - what drives the number, and what's excluded (land, design fees, impact fees).
Texas Contractor License Requirements
Whether you need a contractor's license in Texas, which trades the state actually licenses (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), and the practical steps to get set up to operate and pull permits in Houston.
Tools & Software
11 guides
Construction Bid Software: The Categories, Compared
A plain-English breakdown of construction bid software: the four categories, the leading tools in each, how to choose, and the project-discovery gap every bid tool shares.
Digital Solutions for Contractors
The complete category map of digital solutions for contractors: project management, estimating, bid management, field, safety, accounting, and project intelligence - with the leading tools in each.
What Is BIM (Building Information Modeling)?
A complete, plain-English reference to BIM (Building Information Modeling): what it is, how it differs from CAD, the dimensions, levels, LOD, the software, and why it matters across the AEC lifecycle.
BIM vs CAD: What's the Difference?
BIM vs CAD, explained side by side: what each one is, how a model differs from a drawing, where each still fits, and how to know which a project actually needs.
BIM Dimensions Explained: 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D & 7D
What the BIM dimensions actually mean: 3D, 4D (time), 5D (cost), 6D and 7D (sustainability and facility management) - including the honest truth about why 6D and 7D are not standardized.
BIM for General Contractors: A Practical Guide
How general contractors actually use BIM: clash detection, 4D sequencing, 5D takeoff, prefabrication, and handover - plus the BIM Execution Plan and what to ask for in a model.
How to Get Construction Leads
The nine channels contractors actually use to get construction leads in 2026 - referrals, bid boards, public-records intel, lead marketplaces, and more - ranked by how early and how qualified the work is.
Construction Markup vs. Margin
Markup vs. margin for contractors: the exact formulas, worked examples, a conversion table, the costly 20% mistake, and how to price any job to a target margin.
How to Find Construction Jobs to Bid On
Where to find construction jobs to bid on: plan rooms, bid boards, permit and plat filings, GC relationships and owner outreach - with the trade-offs, costs and timing of each.
How to Bid Construction Jobs
How to bid construction jobs step by step: qualifying the job, takeoff, pricing labour and materials, overhead and markup, exclusions, and the errors that cost contractors money.
How to Find Electrical Jobs to Bid On
How electrical contractors find jobs to bid: GC invitation lists, permit and plan-review filings, public portals, service-to-project conversion, and the timing that decides the win.
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