Reference 4 min read
Frequently asked questions
Data sources, freshness, the free plan, mobile, privacy — quick answers to the questions everyone asks in week one.
Where does the permit data come from?
Directly from municipal open-data portals — the same source cities publish — typically within 6–24 hours of filing. We don't scrape brokers or aggregators, which is why the timing band is fresh enough for trade windows to matter.
What regions are covered?
Coverage today centres on British Columbia and Alberta, and we're actively expanding. See the Service Areas page for the current list — and to request your region.
What makes a pin 'Hot'?
A fit score of 70+ out of 100 — and it has to pass the qualification gates, which require real trade-window timing. The score sums nine factors across five buckets: Timing (36), Project fit (20), Location (18), Connections (20), Reachability (6). The full math is in "How the fit score works."
What's free, exactly?
A free account includes 25 project views with no credit card — and they never expire. Browsing the whole map, every score, and the table costs nothing; opening a project's full details (address, builder, contacts) spends one view and unlocks that project for your account forever.
Why did a score change since yesterday?
Scores include time: filing freshness decays and trade windows open and close as a project ages. Changing your Targeting setup (trades, project types, value range) or your territory also re-scores the whole map.
Is there a mobile app?
BuildMapper is a mobile web app — open it in your phone's browser and tap "Add to Home Screen" for a full-screen, app-like experience (it's a PWA, nothing to download). Same scored pins, same Scout, built for the ten minutes between jobs.
Is my pipeline visible to anyone else?
No. Your contacts and pipeline are yours and never leave your account. On team plans, each seat keeps its own pipeline view, and territories and watchlists are shared only if you choose to share them.
Does the declared permit value equal the project budget?
Rarely. It's the applicant's own construction-cost estimate, declared for fee calculation, and it's usually conservative — it excludes land and soft costs. Treat it as a floor when sizing a job.
Can my team use one account?
Teams get real seats — invite your crew by email or join code, assign roles, and share territories and watchlists while every rep keeps their own pipeline and leaderboard spot.