What is permit valuation (job value)?
Permit valuation — also called job value or declared valuation — is the estimated total cost of the construction work described on a building permit, including labor and materials. Jurisdictions use it to calculate permit fees and to scope plan review. Because it’s a dated, documented dollar figure attached to a specific property and contractor, valuation is one of the most useful signals for sizing a project and prioritizing sales outreach.
Valuation reflects construction cost, not market or appraised value, and it’s typically based on the contractor’s estimate or a standardized cost table the jurisdiction maintains. It’s a planning figure — the final cost can differ — but for comparing projects it’s consistent and comparable across permits.
For a supplier or trade rep, valuation is a fast proxy for how much material and labor a job will consume: a $2M new-construction permit and a $9,000 water-heater swap are very different opportunities, and valuation sorts them instantly.
PlumbIntel surfaces valuation on every permit and rolls it up per contractor and per territory — total dollars permitted, average job size, and the biggest active projects — so you can prioritize by spend, not just by count.
Related questions
- Is permit valuation the same as property value?
- No. Valuation is the declared cost of the construction work (labor + materials), not the market or assessed value of the property.
- How is permit valuation calculated?
- Usually from the contractor’s cost estimate or a jurisdiction’s standardized cost-per-square-foot table; it’s used to set permit fees and scope plan review.
- Why does valuation matter for sales?
- It’s a dated dollar figure tied to a specific project and contractor — a fast way to size opportunities and prioritize the highest-spend jobs.
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