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Your first steps

From invitation to your first project.

Welcome to BuildDetect. Set up your account, tell us about your business, and explore construction projects in the jurisdictions you serve.

Getting started

  1. Create your account

    Choose Create account on the sign-in page. If prompted, check your email and confirm your account, then sign in.

    Open sign-in

  2. Activate your beta access

    On the waitlist page, enter the invitation code you received in Beta code, then select Activate founding beta. Keep your code private. If access is already active, continue to your profile.

    Open waitlist

  3. Complete your contractor profile

    In Settings, enter your company name, choose your trades and service area, then select Save profile. Wait for the save confirmation before moving on.

    Open Settings

  4. Find your first project

    Open Find Projects, choose a Jurisdiction and run your search. Select View intelligence on a project to explore its details and available source evidence.

    Open Find Projects

Your profile helps personalize Dashboard and Opportunity Feed. Find Projects uses the jurisdiction you select; Alerts have their own city and trade preferences.

Screenshot guide

Follow the illustrated steps below, or keep the four-page quick-start PDF open beside BuildDetect.

Download the quick-start guide (PDF, 274 KB)

Choose your trades

Services and specialties checkboxes, with General Contractor selected as an example.

In Settings, choose at least one trade under Services and specialties. Select the trades your business actually performs.

Open full-size image: choose your trades

Set your service area

City/area coverage, ZIP-radius coverage in miles and ZIP code for radius center fields, with existing values hidden.

Enter cities in City/area coverage, one per line or separated by commas. Leave ZIP code for radius center blank for city-wide matching. For radius coverage, enter a five-digit ZIP and a whole-number radius from 1 to 500 miles. Projects without coordinates may be omitted. Existing account values are hidden in this example.

Open full-size image: set your service area

Save and confirm

Save profile button below the explanation of where profile preferences apply.

Select Save profile and look for Contractor profile updated successfully. Confirm that your saved company details, trades and service area reflect your choices.

Open full-size image: save and confirm

Search by jurisdiction

Find Projects filters with Jurisdiction, Exact ZIP, Search projects and Clear filters controls.

Choose a Jurisdiction and select Search projects. Exact ZIP is optional and matches the ZIP recorded on a project, not a mileage radius. Clear it if results are too narrow. Gray field text in this example is placeholder text, not an applied search.

Open full-size image: search by jurisdiction

Review project intelligence

Example project intelligence page showing project stage, last updated date, value and project overview.

Select View intelligence on a result. Review the facts, scope and available source evidence. This is an example record; check the current record and official source before outreach. A listed project or contact does not establish that work is open for bids or identify the buying contact.

Open full-size image: review project intelligence

Need a hand?

I cannot finish signing in

If confirmation was requested, check your inbox and spam folder for the confirmation email. Return to sign-in after confirming. Use the password-reset option if you cannot remember your password.

My beta code did not activate access

Check that you entered the code from your invitation. Follow the message shown on the page. If redemption is uncertain, keep your original code and use Refresh account access or Reload page when offered before attempting redemption again. If the code is rejected, reply to your welcome email for help without including the code.

My profile is incomplete or did not save

Return to Settings and check your company name, trades and service area. Select Save profile and read any validation message. Stay on the page until the save completes.

I cannot find projects or intelligence is unavailable

Check your selected jurisdiction and clear extra filters. Coverage and available project details vary. Read any status message and retry when offered. If the problem continues, send the jurisdiction, page and error text with your feedback.