Why Manual Project Searches Are Costing Your Construction Business

In short:

• Manual project searches cost more in time and money than most contractors realize.
• Private commercial projects now make up more than half of U.S. commercial construction work.
• Digital tools like ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence help you access more opportunities, including public and private nonresidential projects.
• Switching from manual to digital searches can save contractors up to $31,000 per year.  

Manually searching through public project listings might seem like a way to save money. But in reality, it’s costing you both in time and missed opportunities. In 2025, with private commercial projects on the rise, relying on manual searches could hurt your business.

The Hidden Cost of Manual Project Search

Just because the data is public doesn't mean it's free. Hunting through listings takes time, and in construction, time is money.

How Much Time Are You Really Spending?

On average, a mid-sized contractor typically spends 9-14 hours per week on manual searches. Based on national pay averages, a contractor’s fully burdened wage is approximately $60/hour. Over a year, this manual search process costs $31,000 per employee, per year. This adds up to over $93,000 annually for teams of three contractors which is more than the annual fee for top-tier project intelligence software. 

And it’s not just about dollars. Every hour you spend digging for leads is an hour you’re not bidding on new work, following up with clients, or managing active projects. You might think you’re saving money by sticking to manual methods, but it’s actually costing you big time.

Use this calculator to check how much project search is costing your business.

The Rise of Private Projects

Public projects may seem abundant, but they now represent a shrinking share of the total market.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, private, invitation-only projects have grown over the past five years and now represent 60% of all commercial construction projects in the U.S.

This is consistent with ConstructConnect’s Put-in-Place Construction Forecast Report. Michael Guckes, Chief Economist, reports, "Private sector activity is anticipated to handily outperform its public sector equivalent based on forecasted 5-year compounded annual growth rates (CAGR) through 2029. The 5-year CAGR for total private construction at 4.6% is more than double that of its public sector equivalent at 2.0%."

Contractors who still rely solely on public data are missing out on more than half of today’s potential opportunities, especially in infrastructure projects, which make up a growing share of today’s market.

Digital Tools: Find Better Projects, Faster

Switching to digital tools like ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence (CCPI) isn’t just about saving time. It’s about staying competitive in today's market.

1. Access a Broader Market

With platforms like CCPI, you get access to the public and private markets. This means you’re not missing out on opportunities simply because they weren’t listed publicly.

• Before: Searching across SAM.gov, state e-procurement, and other portals to piece together public information.
• After: One dashboard with everything you need, from IIJA-funded federal work to private development. In ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence, you can filter by trade, project category, sector, and more (see below).

2. Save Time and Stay Ahead

Digital tools cut your weekly project search time, freeing up contractors to focus on strategies that win bids. Matt Trewet, Mechanical Estimating Manager at The Waldinger Corporation shares his experience

[ConstructConnect Project Intelligence] has been a huge timesaver for us. It allows us to respond to multiple general contractors, keep track of general contractors through the bid boards.”

As highlighted in Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan, AI-powered infrastructure projects are speeding up construction with faster permits and simpler processes. Using digital tools, contractors can quickly find and bid on these projects and stay ahead in a fast-changing market. 

3. Make Smarter Business Decisions

Data-driven tools provide deeper insights into project scopes, owner histories, and competitive landscapes. These platforms deliver:

• AI risk flags for high-abandonment projects
• Owner histories and low-bid ratios
• Integration with takeoff and estimating tools

For example, the PHX-13 project by Aligned Data Centers in Glendale, Arizona, demonstrates how private infrastructure projects are driving growth. The facility’s use of renewable energy and advanced cooling technology aligns with sustainability trends, making it a valuable opportunity. By leveraging these insights, contractors can focus on projects like PHX-13 that have lower risks and higher chances of success.

4. See a True Return on Investment

If a platform eliminates an average of $31,000 in annual costs for employees conducting searches for a construction firm and provides access to just one additional winning project, the investment in technology pays for itself several times over. Compared to the hidden cost of inefficiency and missed opportunities, the choice is clear.

Takeaway: Don't Risk Being Left Behind

In today’s market, manual searches aren’t saving you money. They’re costing you time, opportunities, and growth.

Investing in digital tools like ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence gives you the power to:

• Win hours back by reducing manual searches.
• Access high-growth private projects that competitors aren’t seeing.
• Bid smarter and improve your win rates.

Time is your most valuable resource. Don’t waste it chasing “free” data that comes at a high cost.

Want to Start Winning More Projects? 

Download our free guide, The Contractor’s Guide to Finding Better Projects, Faster, to learn how digital tools can transform your project discovery process.