What Makes Buildscout Different from Competitors?

In the UK construction and property sector, planning applications are one of the most powerful ways to identify new opportunities. But not all planning application lead generation platforms are built the same.

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At Buildscout, we’ve designed our platform specifically to make life easier for contractors, suppliers, and property professionals, removing the manual work, giving you real-time UK planning data, and making sure your outreach is the first through the door.

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Here’s how Buildscout stands apart from competitors:

1. Recognised by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

Buildscout is an Associate Member of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the UK’s largest trade association in construction. The FMB promotes quality and high standards across the industry, and associates include trusted professionals such as architects, surveyors, engineers, and specialist suppliers. Our membership demonstrates Buildscout’s commitment to raising standards and supporting contractors with tools they can trust.

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2. Daily Real-Time UK Planning Application Data

Buildscout updates planning data daily, in real time. That means you’ll always see the most up-to-date opportunities, not last week’s updates. Being faster to act means being first in line for new projects.

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3. Everything Handled Inside the Platform

With Buildscout, you don’t need a separate account for third-party printer and mailer. All printing and sending is done directly in our platform, making the process simple, fast, seamless and hands off.

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4. Access to Full Planning Documents and Drawings

Buildscout gives you access to all planning documents and drawings associated with an application, so you get the full picture before reaching out. You can even filter by keywords inside documents to find the most relevant opportunities. Competing platforms often provide limited or incorrect data, leaving gaps that slow you down.

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5. Added Insights: Property Prices & Street View

Buildscout gives you added context to qualify opportunities faster:

• Property value data for better targeting
• Google Street View integration for instant accessibility checks
  
  

6. Smart Application Tracking & Scheduling

With Buildscout, you can favourite planning applications, schedule exactly when letters are sent during the planning process, and set up automated follow-ups to stay top of mind and increase campaign effectiveness.

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7. Multiple Professional Designs

Buildscout doesn’t give you a generated PDF to print and send. Instead, our professional designers and content writers create custom letters, postcards, and brochures that match your brand. Every communication looks polished, credible, and designed to convert.

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8. Mail Sent to the Applicant, Not Just the Site

Our outreach targets the applicant’s address, not just the site address. That means your message reaches the actual decision-maker, not an empty plot or unattended building site.

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9. Daily Delivery, First Through the Door

Your letters and postcards are printed and delivered daily via Royal Mail, so your message is one of the first through the door. That speed gives you a competitive edge that you simply don’t get with competitors.

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10. Engagement Tracking with QR Codes

Every letter, postcard, and brochure can include a unique QR code. This allows you to track engagement instantly and see which prospects are responding, giving you valuable insight into which campaigns are actually working, reduce friction and capture who is interested and showing intent but not converting.

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11. Dedicated Customer Care

Every Buildscout customer gets dedicated account support. From campaign setup to design tweaks and strategy guidance, you’ll always have someone on hand who knows your account and understands your goals.

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The Buildscout Difference

As an Associate Member of the FMB, Buildscout is trusted within the industry to deliver quality and reliability. Where other platforms stop at planning data and basic outreach, Buildscout goes further: richer insights, seamless automation, professional design, and faster delivery.

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The result? Better qualified leads, less admin, and more projects won.

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Don’t Take Our Word For It

“Mercia Electrical has been using Build Scout for just over two months, and it has already proven to be an invaluable tool for expanding our customer base. Through the platform, we’ve been able to view both domestic and commercial projects commencing in our chosen areas, giving us access to detailed information on project managers, homeowners, and architects. This has allowed us to proactively reach out and offer our support with renewable energy solutions, helping us connect with key stakeholders at the right time.

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The platform itself is extremely user-friendly, making it easy to navigate and find the information we need. The operational support from the Build Scout team has also been exceptional. A special thanks to Grant, who has consistently provided expert guidance, setup assistance, and ongoing advice to help us get the most out of the platform.”

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Mercia Electrical - Trust Pilot Review