Find subcontractors near your job
Post the scope once and get bids from approved subcontractors who work in that area, with their insurance and license badges, start dates and reviews from real jobs.
The phone list runs out
Most contractors find subs through referrals, the supply house and a phone list that never seems long enough in a busy month. When your regular roofer is booked six weeks out, you need a few more good companies to call, without vetting strangers from scratch.
- Every company is reviewed before it can bid
- Insured and Licensed badges from documents we review
- Reviews only from contractors who awarded the sub a job
- Free for general contractors, now and after launch
How to find a sub on Contracting Bridge
Post the scope
Trades, size, budget or pricing, start date, plans and photos. Trades see the town and ZIP code, never the address.
Get bids nearby
Approved subcontractors in those trades who work in that area see it, ask questions and bid. Invite the ones you already use too.
Compare and award
Bids line up with price, start date, inclusions, badges and reviews. Award one and message them to schedule.
How to vet a subcontractor before you hire
- Get a current certificate of insurance from their agent, naming you as certificate holder, and check the limits and dates. Our certificate of insurance guide covers what to look for.
- Look up their license with your state's licensing board for trades that need one, like electrical, plumbing and HVAC.
- Read reviews from real jobs and ask for two recent references for similar work.
- Collect a W-9 before the first payment, so you can file a 1099.
- Put the scope, price and schedule in writing, with what's excluded and how changes are priced.
- Get lien waivers with each payment where your state uses them.
General information, not legal advice. Your state and your contract may require more.
Trades you can find
Each page shows what subs in that trade look for in a listing, which helps you write a scope that gets clean bids.
Questions about finding subcontractors
Who can see my project?
Only companies we've approved. Post to "Trades nearby" and it shows up for trades in the trades you picked who work in that area. Choose "Invite only" and only the companies you invite can see it. Nobody sees the street address.
Can I see bids before the due date?
Yes. By default you see each bid the moment it arrives, and you can award one any time, which closes bidding. If you'd rather compare everything at once, choose "Sealed until the due date" when you post, and bids stay hidden until bidding closes. Either way, trades never see each other's bids.
How do you check insurance and licenses?
Companies upload their certificate of insurance and license, and our team reviews each document before the Insured or Licensed badge appears. Badges end on the expiration date on file. We don't call insurers or licensing boards, and a policy can be canceled after we see it, so before work starts, get a current certificate from the trade's agent and check the license with your state.
Do you take a cut of the job?
No. You work out the contract and payment directly with the company you hire. Contracting Bridge never handles payment for the work.
Will trades see my client's address?
No. Trades see the town and ZIP code. Share the street address with the company you hire.
Is it really free?
Yes. Posting, bidding, messaging and reviews are free while we launch, with no limits. General contractors will stay free. When a Pro plan for trades arrives, Founding Members get a lower price, and the free plan stays.
Post your next project free
Get bids from approved subcontractors near the job. General contractors stay free.