Finding new work and forming relationships with builders is crucial for subbies and construction companies looking to expand their portfolios, but how do you do it? Not everyone has years of construction industry experience or extensive trade networks to pull from.
If you do, leveraging these connections can lead to paying work, but if you don’t, finding construction contracts and marketing your services to gain new clients should be a primary focus. Between now and 2028-29, the Master Builders Australia forecasts around $1.38 trillion worth of building and construction work, so there is no shortage of projects out there; you just need to know how to find them.
Can you find construction work with tenders?
Tendering is one of the best (if not the best) ways to find builders or government bodies that require construction work. A Request for Tender (RFT) is issued, inviting multiple providers to bid via comprehensive documentation that demonstrates experience, capability, capacity, and pricing. These submissions are then evaluated, and the supplier offering the best value and most suitable service wins the work.
The tender process is widely used as it benefits both parties. Buyers can compare prices fairly while assessing quality standards beyond just cost, and suppliers, particularly small-to-medium businesses, have access to larger projects and long-term client relationships.
In Australia, tendering is mandatory for government projects exceeding approximately $150,000, and around $99.6 billion worth of contracts were awarded in 2023-24.
For subbies, tendering is one of the best ways to find and win more work. E1 has been helping subcontractors tender more easily than any other method, and with over 900 builders, tens of thousands of active projects on our network, and the ability to tailor your preferences by location, E1 is one of the best methods for finding new projects.
Can you find work via other industry professionals?
Networking with other construction professionals can help identify new job opportunities or demonstrate your skills and experience to potential employers. Networking with other construction professionals can be done by:
- Participating in industry events
- Joining industry associations
- Using social media platforms such as LinkedIn
Industry associations can also help you gain accreditations to strengthen your business reputation or answer questions you might have. For example, industry associations help those who are new to the sector secure builder’s registrations in Australia and offer building and construction courses to help you upskill.
How do you encourage new work via word of mouth?
Word of mouth is an extremely powerful tool for getting new business and construction leads. As word-of-mouth referrals are basically personal recommendations of your quality work, potential clients already have peace of mind that your business will provide them with a good solution to their needs.
Your networks, connections and past clients are valuable advocates for your work. Even other trades that you’ve worked with can become word-of-mouth referrals that pay dividends. There are several ways you can encourage these people to recommend you for future work:
- Arrange a referral-swapping agreement with other contractors
- Offer a discount or commission incentive to people who secure confirmed work
- Ask for online reviews from past clients (an important form of social proof for those researching/considering your business)
Your reputation and past portfolio of work are crucial here. No matter how busy the books get, every project you work on is a real-life business card for the next.
How do you secure work in the most competitive states of Australia?
As we’ve mentioned above, applying for tenders is the best way to find high-paying jobs in the construction industry, and this is especially true in busier states like NSW, VIC and QLD.
There is an interesting duality when competing for jobs in busier areas, as while there is certainly more work, there is also more competition to win it.
E1 provides a single, up-to-date source for construction tender opportunities across Australia to take the burden out of the first step of actually finding the work. Australia’s construction industry is heavily concentrated in these three states (Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland):
Victoria
As an example, those looking to secure their next contract in Victoria will benefit from staying ahead of the projects in the construction industry with up-to-date tender listings. Big projects like those from Monash Uni and Crown Melbourne live on the E1 platform, providing an overarching resource for those who are unsure of where to find new jobs. Victoria is also investing $9.5 billion in new industrial land development over the next decade.
NSW
The same can be said about our NSW tender listings, as Greater Sydney’s land values alone grew by $87.9 billion in the 12 months to July 2025, showing a strong demand for development. There are twelve major projects currently underway for 2026 in NSW, with more in the pipeline, which tells us the large-scale construction in NSW is not slowing any time soon.
QLD
RFT, EOI, and RFQ listings across Brisbane and other regional QLD areas are also seeing a lot of attention thanks to significant infrastructure pipelines and government investment. Queensland’s construction pipeline has reached unprecedented levels, with $127.5 billion in engineering construction planned over the next five years (a 22.7% increase from 2024).
Can you make use of social media to find construction jobs?
We’ve mentioned LinkedIn, but the truth is, all social platforms are tools for building your business’s basic marketing foundations. It’s always a good idea to schedule time to focus on your social media channels, as they, like your website, are a great way to find new clients, have them find you, and exhibit your quality work.
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great ways to reach a wide audience of potential clients. Many business owners see social posting as a distraction or task that they don’t have the time for, but it is vital to the maintenance and health of your company. Both organic posts and paid, targeted advertising are vehicles for good-quality images, insightful videos of your work, and anything else that might help prospective customers gain insight into your business and the benefits you can bring to their project.
Blogging is an extension of your social media efforts and a great way to educate your audience about the work that you do. These inbound marketing efforts can be just as effective as outbound strategies and beneficial to the growth of your business.
Finding work and connecting with builders
E1 exists to help you find more work and tender for it easily. As you can tailor your preferences, searching by trade, location, or even budget makes it simple to find the right type of work for your company and location.
E1 helps you expand your network, find more opportunities, win more, and most importantly, build ongoing relationships with builders. As Australia’s largest network of construction professionals, you’ll find thousands of tenders that match your trade, and builders will be able to see your full project history, giving you the opportunity to stand out and book more work. Learn more about how E1 connects you with the new jobs and the biggest builders in Australia today.
Alexander
Green
General Manager - Subcontractors
