Builders in the West Midlands

Quoting and job software for builders in Birmingham

Builders and trades working in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands can use EstiMate to price a job properly, send it as a quote the client accepts online, and turn it into a contract, a programme and invoices without retyping anything.

Below are the latest planning approvals from Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils, plus how EstiMate's AI prices labour for a site in a B, CV, DY, WS or WV postcode.

  • 7 councils
  • Postcodes B, CV, DY, WS, WV
  • Labour index 0.98
Live from the planning registers

What's being approved in the West Midlands

Applications for building work that the seven West Midlands councils approved between 16 September 2026 and 17 October 2026.

457

applications for building work approved

708

approvals in all, including trees, signs and condition discharges

7 of 7

councils' registers answered

By kind of work

  • Extension344
  • Commercial fit-out / change of use26
  • Garage / outbuilding19
  • Conversion / change of use13
  • Loft conversion12
  • New build10
  • Refurbishment9
  • Landscaping / external6
  • Demolition5
  • Commercial new build4
  • Commercial refurbishment4
  • Annexe3
  • Conservatory / orangery2

By council

  • Birmingham201
  • Sandwell72
  • Dudley63
  • Solihull44
  • Walsall44
  • Wolverhampton33
  • Coventry0

Coventry showsno recent decisions on the register. That usually means the council's feed is behind rather than that nothing was approved, so check its own planning portal.

Recent examples

Extension

Erection of two storey side and rear and single storey front and rear extensions.

B9, Birmingham

Typical value £40k–£90k (typical for an extension)

Commercial fit-out / change of use

Change of use from dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to dental surgery (Use Class E(e)) to facilitate the expansion and amalgamation of the existing dental surgery at No…

DY8, Dudley

Typical value £50k–£290k (typical for a commercial fit-out)

Extension

Erection of a single storey side extension.

B44, Birmingham

Typical value £40k–£90k (typical for an extension)

Extension

Erection of single storey side and single storey rear extensions, and alterations to pathway to perimeter of house

B31, Birmingham

Typical value £40k–£90k (typical for an extension)

Conversion / change of use

Proposed change of use from dwellinghouse (ClassC3(a)) to a residential home for up to three children (Class C2).

DY4, Sandwell

Typical value £95k–£240k (typical for a conversion)

Conversion / change of use

Proposed change of use from residential dwelling to 6 No. bedroom (6 No. person) HMO (Lawful Development Certificate)

B67, Sandwell

Typical value £80k–£200k (typical for a conversion)

Commercial fit-out / change of use

Change of use from warehouse to a leisure facility, to provide 2 x Padel courts, and 1 x Small swim pool for 121 private coaching (Use Class E(d)).

Dudley

Typical value £50k–£250k (typical for a commercial fit-out)

Conversion / change of use

Change of Use from single dwelling( C3) to children's home (C2) for up to 3 children, including garage conversion into a habitable room.

B36, Solihull

Typical value £80k–£230k (typical for a conversion)

Source: the councils' public planning registers, collected by PlanIt and searched by TenderPilot. Checked 17 October 2026 at 15:08 and refreshed about twice a day. Building work leaves out trees, signs and paperwork on existing consents. Locations are shown to postcode district only, no applicant details are shown, and value bands are typical ranges for that kind of work rather than quotes.

See them all on TenderPilot, free to search
Labour rates

How labour is priced for a site in Birmingham

×0.98

Midlands

Postcode areas B, CV, DY, WS, WV: 2% below the national guide

When EstiMate Pro's AI take-off prices a job whose site postcode starts B, CV, DY, WS or WV, it multiplies its national labour day-rate guide by 0.98, the Midlands index, so labour comes out 2% below the national guide. If you set your own day rates in Settings, the AI prices labour from those instead and the index no longer applies.

What you get

What EstiMate does for a builder in Birmingham

Quotes clients accept online

Materials and labour itemised with your markup and margin, sent as a link the client can accept, decline or query on their phone, with optional extras they can tick.

Contracts with e-signature

A build contract generated from the accepted quote, with your payment terms, signed online. Variations are added as signed addenda.

Variations and extras

Price additional works from site and send a one-tap approval link. The contract total and invoices update, with a full audit trail.

Invoicing and getting paid

Invoices with card payment links, payment milestones from the quote, and automatic chasing when an invoice falls overdue.

P&L, VAT and CIS

Receipts, supplier invoices and bank imports land in one ledger: profit and loss for any period, a VAT return helper, the CIS register and aged debtors.

Finding the work

TenderPilot, the sister product, searches live tenders and every council's planning register. Searching is free on any plan.

Every price is per business, not per user. No contract; cancel any time.

Councils and postcodes covered

  • Birmingham
  • Coventry
  • Dudley
  • Sandwell
  • Solihull
  • Walsall
  • Wolverhampton

Main postcode areas: B, CV, DY, WS, WV.

TenderPilot can search any of these councils' planning registers, or all of them at once, free. Search local applications or browse live tenders.

Built for your trade

Questions builders in Birmingham ask

Where do the Birmingham planning figures come from?

From the public planning registers of the seven West Midlands councils, collected by PlanIt, which gathers UK council registers into one search, and read by TenderPilot about twice a day. Councils publish at different speeds, so one that shows few decisions may simply be behind; its own planning portal has the full record.

How does EstiMate price labour for a job in Birmingham?

When EstiMate Pro's AI take-off prices a job whose site postcode starts B, CV, DY, WS or WV, it multiplies its national labour day-rate guide by 0.98, the Midlands index, so labour comes out 2% below the national guide. If you set your own day rates in Settings, the AI prices labour from those instead and the index no longer applies. Once you know your rates, entering them is the better option.

Do I need to be based in Birmingham to use EstiMate?

No. EstiMate is an online app for builders and trades anywhere in the UK, on the web and on iPhone. This page adds what is local: the councils, their recent approvals and the labour index for the area's postcodes.

What does EstiMate cost?

Free for up to 3 jobs a month. EstiMate is £15.99 a month for unlimited jobs with quotes, contracts, invoicing and the accounts, and EstiMate Pro is £39.99 a month with the AI quote writer, take-off and Construction Copilot. Prices are per business, not per user, and there is no contract.

Quote, contract and invoice your Birmingham jobs in one place.

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