Shared leads, blind knocking, or permit data — where do roofs actually come from?
Shared leads sell you a homeowner who filled out a form — along with four competitors. FirstKnock shows you every home in the market whose roof is 15+ years past its last permit, before anyone fills out anything.
| Shared-lead brokers | Blind door-knocking | FirstKnock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the lead comes from | Homeowner fills out a web form, broker resells it | Whatever street the crew picks that morning | County permit records — every home 15+ years past its last roof permit |
| Who else has it | Sold to 3–5 competitors at once | Anyone else knocking the same street | Your subscription; Territory Lock makes the county exclusively yours |
| Timing | After the homeowner is already shopping | Random — most doors are 5-year-old roofs | Before the renewal letter lands — you start the conversation |
| Cost per contact | $80–$300 per shared lead, pay per lead | $0 cash, but hours of wasted doors | From $149/mo for 50 unlocks (~$3/lead), month-to-month |
| Proof the roof is old | None — self-reported | Eyeballing shingles from the truck | Government permit record with a date stamp |
| Owner contact info | Included, accuracy varies | You knock and hope | Owner name + mailing address from the property appraiser |
Frequently asked
Why are shared leads so expensive per closed job?
A $150 shared lead sold to four roofers has, at best, a 25% chance of being yours to win before price competition starts. Roofers routinely report effective costs of $600+ per closed job from shared-lead platforms. FirstKnock leads are permit-verified homes you approach first — the cost is your subscription, not an auction.
Isn't door-knocking without data free?
The knocking is free; the wasted time isn't. In a typical Florida neighborhood, most roofs are under 15 years old — a crew knocking blind spends most of the day pitching homes with nothing to replace. Working a FirstKnock list means every door you hit has a documented 15+ year-old roof.
What exactly is a permit-verified lead?
In Florida, every legitimate roof replacement requires a permit, and permits are public records with dates. FirstKnock indexes those records across Jacksonville, Pinellas, and Tampa and lists every residential property with no roofing permit in 15+ years — a documented old roof, not a modeled guess.
Can I try it before paying?
Yes — the full map and lead list are free to browse with owner details locked. You can see exactly how many leads are in your territory before spending a dollar.
See your market before you pay anything.
Browse every permit-verified lead in Jacksonville, Pinellas, and Tampa free — owner details stay locked until you subscribe.
Open the free preview