PlanHub
An open marketplace where subcontractors and suppliers find and bid on projects GCs post.
Quick Answer
PlanHub is a cloud-based construction bidding platform that connects general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. GCs post projects and bid packages; subcontractors and suppliers search the marketplace for opportunities in their trade and region and submit bids. Unlike a GC's private bidder list, PlanHub functions as an open network both sides can search.
The Full Picture
PlanHub exists to solve a two-sided problem: GCs need enough qualified bidders on every package to get competitive pricing, and subcontractors need a steady pipeline of projects to bid without relying only on relationships they already have. A private, one-to-one invitation list can leave both sides short — PlanHub opens that search into a shared marketplace.
Mechanically, a GC creates a project in PlanHub, uploads plans and specs, and publishes it to the network (or invites specific known subs). Subcontractors and suppliers browse or get notified about projects matching their trade and service area, download the documents, and submit a bid back through the platform, with basic takeoff and estimating tools built in to help prepare it.
In practice, PlanHub is heavily used by subcontractors as a lead-generation channel — a way to find funded, active projects beyond their existing GC relationships — while GCs use it to widen their bidder pool, especially in trades or regions where their own contact list is thin.
PlanHub sits at the front end of the bidding process, similar in role to SmartBid, but structured as an open marketplace rather than a GC's private invitation tool. Once bids come back through either model, the work of normalizing and comparing them for scope still happens as a separate step.
Real Examples
Common Misconceptions
People assume: PlanHub and SmartBid do the same thing the same way.
Actually: Both manage the invite-to-bid step, but SmartBid is built around a GC's own private bidder list and contacts, while PlanHub is structured as an open marketplace subcontractors actively search for work in. GCs often use one or both depending on how established their subcontractor relationships are.
People assume: Posting on PlanHub guarantees quality bidders.
Actually: PlanHub widens reach, but it doesn't vet subcontractor qualifications for you. GCs still need their own prequalification process to confirm a bidder found through the marketplace can actually perform the scope.
Does MeltPlan Solve This?
Partially — adjacentPlanHub helps you find bidders and collect proposals; MeltPlan takes over once those proposals arrive. It levels every subcontractor bid for a package in minutes, no matter where the bidder was sourced, flagging scope gaps, exclusions, and qualifications so you can compare PlanHub-sourced bids against your known subs on equal footing.
Level bids from every source in one place →Frequently Asked Questions
Who is PlanHub for?
General contractors who need to reach more bidders for a project, and subcontractors and suppliers looking for construction work beyond their existing GC relationships. It's a two-sided marketplace serving both.
Is PlanHub free?
PlanHub offers free access for general contractors to post projects; subcontractors and suppliers typically pay a subscription to search and bid, with pricing tiers based on trade coverage and service area.
How is PlanHub different from Dodge Construction Network?
PlanHub is primarily a bidding marketplace focused on connecting GCs and subs on specific projects. Dodge is broader market-intelligence and project-lead data used to find and track projects earlier, often before formal bidding begins.
Does PlanHub help with takeoff and estimating?
Yes, PlanHub includes basic takeoff and estimating tools so subcontractors can measure quantities and build a price directly from documents posted on the platform, without switching to separate software.