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How to Find Building Site Contacts for Your Snack Van

by Kez
(Kent)

Mobile snack van parked at a UK building site

Mobile snack van parked at a UK building site

I have a snack van ready and available to visit building sites. What is the best way to find contacts?

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Apr 14, 2026
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by: MobCater

Building sites were some of my best pitches when I was trading, Kez, so you're thinking along the right lines.

The most direct way to find contacts is to get out and drive around. Look for active building sites in your area, especially the bigger housing developments where there are 20, 30, 50+ workers on site every day. When you spot one, don't just turn up with the van. Park up nearby, walk onto site and ask to speak to the site manager or site foreman. They're the ones who decide whether a catering van gets access. Be polite, look professional, and explain what you offer. First impressions really do count here.

One tip that saved me a lot of legwork is the website theconstructionindex.co.uk. It lists upcoming and current construction projects across the UK, including who's building them and where. You can search by region and find the names of the contractors and sometimes even the site managers. That gives you a head start before you even visit the site.

Another approach is to contact the head offices of the big housebuilders directly. Companies like Barratt, Taylor Wimpey, Kier, Persimmon, and Fairview all run sites across the country. If you phone their regional office and ask who handles catering arrangements for their sites, you can sometimes get introduced to several site managers at once. LinkedIn is also worth a look for connecting with site managers and surveyors in your area.

The beauty of building site work is the income can be surprisingly good. A small site might bring in £40 to £70 a day, but a large busy site can easily top £500 a day, and it's all cash. Many sites won't charge you a pitch fee either, and some will even provide free electricity or gas. The workers tend to eat two or three times a day, so you're not relying on passing trade.

One thing to keep in mind is timing. Try to approach sites early in the development phase when the groundwork crews are just starting. They'll be grateful for a catering van from day one, and you'll have the pitch locked in before anyone else turns up. If you wait until the site is fully active, you might find another van has already got there first.

Keep your van spotless and your food consistent. I've seen caterers get invited to additional sites purely on reputation, because site managers talk to each other. Do a great job on one site and the word spreads.

Good luck with it

David

Disclaimer: This is based on my experience in UK mobile catering. Rules and costs can change, so always do your own research and check with the relevant authorities before committing.

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