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38% of Contractors Are Using AI. The Other 62% Are About to Fall Behind.

ServiceTitan just released its 2026 Commercial Specialty Contractor Industry Report. They surveyed over 1,000 commercial construction leaders. The headline number: 38% of contractors now report measurable business impact from AI. Last year that number was 17%. That’s not gradual adoption. That’s a doubling in twelve months. And the contractors who haven’t started yet are running […]

Insurers Are Requiring Smart Water Shutoffs. Plumbers AI Can Find Are Getting Every Install.

Insurance companies have had enough of water damage. And they’re doing something about it that is about to send a wave of business to every plumber who’s ready. State Farm, Allstate, Chubb, Nationwide, Farmers, and Mercury Insurance are now requiring or strongly incentivizing homeowners to install automatic water shutoff valves with smart leak detection. In […]

79% of Roofers Don’t Use AI. The Other 21% Are Taking Your Leads.

ServiceTitan just released their 2026 Roofing and Exterior Market Report, and one number should stop every roofing company owner in their tracks: 79% of roofing contractors reported not using AI or external large language models at all. Only 4% use AI features built into their CRM. Just 25% have even tried tools like ChatGPT or […]

Homeowners Are Asking for AI Thermostats. Your HVAC Company Isn’t in the Answer.

Something shifted in the HVAC industry this month that most contractors haven’t noticed yet. Samsung walked into MCE 2026 — the world’s largest HVAC trade show — and unveiled an entire product line built around AI. Their new residential units use AI to learn occupant patterns, predict weather changes, and cut energy consumption by up […]

Google Ads CPCs Are Up 25%. Here’s Where Smart Contractors Are Spending Instead.

If you’re running a contracting business and your Google Ads budget feels like it’s buying less every month, you’re not imagining things. Google Ads CPC has risen 10-25% across nearly every industry in 2026. For contractors bidding on high-intent keywords in competitive metros like Atlanta, Dallas, or Phoenix, clicks can run $25 to $75 each. […]

Apple Just Rebuilt Siri. Most Contractors Don’t Even Have a Listing.

Apple just made one of the biggest moves in local search that nobody in the trades is talking about. On March 24, Apple announced “Apple Business” — a new all-in-one platform that replaces Apple Business Connect, launching April 14 in 200+ countries. At the same time, Apple Intelligence is transforming Siri from a voice assistant […]

6% to 45% in One Year. AI Search Just Became Your Front Door.

BrightLocal just released its 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey. The headline number should make every contractor in America stop and pay attention: 45% of consumers now use AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity to find local services. That number was 6% one year ago. Not 6% growth. It went from 6% to 45% in […]

PE Firms Are Buying Your Competitors. AI Decides If You Survive.

Private equity has spent the last three years buying up trade companies like they’re collecting baseball cards. Over 200 PE-backed platforms now operate across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. Blackstone dropped $2.5 billion on the Champions Group. The U.S. home services market is projected to hit $842 billion by end of 2026. And 76% of critical […]

Big Tech Is Paying Electricians $250K. Here’s Why That’s Your Opportunity.

Microsoft’s president just identified it as their number one problem. Google published a policy report warning about it. Fortune reported some trade workers are earning past $250,000 because of it. The “it” is the electrician shortage — and the AI data center boom is making it worse by the month. The U.S. needs 300,000 new […]