Opus Group Insights
2026 Home-Services Paid Media Benchmarks by Trade
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Summary (updated 16 October 2026): Third-party 2026 benchmarks put Google Search ads for home and home improvement at $8.33 a click, an 8.05% conversion rate and $90.92 a lead (LocaliQ, Apr 2025–Mar 2026). By trade, LocaliQ's home-services report ranges from $93.69 a lead (electricians) to $228.15 (roofing), and SearchLight puts 2026 Local Services Ads at $39 (electrical) to $79 (roofing). All trade figures here are third-party; none are Opus Group claims. Across the accounts Opus Group runs (all trades, not per trade), leads average $63, $44–$90 in clients' best months, with a 27x return on ad spend and $1M+ of work won for clients every month.
Google Search ads by trade (LocaliQ)
| Trade | Avg cost per lead | Source period |
|---|---|---|
| Home and home improvement (all) | $90.92 · $8.33 CPC · 8.05% CVR | LocaliQ 2026 (Apr 2025–Mar 2026) |
| Plumbing | $129.02 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| AC installation and repair | $127.74 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| Heating and furnaces | $129.02 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| Electricians | $93.69 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| Roofing and gutters | $228.15 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| Landscaping | $117.92 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
| General contractors | $165.67 | LocaliQ (Apr 2024–Mar 2025) |
Other paid channels by trade (third-party)
| Trade | Local Services Ads (SearchLight) | Angi per lead (Founders Resource / LeadTruffle) |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | $57 | $40–$85 |
| HVAC | $51 | $45–$100 |
| Electrical | $39 | $35–$80 |
| Roofing | $79 | $50–$120+ |
| Landscaping | Not published | $25–$55 |
| Pest control | Not published | $25–$50 |
Thumbtack: you set the lead price; median $27.17 across 5,985 leads, Mar–Sep 2026 (Tack Tools Pro). Yelp: $5–$25 a click for contractors (SuperDupr, 3D Media).
Every trade figure on this page is a labelled third-party benchmark. Opus Group's own figures are all-trade only: $63 average cost per lead, $44–$90 in clients' best months, 27x ROAS, $1M+ won monthly.
How to compare them fairly
- Count leads the same way on every platform.
- Remove leads you would not pay for (spam, wrong service, out of area).
- Track which leads book a job.
- Divide 30 days of spend by booked jobs on each.
Sources
- LocaliQ: 2026 search advertising benchmarks (Apr 2025–Mar 2026)
- LocaliQ: home services search ad benchmarks (Apr 2024–Mar 2025)
- SearchLight: LSA cost per lead by trade, 2026
- Founders Resource: Angi lead cost by trade, mid-2026
- LeadTruffle: Angi lead cost and contract terms, 2026
- Tack Tools Pro: 5,985 Thumbtack leads, Mar–Sep 2026
- SuperDupr: Yelp Ads click costs for contractors, 2026
- 3D Media: Yelp Ads cost for contractors, 2026
All sources checked 16 October 2026. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company.
FAQ
What are the 2026 paid media benchmarks for home services?
Third-party 2026 benchmarks put Google Search ads for home and home improvement at $8.33 a click, an 8.05% conversion rate and $90.92 a lead (LocaliQ, Apr 2025–Mar 2026). By trade, LocaliQ's home-services report ranges from $93.69 a lead (electricians) to $228.15 (roofing), and SearchLight puts 2026 Local Services Ads at $39 (electrical) to $79 (roofing). All trade figures here are third-party; none are Opus Group claims.
What is a good cost per lead for home services?
LocaliQ's 2026 average for home and home improvement search ads is $90.92. A good number for you is one where cost per booked job leaves profit on the average job.
Which trade has the highest cost per lead?
In LocaliQ's home-services report, roofing and gutters at $228.15 a lead.
Are Local Services Ads cheaper than Search ads?
Per lead, usually: SearchLight's 2026 LSA figures ($39–$79 by trade) sit below LocaliQ's Search CPLs for the same trades.
Opus Group runs Google Ads, Local Services Ads and high-converting landing pages for local service businesses. See how it works.
Opus Group is a Google Ads and Local Services Ads agency for home-service contractors across the US.
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