State of AI in the Trades: November 2026

A roundup of published, third-party survey data, compiled Nov 2, 2026. Most of these surveys come from software vendors, and samples differ, so figures aren't directly comparable.

Key stats

Over 70% of surveyed Housecall Pro customers had tried AI and nearly 40% used it actively (400+ U.S. pros, April 2025). ^[1]
Among trades in that survey, AI use was plumbing 40%, HVAC 38%, general contracting 35%, electrical 34%. ^[1]
52% of 1,050 U.S. home service business owners use AI in day-to-day operations (survey Dec 2025). ^[2]
Of AI adopters: 54% use it for quoting, 52% for invoicing, 51% for business writing. ^[2]
Over 70% of customers expect a same-day response; more than half within the hour. ^[2]
46% of 1,000+ contractors are using or experimenting with AI; only 12% have embedded it in their processes (Oct–Nov 2025). ^[3]
59% use AI built into software they already use, rather than standalone tools. ^[4]
27% of calls to home services businesses go unanswered. ^[5]
In a 1,000-call sample, owners estimated a 97% answer rate; the actual rate was 66%. ^[6]

What it means

Adoption is broad but shallow: many contractors use AI for office work like quoting, invoicing and writing, but few have built it into their operations. Missed calls are a measurable revenue leak — try our missed-call calculator.

Sources

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