
Quick answer
As of November 2026, plumbing has the most expensive Google Ads clicks of 17 US home-service trades: a median $59.66 across six homeowner searches. Water damage ($51.88) and garage door ($51.21) follow. The priciest single search is "emergency garage door repair" at $98.74 a click. Landscaping is cheapest at a median $11.43, about one fifth of plumbing.
Key takeaways
- As of November 2026, plumbing has the most expensive Google Ads clicks of 17 US home-service trades, with a median $59.66 across six homeowner searches.
- "Emergency garage door repair" was the priciest of 95 home-service searches at $98.74 a click in November 2026, and 15 of the 95 averaged $50 or more.
- Emergency or same-day wording raised the click price by a median 1.82 times across nine trades in the November 2026 data.
- The median urgent repair search cost $33.91 a click in November 2026, against $18.26 for project trades and $12.21 for recurring services such as cleaning and lawn care.
- November or December 2025 was the slowest search month for 12 of the 17 trades, and landscaping had the strongest season, with April 2026 searches at 3.91 times December 2025.
On this page
- What do Google Ads clicks cost for each home-service trade?
- What do urgent repair trades pay per click?
- What do project trades pay per click?
- What do recurring service trades pay per click?
- How much more do emergency searches cost?
- Which months are busiest for each trade?
- Which trades can use Local Services Ads?
- How do you turn a click price into a budget?
- How did we collect these numbers?
- FAQ
What do Google Ads clicks cost for each home-service trade?
Plumbing pays the most per click and landscaping the least. As of November 2026, the median click across a trade's main homeowner searches ran from $11.43 for landscaping to $59.66 for plumbing, and the median of all 95 searches was $21.75. These are US averages from Google Ads keyword data, pulled on November 14, 2026.
| Trade | Median CPC (Nov 2026) | Highest-priced search | Busiest vs slowest month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | $59.66 | whole house repipe ($87.37) | Sep 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.44x) |
| Water damage | $51.88 | emergency water removal ($65.94) | Dec 2025 vs May 2026 (6.74x), see note |
| Garage door | $51.21 | emergency garage door repair ($98.74) | Dec 2025 vs Sep 2026 (1.93x) |
| Roofing | $38.20 | hail damage roof inspection ($51.40) | Sep 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.00x) |
| HVAC | $33.98 | emergency ac repair ($80.51) | Jul 2026 vs Apr 2026 (1.95x) |
| Remodeling | $31.63 | walk in shower installation ($37.35) | Sep 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.17x) |
| Moving | $29.39 | cross country movers ($83.29) | Jan 2026 vs Nov 2025 (1.89x) |
| Pest control | $27.13 | exterminator near me ($36.60) | May 2026 vs Dec 2025 (1.81x) |
| Electrical | $18.57 | emergency electrician near me ($45.55) | Oct 2025 vs May 2026 (1.48x) |
| Painting | $17.90 | interior painting services ($19.23) | Jan 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.58x) |
| Junk removal | $16.12 | same day junk removal ($26.65) | Jan 2026 vs Nov 2025 (1.69x) |
| Tree service | $15.86 | emergency tree removal near me ($34.05) | Jun 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.66x) |
| Glass and auto glass | $15.11 | board up service ($71.25) | Apr 2026 vs Dec 2025 (1.43x) |
| Locksmith | $14.83 | emergency locksmith ($21.75) | Nov 2025 vs Sep 2026 (1.28x) |
| Cleaning | $12.07 | move out cleaning ($19.17) | Oct 2025 vs Dec 2025 (1.53x) |
| Pressure washing | $11.47 | roof cleaning near me ($20.02) | Mar 2026 vs Nov 2025 (2.48x) |
| Landscaping and lawn care | $11.43 | retaining wall contractors ($16.32) | Apr 2026 vs Dec 2025 (3.91x) |
Urgent repair trades had a median search price of $33.91, project trades $18.26 and recurring services $12.21 (November 2026). Our guide to how much Google Ads costs explains how the auction sets these prices.
What do urgent repair trades pay per click?
Urgent repair trades pay the most: five of these eight have a median click above $33. All tables use US data pulled November 14, 2026.
Plumbing
Median $59.66, the highest of the 17 trades, with searches peaking in September 2026.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| plumber near me | 1,000,000 | $41.07 | $13.86 to $88.84 |
| emergency plumber | 90,500 | $74.89 | $24.42 to $110.00 |
| 24 hour plumber | 8,100 | $79.97 | $26.27 to $98.71 |
| drain cleaning near me | 135,000 | $44.43 | $15.65 to $81.54 |
| water heater replacement | 49,500 | $31.74 | $7.15 to $55.90 |
| whole house repipe | 720 | $87.37 | $15.08 to $95.00 |
Water damage
Median $51.88, and four of the six searches cost over $50 a click.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| water damage restoration | 90,500 | $55.09 | $18.20 to $99.99 |
| water damage repair | 9,900 | $52.34 | $20.00 to $96.68 |
| emergency water removal | 4,400 | $65.94 | $18.23 to $96.29 |
| mold remediation | 90,500 | $37.60 | $6.75 to $42.45 |
| sewage cleanup | 1,900 | $51.41 | $24.36 to $113.63 |
| fire damage restoration | 60,500 | $30.36 | $11.42 to $72.00 |
Garage door
Median $51.21, with the priciest search in this report at $98.74 and top-of-page bids up to $111.11.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| garage door repair | 246,000 | $51.21 | $16.59 to $81.91 |
| emergency garage door repair | 14,800 | $98.74 | $33.00 to $111.11 |
| garage door spring repair | 18,100 | $42.09 | $12.42 to $73.35 |
| garage door opener repair | 165,000 | $56.00 | $13.91 to $75.00 |
| garage door installation | 40,500 | $25.15 | $7.68 to $50.00 |
Roofing
Median $38.20. "Roof repair" hit 201,000 searches in September 2026, against 60,500 in most of the spring.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| roofers near me | 165,000 | $24.77 | $14.27 to $74.07 |
| roof repair | 90,500 | $40.31 | $14.50 to $71.95 |
| roof repair near me | 110,000 | $41.48 | $15.00 to $70.48 |
| roof replacement | 33,100 | $30.63 | $15.00 to $73.29 |
| roof leak repair | 27,100 | $36.08 | $11.24 to $59.36 |
| hail damage roof inspection | 2,400 | $51.40 | $8.33 to $60.00 |
HVAC
Median $33.98. "Emergency ac repair" searches rose from 5,400 in February 2026 to 60,500 that July.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| ac repair | 368,000 | $43.88 | $21.49 to $113.12 |
| furnace repair | 201,000 | $39.41 | $13.36 to $82.75 |
| hvac near me | 165,000 | $28.56 | $9.75 to $77.05 |
| emergency ac repair | 14,800 | $80.51 | $25.31 to $125.51 |
| ac replacement | 14,800 | $19.24 | $7.68 to $64.26 |
| heat pump installation | 22,200 | $28.47 | $4.48 to $43.86 |
Electrical
Median $18.57, but the emergency search costs $45.55, about double the main one.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrician near me | 368,000 | $22.65 | $5.73 to $55.00 |
| emergency electrician near me | 14,800 | $45.55 | $8.43 to $64.01 |
| electrical panel upgrade | 9,900 | $14.71 | $4.31 to $23.85 |
| ev charger installation | 14,800 | $18.57 | $4.64 to $31.77 |
| whole house generator installation | 9,900 | $15.27 | $3.38 to $21.23 |
Glass and auto glass
Median $15.11. Auto glass clicks are the cheapest here, board-up service the priciest.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| windshield replacement | 201,000 | $11.78 | $3.10 to $17.62 |
| auto glass repair near me | 74,000 | $8.80 | $2.48 to $14.21 |
| window repair near me | 40,500 | $15.04 | $4.21 to $19.10 |
| window glass replacement | 22,200 | $15.18 | $3.23 to $18.60 |
| emergency glass repair | 880 | $15.50 | $3.69 to $15.00 |
| board up service | 720 | $71.25 | $14.00 to $79.73 |
Locksmith
Median $14.83, low for an emergency trade, on the second-largest search in this report.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| locksmith near me | 673,000 | $15.09 | $2.82 to $15.00 |
| emergency locksmith | 12,100 | $21.75 | $3.57 to $17.30 |
| car locksmith near me | 74,000 | $15.01 | $2.48 to $13.53 |
| lockout service | 3,600 | $14.65 | $2.56 to $13.51 |
| car key replacement | 33,100 | $12.09 | $1.16 to $8.01 |
| rekey locks | 6,600 | $6.99 | $2.17 to $15.00 |
What do project trades pay per click?
Project trades pay a median $18.26 per search click, and bigger jobs cost more: remodeling and long-distance moving top the group.
Remodeling
Median $31.63, and bathroom searches cost more per click than kitchen searches.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom remodel | 135,000 | $34.29 | $9.58 to $55.00 |
| bathroom remodeling near me | 110,000 | $37.03 | $13.74 to $70.00 |
| kitchen remodeling near me | 90,500 | $20.22 | $6.58 to $41.68 |
| basement finishing contractors | 22,200 | $28.97 | $8.11 to $47.29 |
| walk in shower installation | 4,400 | $37.35 | $6.49 to $51.07 |
| home remodeling contractors | 27,100 | $13.40 | $5.68 to $32.65 |
Moving
Median $29.39. Long-distance clicks cost about 3.6 times local ones.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| movers near me | 301,000 | $27.02 | $9.18 to $37.76 |
| packing and moving services | 5,400 | $29.39 | $7.84 to $33.75 |
| local movers | 60,500 | $23.42 | $6.96 to $32.11 |
| long distance moving companies | 22,200 | $78.16 | $26.58 to $94.89 |
| cross country movers | 14,800 | $83.29 | $25.33 to $103.16 |
Painting
Median $17.90, with all five searches between $14.20 and $19.23.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| painters near me | 110,000 | $14.20 | $5.70 to $32.58 |
| deck staining near me | 4,400 | $15.64 | $4.04 to $25.46 |
| exterior house painters near me | 12,100 | $18.18 | $6.39 to $42.29 |
| interior painting services | 6,600 | $19.23 | $7.33 to $35.43 |
| cabinet painting near me | 9,900 | $17.90 | $6.34 to $30.33 |
Junk removal
Median $16.12. Same-day wording adds 46% to the click price.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| junk removal | 135,000 | $18.26 | $4.68 to $25.00 |
| junk removal near me | 110,000 | $16.12 | $3.31 to $23.01 |
| same day junk removal | 4,400 | $26.65 | $8.15 to $30.00 |
| furniture removal | 9,900 | $15.27 | $4.00 to $18.00 |
| appliance removal | 5,400 | $10.00 | $2.23 to $10.89 |
Tree service
Median $15.86, and the emergency search costs more than double the main one.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| tree service near me | 135,000 | $15.17 | $3.16 to $20.93 |
| tree removal near me | 49,500 | $18.07 | $3.52 to $21.19 |
| emergency tree removal near me | 2,400 | $34.05 | $5.17 to $25.73 |
| tree trimming near me | 49,500 | $16.54 | $3.45 to $21.00 |
| stump grinding near me | 22,200 | $11.01 | $2.38 to $12.08 |
| arborist near me | 33,100 | $14.62 | $4.25 to $23.60 |
What do recurring service trades pay per click?
Recurring service trades pay the least, a median $12.21 per search click, with pest control as the exception.
Pest control
Median $27.13, more than double the other recurring trades.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| pest control near me | 201,000 | $31.92 | $8.76 to $47.06 |
| exterminator near me | 90,500 | $36.60 | $9.33 to $51.80 |
| termite treatment | 40,500 | $23.26 | $4.38 to $29.23 |
| termite inspection | 60,500 | $29.56 | $14.22 to $60.96 |
| bed bug exterminator | 110,000 | $24.70 | $5.75 to $27.43 |
| mosquito control | 40,500 | $8.41 | $2.20 to $17.57 |
Cleaning
Median $12.07. One-off move-out cleans cost more per click than routine maid service.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| maid service near me | 135,000 | $11.65 | $4.12 to $17.34 |
| house cleaning services | 90,500 | $12.50 | $3.55 to $15.00 |
| deep cleaning service | 27,100 | $11.47 | $3.16 to $14.78 |
| move out cleaning | 22,200 | $19.17 | $6.47 to $22.68 |
| carpet cleaning near me | 135,000 | $13.11 | $2.74 to $14.93 |
| window cleaning near me | 60,500 | $10.25 | $3.14 to $18.89 |
Pressure washing
Median $11.47. Roof cleaning costs over three times driveway washing per click.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| pressure washing near me | 110,000 | $10.48 | $3.95 to $20.00 |
| pressure washing services | 40,500 | $11.47 | $4.55 to $19.62 |
| roof cleaning near me | 14,800 | $20.02 | $6.66 to $29.32 |
| house washing service | 1,000 | $11.91 | $4.00 to $19.10 |
| driveway pressure washing | 14,800 | $6.17 | $0.87 to $13.89 |
Landscaping and lawn care
Median $11.43, the lowest of the 17 trades, with the strongest spring season.
| Search | Searches a month | Avg. CPC (Nov 2026) | Top-of-page bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| landscapers near me | 90,500 | $11.43 | $3.02 to $15.86 |
| lawn care service | 110,000 | $10.29 | $3.62 to $14.81 |
| lawn mowing service | 33,100 | $8.94 | $2.93 to $10.00 |
| retaining wall contractors | 8,100 | $16.32 | $4.96 to $32.69 |
| paver patio installation | 8,100 | $16.27 | $4.20 to $26.35 |
How much more do emergency searches cost?
Emergency or same-day wording raised the click price by a median 1.82 times across nine trades in the November 2026 data.
| Trade | Urgent search (Avg. CPC) | Standard search (Avg. CPC) | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tree service | emergency tree removal near me ($34.05) | tree service near me ($15.17) | 2.24x |
| Electrical | emergency electrician near me ($45.55) | electrician near me ($22.65) | 2.01x |
| Garage door | emergency garage door repair ($98.74) | garage door repair ($51.21) | 1.93x |
| HVAC | emergency ac repair ($80.51) | ac repair ($43.88) | 1.83x |
| Plumbing | emergency plumber ($74.89) | plumber near me ($41.07) | 1.82x |
| Junk removal | same day junk removal ($26.65) | junk removal ($18.26) | 1.46x |
| Locksmith | emergency locksmith ($21.75) | locksmith near me ($15.09) | 1.44x |
| Water damage | emergency water removal ($65.94) | water damage restoration ($55.09) | 1.20x |
| Glass and auto glass | emergency glass repair ($15.50) | window repair near me ($15.04) | 1.03x |
Five trades paid 1.82 to 2.24 times the standard price; water damage and glass barely moved. Schedule urgent campaigns for the hours someone answers the phone.
Which months are busiest for each trade?
Landscaping has the strongest season: its combined searches in April 2026 were 3.91 times December 2025. Locksmith, glass and electrical stayed within 1.5 times all year, so a flat budget suits them.
Note on water damage: most of its 6.74x comes from November and December 2025, when three of its searches read 135,000 to 246,000. A Google Trends check we ran through DataForSEO showed no matching jump, so do not plan a December budget on it.
November or December 2025 was the slowest month for 12 of the 17 trades. Monthly figures move in steps, such as 165,000, 201,000 and 246,000, so a one-step change is not a trend.
Which trades can use Local Services Ads?
As of November 2026, 16 of the 17 trades have a US Local Services Ads category; pressure washing has none. Google is moving these ads into Google Ads as Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals, in three phases.
| Trade | US Local Services Ads category | Move to Performance Max pay per lead | Extra screening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | Plumbers; drain expert in California and Florida only | Phase 1, August 2026 | Urgent category: background checks for service pros |
| HVAC | HVAC (heating or air conditioning) | Phase 1, August 2026 | Urgent category: background checks for service pros |
| Electrical | Electricians | Phase 1, August 2026 | Urgent category: background checks for service pros |
| Roofing | Roofers | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Water damage | Water damage services | Phase 1, August 2026 | IICRC certification for select users |
| Garage door | Garage door services | Phase 3, 2027 | Urgent category: Advanced Verification, no pre-badge ads |
| Locksmith | Locksmiths | Phase 3, 2027 | Urgent category: Advanced Verification, no pre-badge ads |
| Glass and auto glass | Window repair services; auto glass repair service | Phase 1, August 2026 | No Google Verified badge in auto categories |
| Remodeling | Bathroom remodeling; kitchen remodeling; general contractor | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Moving | Moving services | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Painting | Painter | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Junk removal | Junk removal services | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Tree service | Tree services | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Pest control | Pest control services | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Cleaning | House cleaning; carpet cleaning; window cleaning | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
| Pressure washing | No category of its own | Not listed | Not applicable |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Landscaping services; lawn care services | Phase 1, August 2026 | None listed |
Phase 1 covers select US home and storefront businesses; service-area businesses without a storefront follow in late 2026. Sources: Google's US category list, screening requirements (3 to 4 weeks on average) and migration schedule, checked November 14, 2026. See how we run both on our home services page, and which jobs each owns in Local Services Ads vs Google Ads.
How do you turn a click price into a budget?
Divide the click price by your conversion rate to get a cost per lead, then multiply by the leads you want each month. For most campaigns Google charges no more than 30.4 times the average daily budget in a month, so divide by 30.4 for the daily setting.
Avg. CPC ÷ Conversion rate(Cost per lead × Leads a month) ÷ 30.4For example, assume 15% of clicks become a call or form lead (an illustrative rate; measure your own):
| Trade | Median CPC (Nov 2026) | Cost per lead at 15% | Budget for 20 leads a month | Average daily budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | $59.66 | $398 | $7,955 | $262 |
| HVAC | $33.98 | $227 | $4,531 | $149 |
| Pest control | $27.13 | $181 | $3,617 | $119 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | $11.43 | $76 | $1,524 | $50 |
The cost per lead calculator finds your break-even lead cost, the Google Ads budget calculator turns it into a daily budget, and the guide to a good cost per lead works through it by trade.
How did we collect these numbers?
Every figure comes from one pull of US English Google Ads keyword data through the DataForSEO Labs Keyword Overview endpoint on November 14, 2026. DataForSEO says the data is based on the Google Ads API. We used no agency's benchmark report.
- Searches: 95 commercial searches homeowners use, 4 to 6 per trade, matched to the searches on our trade pages.
- Figures: searches a month are Google's approximate averages, and average CPC is what advertisers paid per click in US dollars. The bid range approximates the 20th and 80th percentile paid for a top-of-page spot, a separate statistic that can sit below the CPC.
- Months: October 2025 to September 2026. Eight searches had no September 2026 figure, so we took it from DataForSEO's Google Ads search volume endpoint the same day, and "locksmith near me" (673,000 every month) is left out of locksmith seasonality.
- Limits: DataForSEO figures are estimates from Google Ads keyword data, not invoices. Click prices vary by city, hour, competition and ad quality.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Google Ads cost for plumbers?
As of November 2026, plumbing has the most expensive clicks of 17 US home-service trades: a median $59.66 across six homeowner searches. "Plumber near me" averages $41.07 a click on about 1,000,000 monthly searches, "emergency plumber" $74.89 and "whole house repipe" $87.37. At an illustrative 15% conversion rate, a $41.07 click works out to about $274 per lead. Prices in your city will differ.
Which home service trade has the most expensive Google Ads clicks?
Plumbing, with a median $59.66 a click across six US searches as of November 2026. The water damage ($51.88) and garage door ($51.21) trades come next. The single priciest search we tracked is "emergency garage door repair" at $98.74 a click. The cheapest trades are landscaping ($11.43), pressure washing ($11.47) and cleaning ($12.07), so a plumbing click costs about five times a landscaping click.
When should HVAC companies spend the most on Google Ads?
July, then October and January. Combined US searches for six HVAC terms peaked at 1,093,800 in July 2026, 1.95 times the April 2026 low of 561,100 (Google Ads keyword data, pulled November 2026). "Emergency ac repair" rose from 5,400 searches in February 2026 to 60,500 in July. Heating adds a second peak: "furnace repair" reached 450,000 searches in January 2026. Raise budgets before those months, not after.
What is the average cost per click for home service businesses on Google Ads?
About $22. The median of 95 US homeowner searches across 17 trades was $21.75 a click as of November 2026, and the mean was $29.26. Urgency drives the price: urgent repair trades had a median search price of $33.91, project trades $18.26 and recurring services such as cleaning and lawn care $12.21. Prices in your own city can sit well above or below these national figures.
Do emergency keywords cost more on Google Ads?
Yes. Across nine home-service trades, emergency or same-day searches cost a median 1.82 times the standard search as of November 2026. "Emergency garage door repair" averaged $98.74 a click against $51.21 for "garage door repair", and "emergency electrician near me" $45.55 against $22.65. The premium was smallest for water damage (1.20 times) and glass (1.03 times). Run emergency ads only in the hours someone answers the phone.
Which home service trades can use Google Local Services Ads?
As of November 2026, 16 of the 17 trades in this report have a US Local Services Ads category; pressure washing does not. Garage door companies and locksmiths need Google's Advanced Verification and cannot run pre-badge ads, and Google schedules their move to Performance Max with pay-per-lead goals for 2027. Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, pest control and most other trades began moving in August 2026.
How much do Google Ads cost for landscaping and lawn care companies?
Landscaping has the cheapest clicks of 17 US home-service trades: a median $11.43 as of November 2026. "Landscapers near me" costs $11.43 a click, "lawn care service" $10.29 and "retaining wall contractors" $16.32. Demand is seasonal: combined searches in April 2026 were 3.91 times the December 2025 low. Put more of the year's budget into March to May and cut back in winter.
Sources6 references
- DataForSEO API v3: Labs Google Keyword Overview (data source, pulled November 14, 2026)
- Google Ads Help: About Keyword Planner forecasts (top of page bid ranges)
- Google Ads Help: About average daily budgets
- Local Services Help: Getting started with Local Services Ads, United States
- Local Services Help: Business screening and verification requirements, United States
- Google Ads Help: Supported business verticals for Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals




