Contractors descend on Capitol Hill
Members of PHCC, as well as the American Supply Association, are meeting with legislators on May 5 and 6 about efforts regarding the skilled trades
Plumbing
A.O. Smith raising prices amid higher input costs, execs say
"In response to rising steel, freight and other input cost inflation, we have announced price increases for most of our water heater and boiler products," said CEO Stephen Shafer
Redwood Services buys five-contractor group for $220 million
The deal marks just the second platform-buys-platform transaction among today’s residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical platforms
April’s most popular stories
The five stories that got people clickin’ the most
Google channels diverged on paying customers, average ticket in Q1: Analysis
Google’s primary lead generation channels, from Business Profiles to Local Services Ads, in the first quarter of this year told different stories, according to one analysis
Microsoft, trade unions expand AI literacy push
The partners last week announced a slate of free AI literacy courses for the skilled trades, available on LinkedIn Learning
Report details heat pump water heater market’s mixed year
5 new residential manufacturers brought heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) to market in 2025, it notes, and the industry saw notable technological advancements
Thumbtack, Claude launch contractor hiring integration
As AI adoption skyrockets, marketplaces like Thumbtack are aiming to drive searchers to contractors
Google tests video in local search ads
“These video ads appear within the local pack — the map-based listings that show businesses near a user’s search”
Mother Modern Plumbing shares 50% of profits with employees
“We want to become the preeminent brand of plumbing in Texas,” said founder Dustin Marx