Growing Your Trades Business in 2026: A Pro's Guide

The Opportunity Is Massive

The skilled trades gap is real — and it's growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 649,300 openings are projected each year in construction and extraction occupations through 2034. The Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the industry needs an additional 439,000 workers in 2025 alone just to keep up with demand.

The numbers are even more striking at the trade level. Electrician employment is projected to grow 9% through 2034, with 81,000 openings per year. HVAC technician demand is growing 8%, with over 40,000 annual openings. And an estimated 41% of the current construction workforce will retire by 2031 — meaning the gap is only getting wider.

For pros who are already licensed and working, this means one thing: demand is outpacing supply, and that's very good for business. But more demand doesn't automatically mean more money in your pocket. Here's how to position yourself to capture the growth.

1. Build Your Online Reputation

Word of mouth is still powerful — 61% of homeowners say it's their most trusted source when choosing a contractor. But today's word of mouth increasingly happens online. An ACHR News study found that 91% of homeowners check online reviews before hiring, and 56% start with Google.

If you're not actively managing your online presence, you're invisible to the majority of potential customers.

• Ask every satisfied customer for a review. Most people are willing — they just need to be asked. The best time is right after job completion, when the work is fresh and they're happy.
• Respond to every review, positive or negative. A thoughtful response to a negative review — acknowledging the issue, explaining what you did to resolve it — often impresses potential customers more than a wall of five-star ratings.
• Showcase your work. Before-and-after photos are incredibly effective. A photo of a clean, professional installation tells a story that words can't.

On Traeos, your profile builds automatically as you complete jobs. Every verified review strengthens your reputation and helps you stand out to new customers in your area.

2. Specialize, Then Expand

Generalists compete on price. Specialists compete on expertise — and expertise commands premium rates.

If you're a plumber who's exceptional at tankless water heater installations, market that specifically. If you're an electrician who specializes in EV charger installations or smart home wiring, own that niche. The demand for both is surging as electric vehicle adoption grows and homes get smarter.

Once you're known as the go-to for a specialty, you can expand into adjacent services from a position of strength rather than starting from zero in every category.

3. Price for Profit, Not Just Revenue

Many independent pros undercharge because they're afraid of losing jobs. But consider what your rate actually needs to cover:

• Your time on the job
• Drive time between jobs (unpaid hours)
• Tools, vehicle, and equipment maintenance
• Insurance premiums (general liability + workers' comp)
• Licensing fees and continuing education
• Time spent quoting jobs that don't convert
• Taxes (self-employment tax alone is 15.3%)

When you factor in the full cost of doing business, many pros discover they're barely breaking even on their hourly rate. Here's a counterintuitive truth: raising your rates 15% and losing 10% of your jobs means more profit and fewer hours worked.

The BLS reports median annual wages of $62,970 for plumbers, $62,350 for electricians, and $59,810 for HVAC technicians — but the top 10% earn over $100,000. The difference isn't just skill; it's how they price and position their services.

4. Expand Your Service Area Strategically

More zip codes doesn't always mean more revenue. An hour of drive time each way is two unpaid hours — that's money out of your pocket. Focus your service area on zones where you can stack multiple jobs in a day, minimizing windshield time.

Traeos's zip code group feature lets you create and activate different service areas based on your current capacity. Serving 3 dense zip codes well — with fast response times and high availability — beats covering 20 zip codes where you're always 45 minutes away.

5. Build a Team When the Numbers Say So

Solo work has a ceiling. There are only so many billable hours in a day, and you need to eat, sleep, and handle the business side too. When you're consistently turning away work, it's time to consider bringing on help.

The key is tracking your data: if you're declining more than 30% of incoming requests for a sustained period, the math probably supports hiring. But hire carefully. An apprentice or a subcontractor you trust is better than rushing to fill a seat.

Traeos supports company profiles where you can manage team members, track individual earnings, and maintain quality across your crew.

6. Simplify Your Business Operations

Research shows that 56% of small-business owners consider cash flow and invoice management an ongoing pain point. And the average contractor juggles 2-4 different tools just for scheduling, invoicing, and payments — creating inefficiency and lost revenue.

The solution isn't more tools. It's fewer, better ones. Look for platforms that combine scheduling, quoting, payments, and customer communication so you can spend less time on admin and more time on billable work.

Traeos handles job management, quoting with line items, milestone-based payments, and customer chat in one place — so your phone is your office and everything just works.