No model names specific home services providers with any real frequency (0-2.5%), so AI visibility in this industry is about shaping how a business is described generically, not securing brand mentions.
Original research · 2026-07 edition
AI SEO Statistics: Home Services (2026-07 edition)
Across 120 AI responses to 40 home services questions, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini diverge sharply on whether to recommend hiring a professional (87.5% vs 67.5% vs 27.5%) and on how much guidance they give around credentials, reviews, and multiple quotes. No model names specific providers with any consistency, meaning AI visibility in this industry hinges on being described favorably in generic terms rather than being cited by name. With a divergence index of 22.1, home services businesses need model-specific strategies rather than a single AI-SEO playbook.
40 questions · 120 AI responses · 3 models · measured 2026-07-02
Key statistics
Every number below is measured, anchored, and sourced.
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
MeasuredAI SEO Statistics — Home Services, 2026-07
The question bank
The questions we tested — sampled from real buyer journeys in home services.
Each model answered every question once, same wording, same day. These are the prompts behind every percentage on this page.
How much does it cost to replace an HVAC system in 2024?
Is it better to repair or replace a 15-year-old furnace?
Who are the best and most reliable roofers near me?
What should I do immediately if my pipes freeze and burst?
How long does a typical bathroom remodel take?
Why is my AC blowing warm air even though the filter is clean?
Is it normal for a garbage disposal to smell like rotten eggs or sulfur?
Can I install a smart thermostat myself if my current system doesn't have a C-wire?
Show all 40 questions
How much should I expect to pay an electrician to install a Level 2 EV charger in my garage?
What are the warning signs that my electrical panel is outdated and needs a full upgrade?
Should I choose architectural shingles or a metal roof for a house in a high-wind area?
What is the average hourly labor rate for a master plumber in a major metro area?
How do I know if the mold in my attic is a DIY fix or if I need professional remediation?
What specific questions should I ask a general contractor before signing a kitchen renovation contract?
Is a tankless water heater worth the extra upfront cost for a family of four with high hot water usage?
Why do my ceiling lights flicker every time the refrigerator or microwave kicks on?
How can I tell if a foundation crack is a structural issue or just natural settling?
What is the most energy-efficient way to heat a finished basement without extending the ductwork?
Do I typically need a city permit just to replace an existing water heater?
How much does it cost to have a professional plumber snake a main sewer line clog?
What are the biggest red flags to watch out for when comparing three different roofing bids?
Can I convert my wood-burning fireplace to gas for under $4,000 including labor?
Why is my dishwasher leaking from the bottom only during the final rinse cycle?
How do I find a local contractor who specializes in historic home restoration and matching old trim?
Is it significantly cheaper to refinish existing kitchen cabinets rather than buying new RTA ones?
What should I do immediately if I smell gas near my stove but all the knobs are turned off?
How long can I realistically expect a new asphalt shingle roof to last in a very humid climate?
Are modern heat pumps actually effective in regions where winter temperatures drop below zero?
What is considered a fair and standard deposit amount to pay a contractor before they start work?
How much equity or resale value does a professionally finished basement actually add to a home?
Should I invest in a whole-house surge protector at the main panel or just use power strips?
How can a homeowner tell the difference between a load-bearing wall and a simple partition wall?
Why is there water pooling around the base of my toilet every time I flush it?
How do I vet a local HVAC company if they have a lot of five-star reviews but a few scary one-star ones?
Is it better to use PEX or copper piping for a full-house repipe project in an older home?
What are the most effective ways to soundproof a home office during a bedroom-to-office remodel?
How can I lower my monthly electricity bill without replacing my major appliances yet?
What legal recourse do I have if a contractor disappears halfway through a bathroom remodel?
Is it feasible to add a small half-bath under a standard staircase, and what is the budget?
How often should I have my septic tank pumped if we have five people living in the house?
By service
Not all home services services are treated the same by AI.
We ran the same measurement on 86 distinct home services services. The rate at which ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini push buyers toward a professional swings widely, and that gap is exactly where authority is won or lost.
Measured across ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini · 15 buyer questions per service × 3 models · Authority Specialist AI Study. Free to cite with attribution.
Model by model
22-point average divergence: which AI you ask changes the answer.
The divergence index is the average gap between the most and least likely model per behavior. Higher = the models disagree more about home services buyers.
| ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini | Consensus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommends hiring a professional | 88% | 68% | 28% | 35% |
| Suggests DIY first | 33% | 30% | 18% | 83% |
| Names specific providers | 0% | 0% | 3% | 98% |
| Gives price or cost info | 45% | 35% | 35% | 50% |
| Tells to check reviews | 15% | 5% | 5% | 90% |
| Tells to verify credentials | 33% | 13% | 8% | 65% |
| Mentions case studies / portfolio | 8% | 3% | 0% | 90% |
| Mentions local proximity | 28% | 30% | 15% | 60% |
| Gives selection criteria | 38% | 20% | 18% | 63% |
| Warns about red flags | 8% | 8% | 13% | 90% |
| Asks a clarifying question | 80% | 55% | 3% | 18% |
| Recommends multiple quotes | 33% | 13% | 3% | 63% |
What this means
What this means for home services businesses.
ChatGPT is by far the most directive model, recommending professionals (87.5%), verifying credentials (32.5%), and suggesting multiple quotes (32.5%) at rates 2-3x higher than Claude or Gemini, meaning content optimized for ChatGPT's framing may not transfer to other assistants.
Gemini rarely asks clarifying questions (2.5%) and gives the least selection guidance across every category measured, producing shorter, less structured answers (258 words) that leave less room for businesses to be represented by proxy criteria like credentials or reviews.
Trust-and-safety guidance -- reviews (5-15%), red flags (7.5-12.5%), and credential checks (7.5-32.5%) -- is inconsistently surfaced by all three models, representing an open content opportunity for home services brands to fill via their own sites and listings.
The 22.1-point divergence index confirms that model choice materially changes the advice a consumer receives, so businesses should audit their visibility separately across ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini rather than assuming uniform AI behavior.
AI visibility is measurable. We just measured it for your industry.
Open your dashboard to see how ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini describe YOUR business — mentions, recommendations, citations, gaps.
Methodology
A controlled snapshot, documented end to end.
40 standardized buyer questions per industry, one response per model per question (ChatGPT (gpt-5-mini), Claude (claude-sonnet-5), Gemini (gemini-3-flash-preview)), collected 2026-07-02, coded against a fixed 12-behavior rubric with human QA. AI outputs vary with model version, location and time — figures describe this sample and window, and are refreshed each edition. Read the full methodology →