Cost Per Lead Benchmarks Across Exterior Services (2026)
TL;DR: Cost per lead (CPL) depends on the trade, the channel and how a lead is counted. Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) exist only for the trades on Google's category list. There, published figures put lawn care leads at $10 to $40 (SkillMammoth), window cleaning at $20 to $50 (Valley Marketing Group), and 99 Calls' own client campaigns at $45.64 average for tree services and $57.18 for landscaping contractors (read November 5, 2026). For Facebook, LocaliQ reports $42.95 per lead for its Home & Home Improvement group. Compare these with your own cost per booked job, not just per lead.
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Key takeaways
- LSAs have a category for 7 of the 19 trades below. Pressure washing, gutter, roof and turf cleaning, hardscaping and the rest have none, so there is no LSA lead to price.
- Published LSA figures run from $10 to $40 a lead for lawn care to about $57 average for landscaping contractors, from small agency samples.
- Facebook: LocaliQ's September 2026 benchmark is $42.95 per lead for Home & Home Improvement lead campaigns, a broad group rather than one trade.
- Organic has costs too: website work, content, profile upkeep and your time, even with no charge per click.
- Judge by booked jobs: a lead and a paying customer are different outcomes.
Table of contents
- Local Services Ads cost per lead by trade
- Other sourced cost-per-lead figures
- What drives CPL variance within a trade
- How to judge your own CPL
- Frequently asked questions
Local Services Ads cost per lead by trade
Google's current US category list (checked November 3, 2026) includes the categories below. Confirm your actual services and area in the eligibility flow.
| Trade covered in our guides | LSA category | Published LSA cost per lead |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn care | Lawn care | $10 to $40 (SkillMammoth, updated October 31, 2026) |
| Lawn treatment | Lawn care | Same category as lawn care; no separate figure |
| Landscape construction | Landscaper, for matching services | $57.18 average per charged lead, median $68.32 (99 Calls, 3 client campaigns, last 3 months, read November 5, 2026) |
| Window cleaning | Window cleaning | $20 to $50 (Valley Marketing Group, August 13, 2026) |
| Tree services | Tree services | $45.64 average per charged lead, median $55.82 (99 Calls, 4 client campaigns, last 3 months, read November 5, 2026) |
| Fence installation | Fencing pro | $20 to $45 (Home Service Direct, May 2026, an agency estimate with no method given) |
| Snow removal | Snow removal | Listed; no sourced figure |
| Turf cleaning; turf installation; pressure washing; soft washing; gutter cleaning; roof cleaning; hardscaping; concrete sealing; irrigation; deck building; outdoor lighting; holiday lighting | No category of its own | No LSA lead to price |
The 99 Calls figures update as its campaigns change, so check the page for the current number. These come from agency write-ups and samples of three or four accounts. Use them to sanity-check a quote, not to forecast.
A company offering multiple services may qualify for a genuinely matching listed category. Do not claim unrelated services to obtain eligibility. Search ads are a separate option.
Other sourced cost-per-lead figures
| Source and scope | Reported figure | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Home Service Direct fence guide, May 2026 | $20 to $45 LSA; $25 to $65 Search; $15 to $35 Facebook | Agency-published ranges without a disclosed sampling method; treat as estimates |
| LocaliQ Facebook benchmarks, September 2026, Home & Home Improvement leads campaigns | $42.95 CPL | A broad industry group, not a figure for each exterior trade or for retargeting |
These sources measure different groups of businesses. Do not average them together, and do not treat a form fill, a billable LSA lead and a signed customer as the same outcome.
What drives CPL variance within a trade
- Market and competition: compare your own areas rather than applying a fixed metro premium.
- Seasonality and capacity: demand, auction pressure and your ability to fulfill work can change together.
- Profile and offer quality: useful information and genuine proof help prospects assess fit.
- Landing-page and follow-up performance: measure valid inquiries, contact, quote and booking stages separately.
- Tracking: missing calls, duplicate forms or low-quality conversion events can make CPL misleading.
How to judge your own CPL
Calculate ad spend divided by valid inquiries for each channel, then calculate total acquisition cost divided by booked jobs. Include management, creative and sales time when judging profitability. A CPL above or below a published sample does not by itself identify the fault.
Illustrative limit: if a completed job contributes $300 before acquisition costs and one in four qualified inquiries becomes a job, the contribution available per qualified inquiry is $75 before overhead and profit. Replace both inputs with your actual figures; this is a calculation, not a close-rate benchmark.
Want the inquiry path reviewed? Our website service is $2,499 one time or $297 a month, with a $500 DIY option opening soon. Ads management is $750 a month per service area plus platform spend, month to month. Agree on scope and tracking before work starts; neither service guarantees a cost per lead.
Frequently asked questions
Are these inquiry costs or customer costs? The sources describe leads. A booked customer generally requires additional qualification and sales work. Label each stage and calculate it separately.
What is a qualified lead? Define it before reporting: an actual person requesting a service you provide, in an area you serve, with a suitable scope. Then track the share of leads that meets it.
How do shared-lead platforms compare? Check the current price, sharing terms, refund rules and your own close rate. A direct inquiry can still be a homeowner comparing several businesses.
Does organic mean free? There may be no ad charge per click, but website work, content, hosting, profile upkeep and response time still cost money or labor.
Want a plan for your market? Book a strategy call and we will go through your current numbers.
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