Independent measurement · July 2026
The general contractors AI actually recommends.
Homeowners don't just search anymore — they ask AI who to see. So we measured the answer. We asked for the best general contractor in 26 U.S. metros, 4 different ways each — 104 checks in all — and recorded every company it named.
Only 33%
of the 1,908 U.S. general contractors we benchmarked ever came up. These are the ones homeowners are told to see.
1,908
U.S. general contractors checked
104
AI questions asked
26
metros benchmarked
33%
ever get recommended
Measured July 4, 2026 on leading AI assistants: 26 metros × 4 question phrasings = 104 checks. How we measured it
The most recommended general contractors, metro by metro
Every metro below was benchmarked the same way: 4 homeowner-style questions, every answer recorded. Pick your city to see the full measured list.
AI's answer moves between checks, so we publish how many of the 4 checks named each one instead of a rank that would change if we asked again.
Tampa
22 of 74Named in 3 of 4 checks: Greaves Construction Inc
See the Tampa list →
Miami
27 of 76Named in 2 of 4 checks: BEST HANDS REMODELING, Dade Construction Corp. and John Bell Construction and 2 more
See the Miami list →
Orlando
21 of 69Named in 3 of 4 checks: JCP Construction, JM Wetzel Remodeling and TEK Construction Group
See the Orlando list →
New York
27 of 81Named in 2 of 4 checks: A to Z Renovations NYC, Gaudioso Contracting and Grandeur Hills Group | General Contractor NYC and 2 more
See the New York list →
Los Angeles
27 of 82Named in 2 of 4 checks: Built To Perfection, Inc., Green Works Construction & Design Inc and NA Design Builders and 2 more
See the Los Angeles list →
Chicago
22 of 79Named in 3 of 4 checks: Above & Beyond Construction and Chi Renovation & Design
See the Chicago list →
Houston
29 of 68Named in 3 of 4 checks: Texan Home Additions
See the Houston list →
Dallas
24 of 72Named in 2 of 4 checks: Alair Homes, AmeriConstruction and Creative Construction Remodeling and 5 more
See the Dallas list →
Phoenix
27 of 78Named in 2 of 4 checks: AZ Remodel Pros, Details Remodeling and Infinity Builders - Phoenix Remodeling & Construction and 2 more
See the Phoenix list →
Atlanta
21 of 74Named in 3 of 4 checks: KDO Kitchens & Remodeling and Perfect Remodeling
See the Atlanta list →
Philadelphia
21 of 73Named in all 4 checks: Myers Constructs Inc
See the Philadelphia list →
San Diego
24 of 70Named in 2 of 4 checks: CairnsCraft Design & Remodel, Designs 4 You Remodeling and Eco Home Builders Inc and 5 more
See the San Diego list →
Denver
26 of 75Named in 3 of 4 checks: A2Z Builders
See the Denver list →
Seattle
24 of 80Named in 2 of 4 checks: AG Construction & Remodeling, Eagle Remodel Seattle and Harjo Construction and 5 more
See the Seattle list →
Las Vegas
24 of 71Named in 3 of 4 checks: Jerezee Construction
See the Las Vegas list →
Charlotte
27 of 73Named in 2 of 4 checks: Alair Homes Charlotte, Barden Built Renovations, LLC and Bellwether Custom Homes and 2 more
See the Charlotte list →
San Antonio
25 of 71Named in 3 of 4 checks: TJ's Remodeling And Construction
See the San Antonio list →
Austin
23 of 61Named in all 4 checks: Together Design & Build
See the Austin list →
Jacksonville
23 of 74Named in 3 of 4 checks: Sport Nobles Construction, Inc.
See the Jacksonville list →
Fort Worth
22 of 61Named in 2 of 4 checks: Blue Eagle General Contractors, David Barry Renovations and Fort Worth Home Repair and 5 more
See the Fort Worth list →
Nashville
25 of 70Named in 3 of 4 checks: The Dan Company
See the Nashville list →
Columbus
24 of 64Named in 3 of 4 checks: J.S. Brown & Co.
See the Columbus list →
Indianapolis
26 of 78Named in 2 of 4 checks: Adams Building Group, Broad Ripple Construction and Indiana Residential and 3 more
See the Indianapolis list →
Kansas City
27 of 73Named in 2 of 4 checks: Faust Construction, Homoly Design + Build and Owen Homes LLC and 2 more
See the Kansas City list →
Minneapolis
25 of 82Named in 3 of 4 checks: Lansdon Construction
See the Minneapolis list →
Raleigh
25 of 79Named in 3 of 4 checks: Distinctive Remodeling
See the Raleigh list →
Before you call anyone
What the work costs, what homeowners ask us most, and tools that give you a number in about a minute. Nothing here is a sales page and nothing asks for your phone number.
What things cost
Real price ranges for the work homeowners ask about most, with every figure traced back to a named source.
- How much does it cost to build an ADU?HomeGuide publishes $100 to $300 per square foot to build an ADU — $60,000 to $180,000 for a 600-square-foot unit. The by-size table, the six construction types, and what planning and site prep run before anyone frames a wall.
- How much does an ADU cost in California?HomeGuide publishes $100 to $300 per square foot to build an ADU. In California, state law bars impact fees on an ADU of 750 square feet or less — the size threshold that moves the budget.
- How much does a home addition cost?HomeGuide publishes $125 to $250 per square foot for a home addition, or $50,000 to $100,000 for a 20x20. The footprint table, the eight addition types, the by-room totals and what you spend before the build starts.
- How much does a second story addition cost?HomeGuide publishes $200 to $500 per square foot to add a second story; HomeAdvisor publishes $100 to $300 for the same job. Both bands, the by-size tables, and the cheaper shapes of the same idea.
- How much does it cost to finish a basement?HomeGuide publishes $30 to $50 per square foot to finish a basement, or $15,000 to $75,000 total. The by-size table for an open plan and a three-room layout, the room-by-room costs, and what a remodel costs instead.
- How much does a tub to shower conversion cost?HomeGuide publishes $1,000 to $8,000 to replace a tub with a prefab shower stall and $3,500 to $15,000 for a tiled walk-in. The two routes, the line items, and what a tub cut costs instead.
- How much does a walk-in shower cost?HomeGuide publishes $1,000 to $8,000 installed for a prefab walk-in shower and $3,500 to $15,000 for a custom tiled one. The material tables, the accessibility features and what the labor is.
- How much does a bathroom remodel cost?HomeGuide publishes $100 to $500 per square foot for a bathroom remodel, or $3,500 to $25,000 for an average-sized bathroom. The size table, the three scopes and the cost of every fixture.
- How much does a kitchen remodel cost?HomeGuide publishes $150 to $250 per square foot for a full kitchen remodel, or $15,000 to $50,000. The by-size table, the three scopes, the budget breakdown by trade and what cabinets alone cost.
- How much does a garage conversion cost?HomeGuide publishes $5,000 to $50,000 or more to convert a garage to living space and $10 to $30 per square foot to finish one. The two jobs, the by-size table and every line a quote should show.
- How much does countertop installation cost?HomeGuide publishes $50 to $150 per square foot installed for countertops, or $1,500 to $6,000 for an average kitchen. The material table, the labor share and how the square footage is actually counted.
Common questions
Straight answers, written for the person paying — not a lead form and not a sales page.
- How much does it cost to hire a contractor to finish a basement?HomeGuide puts basement finishing labor at $6 to $20 per square foot, or 20% to 40% of the total, with a general contractor charging 10% to 20% of construction costs on top. What you are paying the contractor for, separately from the materials.
- How much does a 1,000 sq ft ADU cost to build?HomeGuide publishes $100,000 to $300,000 for a 1,000-square-foot ADU. What decides where inside that band you land, and how the same footprint prices as a conversion instead of a new build.
- What is the average cost of a double garage conversion?HomeGuide publishes $10,000 to $50,000 or more to convert a two-car garage to living space, and $4,000 to $17,300 to fully finish one. What separates the two numbers, and what a loft conversion adds.
Free tools
Work out a number before you call anyone, or check a quote you already have.
Measured, never sold.
No general contractor can pay to appear on these lists. A company is listed only because AI actually recommended it when we asked — more than once. We publish how many of the checks named each one, not a place, because the count holds up when we ask again and a place doesn't. That's the whole formula.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
How did you measure which U.S. general contractors AI recommends?
We asked leading AI assistants the questions real homeowners ask — like "Who is the best general contractor near me?" — 4 different ways, and recorded every company recommended. Each company on this list was named in more than one of those answers, and we publish how many named it rather than a place in a ranking — ask AI again and the top name often changes, but the count holds. We ran 104 checks for this market and compared the answers against the 1,908 U.S. companies in our dataset.
Can a general contractor pay to be on this list?
No. This list is measured, never sold. A company appears on it only if AI actually recommended it when we asked. Money cannot buy a place on this list. Sponsored blocks are labeled advertising and sit outside the ranked list.
What does it mean if a company is NOT on this list?
It means that when we asked leading AI assistants for a general contractor in U.S., that company never came up. That says nothing about the quality of their work — only that homeowners who ask AI for a recommendation are being sent somewhere else. Most companies haven't shown up in AI answers yet, so the list is short.
How often is this updated?
We re-run the same benchmark quarterly with the same methodology, so companies that improve their AI visibility can appear in the next update. This edition was measured in July 2026.
What if something on this page about my company is wrong?
Tell us at /corrections and we will check it against the source. A wrong name, phone number, address, licence or service is a defect and we fix it. A ranking is different: it is a measurement of what AI answered, so it is never for sale and by the same rule never removable or editable on request. A number you can talk us out of would not be worth publishing.
Are you a U.S. general contractor?
If your company isn't on these lists, homeowners who ask AI for a general contractor are being sent to someone else. Find out where you stand — free.
See if AI recommends you