> The HVAC for example - the large firms around you do not run HVAC/plumbing/electrical, they run marketing companies that happen to schedule and bill H+P+E service appointments.

Maybe if you’re talking about the small residential market, that’s not where the money is.

The large HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing contractors in my area all perform their own work, including the one I work for. Large contractors do commercial and industrial work, not service calls for homeowners. Doing service calls homeowners sounds like a nightmare, personally.

Bain Capital just bought Service Logic which is a holding company for HVAC contractors. They own a couple of the local HVAC shops and they all have their own PMs, sales, estimating, and field staff.