December 08, 2025
"Have AI Get Prices" in Google Search: What Home Service Companies Need to Know
If you've searched for a plumber, HVAC contractor, or other local service provider lately, you may have noticed something new sitting at the bottom of the Map Pack: a button that says "Have AI get prices."
This isn't a minor UI tweak. Google's AI is now calling businesses directly, on behalf of potential customers, to gather pricing, availability, and service information. For home service companies, this changes the game in ways that most business owners haven't even considered yet.
How the Feature Actually Works
When a user searches for a local service like "plumber near me" or "AC repair," they may see a prompt to "Have AI check pricing." After clicking, Google walks them through a short form asking about the service they need, when they need it, and how to reach them.
Then something remarkable happens: Google's AI actually picks up the phone and calls local businesses. Using technology built on Google Duplex (the same AI that can book restaurant reservations), the system contacts multiple service providers, asks about pricing and availability, and compiles the responses into a single email sent to the customer within about 30 minutes.
The AI announces itself as an automated call from Google. It asks structured questions about services, pricing, and appointment availability. The calls are recorded and monitored, and they only happen during business hours.
Which Businesses Get Called?
According to Google, the AI determines which businesses to contact based on traditional local search rankings. That means the same factors that determine your position in the Map Pack—your Google Business Profile optimization, review count and velocity, proximity to the searcher, NAP consistency - also determine whether you even get a call.
But here's where it gets interesting: only businesses that actually answer the phone make it into the customer's results email. One test found that when Google's AI called nine local businesses, only four answered. Those four were quoted directly in the results. The other five? Grouped under a section labeled "Businesses we couldn't reach."
Miss the call, miss the customer.
Why This Gets Ugly for Independent Contractors
Here's the uncomfortable reality nobody's talking about: this feature creates a significant advantage for private-equity-owned home-service companies.
These consolidated operations have huge margins to play with. They can list "Drain cleaning starting at $49" knowing full well they'll upsell once they're in the door. Independent contractors listing honest, all-in prices will look expensive by comparison, even when they're actually the better value.
When a customer receives an email comparing four plumbers, and one shows $49 while the others show $89-150, guess who gets the call? The pricing context that an experienced contractor would explain on a sales call, why their price includes X, Y, and Z that the budget option charges extra for, never makes it into Google's summary.
That said, you can't ignore this feature. It's only going to get more prominent. The answer isn't to race to the bottom on pricing. It's to make sure Google's AI can actually find your pricing information and present it in context.
Three Ways to Feed Google's AI Your Pricing
1. Optimize Your Connected GBP Landing Page
Your Google Business Profile should link to a location-specific landing page, not your homepage. On that page, add a clear pricing section or FAQ with starting prices for your core services.
Use "starting at" language, it gives you flexibility while still showing a number:
- "Drain cleaning starts at $89"
- "Water heater installation from $1,100"
- "Service calls starting at $49"
Pay attention to what Google's request form actually asks. It lists specific service categories and asks about property type (residential, commercial, etc.). On your landing page, make sure to mention all the services you offer that match these categories. If you serve both residential and commercial properties, say so explicitly.
Google's AI is reading these pages. Give it the information it's looking for.
2. Optimize Your GBP Service Descriptions
In your Google Business Profile, you can add individual services with descriptions. This is prime real estate for AI visibility.
Look at the services Google lists in the request form for your industry. Add all of them as services on your GBP (assuming you actually offer them). For each service description, include both pricing and availability information.
Instead of: "Emergency drain cleaning services available."
Write: "Emergency drain cleaning - starting at $89. Same-day service available."
The request form also asks customers about their desired service time. Google's AI reads these descriptions, so mentioning availability alongside pricing helps you show up for time-sensitive searches.
3. Set Up Your GBP Products Section
Most home service companies skip the Products section entirely because they don't sell physical products. That's a mistake.
Add your services as products with prices attached:
- "Drain Cleaning - Starting at $89"
- "AC Tune-Up - $79"
- "Water Heater Flush - $149"
These show up directly on your profile AND feed Google's AI the structured pricing data it's looking for. When the AI can pull a clear price from your profile, it's less dependent on whether someone answers the phone.
The New Phone Game
Beyond having your pricing visible online, you still need to be ready when Google's AI calls.
Train your team to handle AI calls. These calls will sound different from typical customer inquiries, more structured, more direct. Create scripts that help staff provide clear pricing information, available time slots, and service details. Role-play these scenarios so responses become natural.
Even if your services require custom quotes, have baseline information ready. A plumber might say, "Our diagnostic fee is $89, and most drain cleanings run between $150 and $300 depending on complexity." That gives the AI something useful to report.
Most importantly, ensure your phone gets answered. Missed calls have always meant missed opportunities, but now they mean being literally excluded from a Google-mediated lead channel. Consider whether your current phone coverage is adequate, especially during busy seasons.
What This Signals About the Future
Google has been moving toward making Search more "actionable" for years. AI Overviews, voice search, and now AI-initiated business calls all point in the same direction: reducing friction between a search query and a completed transaction.
For local businesses, this means visibility is increasingly tied to responsiveness. It's no longer enough to rank well. You also need systems, both digital and human, that can handle AI-mediated interactions effectively.
Home service companies that adapt early will likely see compounding benefits. Strong rankings lead to AI calls, good responses lead to quoted results, quoted results lead to booked jobs, booked jobs lead to reviews, and reviews reinforce rankings. The flywheel rewards businesses that show up at every step.
The question isn't whether to take this seriously. It's whether you'll be one of the four businesses that gets quoted, or one of the five that customers never hear about.
