Timely analysis of the software, AI, and tools shaping the trades — written for contractors who don’t have time to track every vendor launch. When a new AI feature ships, a platform changes its pricing, or a major tool gets discontinued, we cut through the marketing and tell you what it actually means for a shop your size. No hype, no recycled press releases — just what’s worth your attention and what you can safely ignore.
At its Pantheon user conference in Orlando on October 6, ServiceTitan announced three things that matter to a shop owner. First, the ServiceTitan Max AI package is now available to every residential in-home contractor. Second, there is a new mobile app called Atlas. Third, there is a consumer platform called Homh, designed to get contractors … Read more
Jobber, CompanyCam and others now let you connect your trade software to ChatGPT or Claude and ask about your own jobs. What MCP is, who offers it, three ways to connect, and the security part.
ServiceTitan ends its Podium integration on September 15, 2026. A practical checklist for ServiceTitan shops: what stops working, what to export first, and how to replace review requests with a certified app.
Diesel jumped 24.1% in a single month, materials moved in both directions, and the tariff fight escalated on September 8. What actually changed your job costs this week.
On Sept. 1, 2026, the NEC 210.8(F) exception for outdoor HVAC equipment expired. Here is what changed, which states it affects, and what contractors should do next.
A quick scan of the software, pricing, and workforce news that actually moves the needle for shop owners. Augmented Trades participates in affiliate programs and may earn a commission — see our affiliate disclosure. We recommend tools on fit, not on who pays us. ServiceTitan is tightening its App Marketplace — and Podium is the … Read more
No software company that matters to a small shop shipped anything this week. What moved was ownership — a multibillion-dollar deal closed on Monday — and, a few days earlier, a decent argument that the word every vendor is now stamping on its product tells you almost nothing about what you’re buying. Those two things … Read more
The data center boom is bidding for the same electricians you employ, at a 42% wage premium. The training money making headlines is mostly months old.
This week ran on a split screen. On one side, four of the biggest companies in America publicly declared the skilled trades shortage a national problem. On the other, software vendors kept doing what they have done all summer: shipping more AI features. Put them side by side and the honest takeaway for a small … Read more
Labor owned the week: JPMorgan, Google, and a robot bricklaying startup all bet big on the trades shortage, Turner and Townsend says labor is now the top construction cost driver, and QuickBooks Online reprices August 1.