Stucco Lead Cost Intelligence
The Answer: Angi Leads Are SHARED
| Cost per lead | $15-$100+ |
| Annual fee | $300-500 |
| Contractors per lead | 3-6 |
| Close rate | 5-15% |
| True cost per booked job | $600-$1,000 |
| Cost per lead (LSA) | $53 |
| Cost per lead (Search) | $110-$210 |
| Contractors per lead | 1 (just you) |
| Close rate | 25-40% |
| True cost per booked job | $150-$500 |
All Channels Compared
| Channel | Cost Per Lead | Shared? | Quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google LSA | $53 avg | Exclusive | ★★★★★ | Best channel. $233/paying customer. Verified by Google. |
| Google Ads | $110-$210 | Exclusive | ★★★★ | CPC $8-20/click, 5-8.5% conversion. |
| Bing Ads | $70-$140 | Exclusive | ★★★★ | 20-35% cheaper CPC than Google. |
| Facebook/Meta | $20-$50 | Exclusive | ★★★ | Lower intent — clicked an ad, didn't search. |
| Angi / HomeAdvisor | $15-$100 | Shared (3-6) | ★★★ | Race to call first. True cost/job = $600-1K. |
| Thumbtack | $25-$75 | Shared (4-5) | ★★★ | 78% pick first responder. Speed wins. |
| Yelp Ads | $2-$20 CPC | Exclusive | ★★★ | $300-1K/mo commitment. Decent intent. |
| Networx / Porch | $15-$50 | Shared | ★★ | Fill volume gaps. Rarely beat LSAs. |
Angi / HomeAdvisor Deep Dive
How It Actually Works
Homeowner submits a request on Angi. That lead gets packaged and sold to 3-6 contractors simultaneously. It's an auction model — the lead is a commodity. Everyone gets the same phone number, same project details. First to call usually wins. 78% of customers go with the first responder.
Why $150 Doesn't Mean Exclusive
The $150 price point likely reflects a premium tier or higher-ticket stucco job (full re-stucco vs patch repair). But even at $150, it's still shared. Angi has no exclusive lead option — that's not how their platform works. The entire business model depends on selling each lead multiple times.
Google Ads & Local Service Ads
| Cost per lead | $53 |
| Cost per paying customer | $233 |
| Model | Pay per lead, not per click |
| Verification | Google Guaranteed badge |
| Data source | SearchLight, 888 contractors, $6.72M tracked |
Feb 2026 data. Requires license + insurance verification.
| CPC (stucco/remodeling) | $8-$20/click |
| Conversion rate | 5-8.5% (real, not the 15-25% BS) |
| Cost per lead | $110-$210 |
| Blended average | ~$160 |
| Data source | Live agency accounts, Feb-Jul 2026 |
Industry quotes 15-25% conversion — real sustained performance is 5-8.5%.
Facebook / Meta Ads
| Cost per lead | $20-$50 |
| Lead type | Exclusive (your ad, your form) |
| Intent level | Lower — they clicked an ad, didn't search "stucco contractor near me" |
| Best for | Volume at lower cost. Good for "free estimate" offers. |
| Worst for | Urgency jobs ("my stucco is cracking NOW") |
Other Platforms
| Cost per response | $25-$75 |
| Shared with | 4-5 pros |
| Key stat | 78% pick first responder |
Speed-to-lead is everything here. If your client can't respond in under 5 minutes, Thumbtack is a waste.
| CPC | $2-$20 |
| Monthly commitment | $300-$1,000+ |
| Lead type | Exclusive |
High monthly commitment with questionable ROI. Most contractors overpay for the impressions they get.
20-35% cheaper CPC than Google with less competition. Same exclusive leads, same search intent. Best used as a supplement to Google Ads, not a replacement. Works especially well for older demographics who use Edge/Bing by default.
Your Cost to Generate a Stucco Lead
| Method | Your Cost Per Lead | Lead Quality | Volume Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google LSA | $50-$75 | Highest | Medium |
| Google Ads | $110-$160 | High | High |
| Bing Ads | $70-$120 | High | Low-Med |
| Facebook Ads | $25-$50 | Medium | High |
| SEO / Content | $5-$20 (once ranked) | Highest | Slow build |
The Real Math: Leads to Jobs to Profit
A $50 lead that closes at 10% costs you $500 per job. A $200 lead that closes at 35% costs you $571 per job. The price per lead means nothing without the conversion rate. Here's the math that actually matters.
🧮 Job Cost Calculator
Per-Channel Math (Using Averages)
The full funnel: Clicks → Leads → Jobs. Platforms that charge per lead (Angi, Thumbtack) skip the click layer — but you're still paying for it in the lead price.
| Channel | Avg CPC | Click→Lead % | Clicks for 1 Lead | Leads for 1 Job | Clicks for 1 Job | Cost Per Job | Profit @ $3,500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google LSA | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3 (33% close) | N/A | $159 | +$1,766 |
| Google Ads | $14 | 7% | 14 clicks | 6 (17% close) | 86 clicks | $960* | +$815 |
| Bing Ads | $10 | 7% | 14 clicks | 6 (17% close) | 86 clicks | $600* | +$1,175 |
| Facebook Ads | $2 | 5-8% | 17 clicks | 8 (12% close) | 136 clicks | $280* | +$1,495 |
| Angi (shared) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10 (10% close) | N/A | $750 | +$1,025 |
| Angi (worst case) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 15 (7% close) | N/A | $1,125 | +$200 |
| Thumbtack | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7 (14% close) | N/A | $280 | +$1,495 |
*Click-based channels: Cost Per Job = CPC × Clicks for 1 Job. Google/Bing CPL already bakes in the click cost. N/A = pay-per-lead model (no click layer).
🔵 Click-Based Channels
Google Ads: You pay $14 every time someone clicks. Only 7% of those clicks become a lead. So for every 14 clicks ($196 spent), you get 1 lead. Need 6 leads for a job = 86 clicks = $1,204 in click spend.
Facebook: Cheaper clicks ($2) but lower intent. You need 136 clicks to get 8 leads. At $2/click that's $272 — cheap, but 7 of those 8 leads won't convert. You're paying for a lot of tire-kickers.
🟠 Pay-Per-Lead Channels
Angi/Thumbtack: No click layer — you pay when the lead arrives. But the click cost is baked INTO the lead price. Angi charges $75/lead because they paid for the clicks, the SEO, the ads to get that homeowner to submit a request.
The hidden markup: Angi's cost to acquire that lead is probably $10-20. They sell it to 4 contractors at $75 each = $300 revenue on a $20 acquisition. That's a 15x markup.
"Job Needs to Earn" = cost per job ÷ (1 - material/labor %). This is the MINIMUM to break even on marketing.
❌ What Contractors Think
They see the per-lead price and think that's their marketing cost. They don't track how many leads it takes to close 1 job. They don't factor in the 6-8 leads that didn't convert. They're flying blind.
✅ What The Math Actually Shows
At a realistic 10% close rate (shared leads), that "$50 lead" is really a $500 marketing cost per job. Now compare that to a $200 exclusive lead at 30% close = $667/job. Similar cost, 3x less headache.
What Your Jobs Need to Earn (Minimum)
After materials + labor AND marketing cost. This is what lands in the contractor's pocket per job.
| Avg Job Value | Materials (45%) | Google LSA Job Cost | Google Ads Job Cost | Angi Job Cost | Profit: LSA / Ads / Angi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,500 (small repair) | $675 | $159 | $960 | $750 | $666 / -$135 / $75 |
| $3,500 (typical stucco) | $1,575 | $159 | $960 | $750 | $1,766 / $965 / $1,175 |
| $8,000 (full re-stucco) | $3,600 | $159 | $960 | $750 | $4,241 / $3,440 / $3,650 |
| $15,000 (large project) | $6,750 | $159 | $960 | $750 | $8,091 / $7,290 / $7,500 |
Annual Math: 5 Jobs/Month
| Channel | Leads Needed/Mo | Monthly Cost | Annual Marketing | Annual Profit @ $3,500/job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google LSA | 15 | $795 | $9,540 | $105,960 |
| Google Ads | 30 | $4,800 | $57,600 | $57,900 |
| 40 | $1,400 | $16,800 | $89,700 | |
| Angi | 50 | $3,750 | $45,000 | $70,500 |
At 5 jobs/month × $3,500 avg = $210K/yr revenue. Marketing eats 5-27% of that depending on channel.
Client Pricing Framework
Recommended Pricing Tiers
| Tier | What They Get | Price | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per Lead | Exclusive phone call or form fill, verified | $175-$225 | Easy to start, no commitment |
| Monthly Retainer | Guaranteed X leads/month, exclusive | $1,500-$2,500/mo | Predictable for both sides |
| Per Appointment | Lead + confirmed appointment booked | $300-$400 | Highest value, easiest to close |
The Pitch That Closes
Angi (What They Have Now)
Your Exclusive Leads
Sources & Data Citations
- SearchLight (Feb 2026) — 888 contractors, $6.72M tracked spend. Google LSA $53/lead, $233/paying customer.
- LocaliQ (2025) — 3,211 campaigns. Standard Google Ads avg $90.92/lead across home services.
- Live agency data (Feb-Jul 2026) — Remodeling accounts: CPC $8-$20, CPL $110-$210, conversion 5-8.5%.
- PipelineOn Research (May 2026) — Platform comparison: Angi shared model, Thumbtack $25-75, LSAs best ROI.
- iYnix Digital Solutions (2026) — Angi contractor cost analysis: $15-$100+/lead, $300-500 annual fee.
- HomeAdvisor/Angi merger (2017) — Both platforms use same shared-lead auction model.
- Thumbtack data — 78% of customers pick first responder. 4-5 pros share each lead.