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Commercial trades market · Rochester, NY

Appointment setting for commercial contractors in Rochester

Rochester has 2,561 businesses with 20 or more people on site across the categories commercial trades sell to, and it leans toward churches and religious organizations and golf courses and country clubs more than the U.S. as a whole. Here is how each trade's market looks, where the buildings are and when to call.

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Trades in Rochester

How each commercial trade's market looks in Rochester

Ranked by larger buildings per contractor against up to 100 markets (only markets with 10 or more contractors in a trade are ranked; n/r means not ranked). A higher rank means more buildings worth calling for every competitor working them.

TradeContractors1-yr changeLarger buildingsPer contractorRankEligible targetsPush months
Commercial Electrical
Largest buyer group: retail stores
86 +2 1,415 16.5 #7 · Year-round
Commercial Roofing
Largest buyer group: retail stores
13 0 1,512 116.3 #7 3,081 Feb–Apr
Commercial Construction
Largest buyer group: manufacturing companies
119 +4 984 8.3 #8 3,081 Year-round
Commercial HVAC & Mechanical
Largest buyer group: manufacturing plants
73 -1 968 13.3 #16 1,367 Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
Commercial Painting & Coatings
Largest buyer group: retail stores
22 -2 1,673 76.0 #36 · Feb–Apr
Fire Protection
Largest buyer group: restaurants
37 +1 1,591 43.0 #50 · Year-round
Commercial Flooring
Largest buyer group: apartment and multifamily management companies
13 +2 887 68.2 #35 · Year-round
Paving & Asphalt
Largest buyer group: retail stores
32 -1 1,267 39.6 #59 · Feb–Apr
Commercial Cleaning & Janitorial
Largest buyer group: manufacturing plants
344 -12 1,128 3.3 #72 1,100 Year-round
Commercial Landscaping
Largest buyer group: retail stores
437 -19 1,349 3.1 #73 · Feb–Apr
Who each program calls

The industries each Rochester trade program prospects into

Every trade has its own target list. Here are the five largest target industries for each program in the Rochester metro, with local location counts; each guide lists all ten and who your SDR asks for.

Locations with 20 or more employees, U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Property management and similar categories count every company, whatever its size.

What's being built

The projects shaping Rochester

Named, sourced projects current as of 2026-09, and the trades each one puts to work.

Strong Memorial Hospital Expansion

Topped out September 2025, completion early 2027

A nine-story patient tower with more than 100 private rooms and an emergency department expansion that will more than triple its size, at UR Medicine's Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Through early 2027 the tower is in its interior phase: healthcare HVAC, electrical, fire protection, flooring and painting across 200-plus new treatment and observation stations, then long-term service contracts once open.

HVACelectricalfire protectionflooringpainting

13WHAM, 2025-09-22 →

Rochester Regional Health Unity Campus Expansion

$20.9 million
Construction began April 27, 2026, completion late 2026

An $8.9 million oncology expansion doubling infusion bays at the Lipson Cancer Institute and a $12 million outpatient imaging center in the Unity Professional Office Building in Greece.

Imaging suites with MRI and CT and a new oncology pharmacy need specialized electrical, HVAC and shielded interior buildouts, with finish trades closing out by late 2026.

HVACelectricalflooringpainting

Rochester Regional Health, 2026-04-07 →

RochesterWorks Career Center at MCC Downtown

$14.5 million
Broke ground August 2026, opening fall 2027

A 24,000 sq ft workforce development center at Monroe Community College's Downtown campus in Rochester.

A mid-size public build with mechanical, electrical, flooring and finish packages through 2027, then janitorial and maintenance contracts after opening.

constructionHVACelectricalflooringcleaning

Monroe County, 2026-08-04 →

McAlpin Industries Webster manufacturing facility

$23 million
Announced July 2025, production scheduled to begin late 2026

A 300,000 sq ft sheet metal fabrication and light manufacturing facility for McAlpin Industries on Hard Road in Webster, expected to create up to 52 jobs.

A new 300,000 sq ft plant needs a full general construction package, a sprinkler system sized for manufacturing, and truck and employee parking paving, with roofing and electrical service for laser cutting and welding lines.

constructionfire protectionpavingroofingelectrical

Area Development, 2025-08-01 →

Pittsford Central School District 2026 Capital Project

$48.7 million
Approved by voters March 5, 2026

A district-wide capital project at multiple Pittsford schools covering roof replacements, boiler and chiller replacements, new air conditioning in assembly areas, corridor floor tile replacement, generators, playground equipment and parking lot repaving.

A voter-approved package like this turns into bid packages for parking lot repaving, roof replacement and coatings, corridor flooring and mechanical replacement over the next few construction seasons.

pavingroofingflooringHVACelectrical

Pittsford Central School District, 2026-03 →

Marketplace Mall redevelopment

Town permits approved May 2026, state approval pending

The conversion of the closed Marketplace Mall in Henrietta into a medical, educational, residential and civic complex, including a new URMC Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute and a new Mary Cariola Children's Center.

Parts of the mall will be demolished and rebuilt because the roof and foundations cannot carry the air handling the new medical and school uses need, which means new construction with fire protection, and town conditions add circle road repairs and a new park with walking trails.

constructionfire protectionHVACpavinglandscaping

13WHAM, 2026-05-29 →

University of Rochester Student Life building and Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life

Construction began August 2026, opening fall 2027

A two-story, 15,000 sq ft building on Intercampus Drive on the University of Rochester's River Campus with a lobby, a divisible ballroom and rehearsal space, plus a new home for the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

A new assembly building with a ballroom needs a general contractor, sprinkler and fire alarm systems, HVAC, and flooring for event and rehearsal space before the fall 2027 opening.

constructionfire protectionHVACflooring

University of Rochester, 2026-07-31 →

RIT summer 2026 campus improvement program

Summer 2026, fourth year of a five-year plan

Nearly 100 construction and renovation projects across the Rochester Institute of Technology campus in Henrietta, focused on residence halls, classrooms and outdoor spaces.

The work list includes new fire alarms, masonry and roofing on residence halls, tree planting near pedestrian areas and resealing, patching and restriping of parking areas, with one more year left in RIT's five-year plan.

fire protectionroofingpavinglandscaping

Rochester Institute of Technology, 2026-06-03 →
Where the buyers cluster

The owners that anchor Rochester

Health systems, campuses, large employers and industrial parks hold the biggest concentrations of commercial buildings here. Each fact links to its source, checked 2026-10.

Campus

University of Rochester

Rochester, Monroe County

With more than 39,000 employees, the University of Rochester combined with UR Medicine and affiliates is the largest private employer in Greater Rochester and upstate New York.

A research university and health system with academic campuses, hospitals and affiliated facilities across the region.

HVACcleaningroofinglandscaping

University of Rochester →
Airport

Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC)

Rochester, Monroe County

Total passenger volume at ROC reached 2,797,112 in 2025, a 4.8% rise over 2024.

A county-owned airport with a passenger terminal, parking, airfield pavement and cargo operations.

pavingcleaningHVACelectrical

Monroe County Airport Authority →
Industrial park

Eastman Business Park

Rochester, Monroe County

Eastman Business Park covers 1,200 acres with 16 million square feet of building space zoned for manufacturing, distribution, office and laboratories.

A former Kodak manufacturing campus now shared by many industrial tenants, with about 200 acres available for development.

HVACroofingelectricalfire protectionpaving

Eastman Kodak Company →
Major employer

Wegmans Food Markets

Rochester, Monroe County

The City of Rochester's 2025 ACFR, citing the Rochester Business Journal, lists Wegmans Food Markets with 12,686 employees, third among private employers in the area.

A Rochester-based grocer with headquarters offices, stores and distribution facilities across the region.

cleaningroofingpavingHVAC

City of Rochester →
Major employer

Paychex

Rochester, Monroe County

The City of Rochester's 2025 ACFR, citing the Rochester Business Journal, lists Paychex Inc. with 4,527 employees in the Rochester area.

A locally headquartered payroll company with corporate office campuses in Monroe County.

cleaningHVAClandscapingpaving

City of Rochester →
Major employer

L3Harris Technologies

Rochester, Monroe County

The City of Rochester's 2025 ACFR, citing the Rochester Business Journal, lists L3Harris Technologies Inc. with 3,700 employees in the Rochester area.

Defense electronics engineering and manufacturing buildings in the Rochester area.

HVACelectricalfire protectioncleaning

City of Rochester →
The local business base

Who the buyers are in Rochester

Compared with the national mix, Rochester over-indexes on churches and religious organizations, golf courses and country clubs and senior living and nursing. The fastest-growing categories over the past year: medical, dental and outpatient offices (+14), hosting and data processing companies (+7) and senior living and nursing (+6).

CategorySites with 20+All establishmentsvs. U.S. mix1-yr change
Restaurants
6242,277 1.30x -46
Retail stores
5263,224 1.24x -64
Manufacturing plants
4241,173 1.40x -1
Wholesale distributors
2081,064 0.84x -31
Senior living and nursing
192461 1.77x +6
Medical, dental and outpatient offices
1891,508 0.82x +14
Grocery stores
83556 1.51x -2
Auto dealerships
77185 1.55x -15
Private K-12 schools
4582 1.49x -1
Hotels
38101 0.76x 0
Trucking companies
35327 0.71x -9
Churches and religious organizations
31586 6.79x -12
Bank and credit union offices
24385 0.87x -5
Apartment and residential property managers
21193 0.94x -18
Warehousing and distribution
1465 1.17x 0
Golf courses and country clubs
1259 2.55x 0
Hospitals
912 0.64x +2
Hosting and data processing companies
538 0.49x +7
Colleges and universities
48 0.59x +2
Commercial property managers
048 0.91x 0
Nonresidential building owners
0116 1.50x -5
Territory

Where the business sites are

Monroe County, Ontario County and Wayne County hold 95% of the metro's larger business sites. Most programs start in those counties and add the outer 2 counties for larger accounts, depending on how far your crews travel.

CountyLarger business sites
Monroe County1,909
Ontario County316
Wayne County131
Livingston County81
Orleans County43
Climate and timing

Rochester's year, month by month

Outdoor trades (roofing, paving, landscaping, exterior painting) work the months with lows of 40°F or above and sell in the months before. HVAC sells ahead of its heating and cooling peaks. Each trade page has its own calendar.

  1. Jan32° / 17°Off-season
  2. Feb34° / 18°Off-season
  3. Mar42° / 25°Off-season
  4. Apr55° / 35°Off-season
  5. May68° / 47°Outdoor season
  6. Jun76° / 56°Outdoor season
  7. Jul81° / 61°Outdoor season
  8. Aug79° / 60°Outdoor season
  9. Sep72° / 53°Outdoor season
  10. Oct60° / 42°Outdoor season
  11. Nov48° / 33°Off-season
  12. Dec37° / 24°Off-season
Working in New York

Contractor licensing in New York

New York State does not run a general contractor licensing program, and contractors must follow local licensing laws. New York City's Department of Buildings registers general contractors and licenses trades such as master electricians and fire suppression piping contractors.

Trade-by-trade rules are on each trade page. Confirm with New York City Department of Buildings (local); New York State Department of State (alarm installers). Checked 2026-09-30.

Hiring locally

What an in-house SDR costs in Rochester

Before you hire a sales development rep in Rochester, price the whole job, not just the salary. Here is the local pay for sales representatives, and what a first year really costs once you add commission, payroll taxes and benefits, tools, recruiting and the manager time it takes to coach them.

  • $67,400median pay for a sales rep in the Rochester metro
  • $46,120 to $97,570middle half of local pay (25th to 75th percentile)
  • 3,510people in the role locally, all competing for the same hires

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services and travel (SOC 41-3091).

In-house SDR, first year$129,600
Abstrakt Growth program, full-time SDR, 12 months$102,000

In-house adds $15,000 commission, 25% payroll taxes and benefits, $500/month tools, $5,000 recruiting and 4 manager hours a week at $75/hour, before ramp time or turnover. Abstrakt includes the SDR, management, tools and data.

How Abstrakt works in Rochester

Outsourced appointment setting, one trade per market

Abstrakt's U.S.-based business development reps build a Rochester target list around your trade, service area and ideal buildings, work it by phone, email, LinkedIn and direct mail, and book meetings with the people who sign. We will not run the same program for a direct competitor in your territory.

Selling into New York? See the New York outbound calling rules: do-not-call lists, calling hours and registration, so you know what a program here has to handle.

Rochester commercial trades, answered

Does Abstrakt set appointments for commercial contractors in Rochester?+

Yes. Abstrakt runs outsourced appointment setting for commercial trades across the Rochester, NY metro: our U.S.-based business development reps call the buildings, qualify the opportunity and book meetings with the person who signs. We run one program per trade per market.

Which commercial trades have the most room to grow in Rochester?+

Measured by larger buildings per contractor against the 100 markets we track (where a trade has at least 10 local contractors), commercial Electrical (#7), commercial Roofing (#7) and commercial Construction (#8) rank best in Rochester.

What kinds of businesses are concentrated in Rochester?+

Compared with the national mix, Rochester has more churches and religious organizations (6.79x), golf courses and country clubs (2.55x) and senior living and nursing (1.77x). Those industries are the best-represented buyers for trades that serve them.

Which counties make up the Rochester market?+

The metro covers 5 counties. Monroe County, Ontario County and Wayne County hold 95% of the larger business sites, so most programs start there.

Sources and method