Commercial Electrical
- Retail stores1,508
- Manufacturing plants814
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Commercial building owners234
- Auto dealerships165
Commercial trades market · St. Louis, MO-IL
Appointment setting for commercial contractors in St. Louis
St. Louis has 7,582 businesses with 20 or more people on site across the categories commercial trades sell to. Here is how each trade's market looks, where the buildings are and when to call.
Ask Ava anything about selling in St. Louis
Trades in St. Louis
How each commercial trade's market looks in St. Louis
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.
| Trade | Contractors | 1-yr change | Larger buildings | Per contractor | Rank | Eligible targets | Push months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Electrical Largest buyer group: retail stores | 223 | +3 | 3,359 | 15.1 | #11 | · | Year-round |
| Fire Protection Largest buyer group: restaurants | 66 | +1 | 4,092 | 62.0 | #18 | · | Year-round |
| Commercial Cleaning & Janitorial Largest buyer group: manufacturing plants | 593 | +20 | 2,744 | 4.6 | #29 | 2,561 | Year-round |
| Commercial Construction Largest buyer group: manufacturing companies | 400 | +11 | 2,237 | 5.6 | #32 | 7,870 | Year-round |
| Commercial HVAC & Mechanical Largest buyer group: manufacturing plants | 224 | -6 | 2,405 | 10.7 | #37 | 3,272 | Mar–May, Sep–Nov |
| Commercial Flooring Largest buyer group: ambulatory health care: physician, dental, outpatient and urgent care | 31 | -2 | 2,185 | 70.5 | #32 | · | Year-round |
| Commercial Landscaping Largest buyer group: retail stores | 1,099 | +44 | 3,648 | 3.3 | #63 | · | Jan–Mar |
| Commercial Roofing Largest buyer group: retail stores | 63 | +3 | 3,760 | 59.7 | #58 | 7,870 | Jan–Mar |
| Paving & Asphalt Largest buyer group: retail stores | 98 | -4 | 3,683 | 37.6 | #67 | · | Jan–Mar |
| Commercial Painting & Coatings Largest buyer group: retail stores | 73 | -2 | 3,859 | 52.9 | #69 | · | Jan–Mar |
Who each program calls
The industries each St. Louis trade program prospects into
Every trade has its own target list. Here are the five largest target industries for each program in the St. Louis metro, with local location counts; each guide lists all ten and who your SDR asks for.
Fire Protection
- Restaurants2,050
- Manufacturing plants814
- Apartment management companies348
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Private K-12 schools137
Commercial Cleaning & Janitorial
- Manufacturing plants814
- Ambulatory health care: physician, dental, outpatient and urgent care687
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Owner-occupied and owner-managed commercial buildings234
- Bank and credit union branches and offices170
Commercial Construction
- Manufacturing companies814
- Senior living operators320
- Commercial building owners and developers234
- Churches and religious organizations221
- Auto dealership groups165
Commercial HVAC & Mechanical
- Manufacturing plants814
- Medical and dental office buildings687
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Private K-12 schools137
- Hotels129
Commercial Flooring
- Ambulatory health care: physician, dental, outpatient and urgent care687
- Apartment and multifamily management companies348
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Owner-occupied and owner-managed commercial buildings234
- Auto dealerships165
Commercial Landscaping
- Retail stores1,508
- Ambulatory health care offices and clinics687
- Apartment property management firms348
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Commercial building owners and lessors234
Commercial Roofing
- Retail stores1,508
- Manufacturing plants814
- Apartment property management firms348
- Commercial building owners and lessors234
- Churches and religious organizations221
Paving & Asphalt
- Retail stores1,508
- Ambulatory health care offices and clinics687
- Apartment property management firms348
- Commercial building owners and lessors234
- Churches and religious organizations221
Commercial Painting & Coatings
- Retail stores1,508
- Manufacturing plants814
- Apartment and multifamily management companies348
- Senior living and skilled nursing320
- Owner-occupied and owner-managed commercial buildings234
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 St. Louis
Named, sourced projects current as of 2026-09, and the trades each one puts to work.
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
$600 millionTopped out; opening 2027
A 14-story, 500,000-square-foot replacement children's hospital at South Grand Boulevard and Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis.
With the frame topped out in April 2026, the next year is dominated by mechanical, electrical, fire protection and interior finish work, then service contracts for a full hospital.
St. Louis Public Radio, 2026-04-07 →Boeing St. Louis campus expansion
$1.8 billionUnder construction in phases
A 1.1-million-square-foot expansion of Boeing's defense campus in St. Louis County with new advanced assembly facilities and a post-assembly operations center.
Phases deliver between 2026 and 2030, so large-span roofing, industrial electrical, HVAC and fire protection packages recur over several years, along with demolition and site paving.
Construction Dive, 2025-06-12 →Mercy Hospital Wentzville
$650 millionUnder construction
A 75-bed hospital and medical campus on 60 acres near the convergence of Interstates 70 and 64 at Highway 61 in Wentzville, St. Charles County.
The hospital is scheduled to open in 2029, so tower framing, mechanical and electrical work run through 2027 and 2028, with large parking and site paving packages on a greenfield campus.
St. Louis Public Radio, 2025-04-25 →Armory Innovation data center
$3.1 billionApproved; facing lawsuits
A 120-megawatt data center in the former Famous-Barr warehouse next to the Armory in Midtown St. Louis, approved by the city's Board of Public Service in April 2026.
The city permit calls for full operation by the end of 2028 and requires air-cooled chillers, battery backup and a cool or green roof, which points to electrical, mechanical and roofing scopes if litigation does not delay it.
St. Louis Public Radio, 2026-09-17 →St. Louis Lambert International Airport consolidated terminal
In design; construction targeted for 2027
A single consolidated passenger terminal on the Terminal 1 footprint at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in St. Louis County, with wider concourses and more concession space.
The 60% design milestone is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027, ahead of a 2027 construction start, so contractors have time to position for multi-year mechanical, electrical, fire protection and finish packages.
KMOV First Alert 4, 2026-07-24 → Where the buyers cluster
The owners that anchor St. Louis
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.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
St. Louis, St. Louis city
Barnes-Jewish Hospital says it is the largest hospital in Missouri and the largest private employer in the St. Louis region, with a 1,800 member medical staff.
The Washington University Medical Center campus, part of BJC HealthCare, needs mechanical, life-safety, cleaning and interior work around the clock.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital →Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, St. Louis County
Wikipedia says Washington University enrolled 16,399 students as of 2024.
Multiple campuses hold classrooms, labs, residence halls and grounds that need HVAC, cleaning, roofing and landscape crews.
Wikipedia →St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
St. Louis County
Wikipedia lists 15,303,756 total passengers at Lambert in 2025, sourced to the airport.
Terminals, garages and airfield support buildings need cleaning, HVAC service, electrical work and pavement upkeep.
Wikipedia →Anheuser-Busch Brewery
St. Louis, St. Louis city
Wikipedia says the Anheuser-Busch brewery property covers 142 acres and includes 189 buildings.
A working brewery with historic brick buildings and modern packaging plants runs refrigeration, process electrical, roofing and painting programs.
Wikipedia →America's Central Port
Granite City, Madison County, Illinois
America's Central Port says it has access to six Class-I railroads, two multi-modal harbors and four U.S. interstates, and is home to over 50 businesses and freight-intensive operators.
Warehouses, terminals and industrial spaces at the port need roofing, paving, electrical and fire protection work.
America's Central Port →Saint Louis Galleria
Richmond Heights, St. Louis County
Wikipedia lists the Saint Louis Galleria at 1.2 million square feet of floor area, with a citation.
An enclosed mall with anchor stores, a food court and parking needs cleaning, HVAC, flooring and pavement work, including a store conversion under construction in 2026.
Wikipedia → The local business base
Who the buyers are in St. Louis
The business mix here tracks the national average closely. The fastest-growing categories over the past year: medical, dental and outpatient offices (+177), restaurants (+102) and manufacturing plants (+66).
| Category | Sites with 20+ | All establishments | vs. U.S. mix | 1-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 2,050 | 5,980 | 1.00x | +102 |
| Retail stores | 1,508 | 8,095 | 0.93x | -81 |
| Manufacturing plants | 814 | 2,220 | 0.86x | +66 |
| Medical, dental and outpatient offices | 687 | 6,438 | 0.87x | +177 |
| Wholesale distributors | 658 | 3,224 | 0.72x | -44 |
| Senior living and nursing | 320 | 746 | 0.87x | +1 |
| Grocery stores | 249 | 991 | 0.76x | +5 |
| Churches and religious organizations | 221 | 1,772 | 0.37x | +7 |
| Trucking companies | 187 | 1,330 | 0.89x | -8 |
| Bank and credit union offices | 170 | 1,630 | 0.92x | +11 |
| Auto dealerships | 165 | 406 | 1.02x | -8 |
| Private K-12 schools | 137 | 227 | 0.85x | -1 |
| Hotels | 129 | 352 | 0.72x | -8 |
| Warehousing and distribution | 77 | 205 | 0.93x | -3 |
| Hospitals | 62 | 74 | 0.76x | +6 |
| Golf courses and country clubs | 46 | 104 | 1.14x | +4 |
| Colleges and universities | 28 | 47 | 0.43x | -2 |
| Hosting and data processing companies | 24 | 112 | 0.44x | +2 |
| Apartment and residential property managers | 20 | 348 | 0.63x | +10 |
| Commercial property managers | 18 | 127 | 0.89x | +5 |
| Nonresidential building owners | 12 | 234 | 1.01x | +4 |
Territory
Where the business sites are
St. Louis County, St. Louis city and St. Charles County hold 71% of the metro's larger business sites. Most programs start in those counties and add the outer 11 counties for larger accounts, depending on how far your crews travel.
| County | Larger business sites |
|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 3,199 |
| St. Louis city | 966 |
| St. Charles County | 964 |
| Madison County, Illinois | 632 |
| St. Clair County, Illinois | 559 |
| Jefferson County | 335 |
| Franklin County | 272 |
| Clinton County, Illinois | 73 |
| Lincoln County | 70 |
| Monroe County, Illinois | 56 |
| Macoupin County, Illinois | 48 |
| Warren County | 43 |
Climate and timing
St. Louis'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.
- Jan39° / 22°Off-season
- Feb45° / 26°Off-season
- Mar55° / 34°Off-season
- Apr67° / 44°Outdoor season
- May76° / 55°Outdoor season
- Jun85° / 64°Outdoor season
- Jul88° / 67°Outdoor season
- Aug87° / 65°Outdoor season
- Sep80° / 57°Outdoor season
- Oct69° / 46°Outdoor season
- Nov55° / 35°Off-season
- Dec43° / 27°Off-season
Working in Missouri
Contractor licensing in Missouri
Missouri licenses construction trades mostly at the local level. Its only statewide contractor license is an optional electrical contractor license that cities and counties must accept in place of their own, while places like Kansas City and St. Louis run their own contractor licensing.
Trade-by-trade rules are on each trade page. Confirm with Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors. Checked 2026-09-30.
Hiring locally
What an in-house SDR costs in St. Louis
Before you hire a sales development rep in St. Louis, 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.
- $60,860median pay for a sales rep in the St. Louis metro
- $43,610 to $82,460middle half of local pay (25th to 75th percentile)
- 7,750people 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$121,425
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 St. Louis
Outsourced appointment setting, one trade per market
Abstrakt's U.S.-based business development reps build a St. Louis 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 Missouri? See the Missouri outbound calling rules: do-not-call lists, calling hours and registration, so you know what a program here has to handle.
St. Louis commercial trades, answered
Does Abstrakt set appointments for commercial contractors in St. Louis?
Yes. Abstrakt runs outsourced appointment setting for commercial trades across the St. Louis, MO-IL 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 St. Louis?
Measured by larger buildings per contractor against the 100 markets we track (where a trade has at least 10 local contractors), commercial Electrical (#11), fire Protection (#18) and commercial Cleaning & Janitorial (#29) rank best in St. Louis.
What kinds of businesses are concentrated in St. Louis?
St. Louis's business mix tracks the national average closely, with no category markedly over-represented.
Which counties make up the St. Louis market?
The metro covers 14 counties. St. Louis County, St. Louis city and St. Charles County hold 71% of the larger business sites, so most programs start there.
Sources and method
- Contractors and business-category change and concentration: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private ownership, 2025 Q2, St. Louis, MO-IL.
- Business sites by size and county: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Suppressed size classes count as zero.
- Climate: NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county monthly series, 1991-2020 averages.
- Projects: sources linked on each project card.
- Anchor owners: sources linked on each card, read 2026-10.
- Eligible targets: Abstrakt territory record counts, 2026-10; estimated decision-maker records Abstrakt can prospect per program, shown for HVAC, roofing, construction and cleaning.
- Photo: St. Louis skyline and the Gateway Arch at night, by Kenny Nguyễn on Unsplash.
Getting Ava ready…
AI video guide. Your voice is processed by Tavus to run this conversation; we never use your camera. Calls end after 5 minutes. Privacy