10 Best Construction Recruiting Firms for 2026

Key takeaway: The 10 best construction recruiting firms for 2026 are: Kimmel & Associates, Hornberger Management Company (HMC), ZRG Partners (Helbling), gpac, Michael Page, Hays, Tradesmen International, The Birmingham Group, KBIC, and Construction Execs. Kimmel, HMC, and ZRG lead on executive and senior management search for general contractors and developers; gpac, Michael Page, and Hays run high-volume contingency recruiting for project managers, superintendents, and estimators; Tradesmen International is the national skilled trades staffing leader; Birmingham, KBIC, and Construction Execs are strong regional and niche specialists.

Construction cannot find enough people. Associated Builders and Contractors estimated the industry needed to attract roughly 439,000 additional workers in 2025 on top of normal hiring to meet demand, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects construction manager employment to grow 9% from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. Project managers, superintendents, estimators, and preconstruction leaders are scarce in nearly every market.

The recruiting firms that serve the industry split into three groups. Executive search firms place presidents, division leaders, and senior operations executives for general contractors, specialty contractors, developers, and engineering firms. Contingency recruiters fill the project management, field supervision, estimating, and safety roles that make up most construction hiring. Skilled trades staffing firms supply electricians, pipefitters, carpenters, and laborers on contract.

This list covers all three. For engineering and manufacturing roles that overlap with construction, see our engineering and manufacturing recruiting firms ranking; for general-purpose temp labor, see temp staffing agencies.

How did we evaluate construction recruiting firms?

The 10 firms at a glance

The 10 best construction recruiting firms

1. Kimmel & Associates

Type: Construction and real estate executive search Headquarters: Asheville, NC Best for: Senior management and executive searches at general contractors, specialty contractors, and developers nationwide

Kimmel & Associates has recruited exclusively for construction and related industries since 1981 and is one of the largest firms dedicated to the sector. It covers general building, heavy civil, industrial, specialty trades, real estate development, and building materials, with recruiters organized by market segment. For a contractor replacing a division president or hiring a chief estimator, Kimmel's database and relationships are hard to match.

Strengths:

• Exclusive construction focus for more than four decades
• Segment-specialized recruiters across building, civil, and specialty trades
• National reach from a single centralized team

Limitations:

• Retained-style engagement is heavier for mid-level roles
• Not a source for hourly trades staffing

2. Hornberger Management Company (HMC)

Type: Retained construction executive search Headquarters: Wilmington, DE Best for: Board, CEO, president, and C-suite searches at contractors and construction-related companies

HMC is a retained executive search firm that works only in construction and its adjacent industries, placing CEOs, presidents, CFOs, and division leaders at general contractors, specialty contractors, construction managers, and building product companies. Its partners come from the industry, and it publishes compensation and leadership research that construction executives read. HMC is the firm for the top few seats, not for volume hiring.

Strengths:

• Retained executive search dedicated to construction
• Partners with industry operating backgrounds
• Compensation and leadership research for contractors

Limitations:

• C-suite only; no project-level or trades recruiting
• Retained fees and minimums

3. ZRG Partners (Helbling)

Type: Global executive search with a dedicated construction, real estate, and facilities practice Headquarters: Rochelle Park, NJ (Helbling practice in Pittsburgh, PA) Best for: Executive searches at contractors, developers, owners, and facilities organizations, with retained rigor and global reach

Helbling & Associates, a long-standing construction and real estate executive search boutique, is now part of ZRG Partners, a fast-growing global search firm. The Helbling practice retains its focus on construction, engineering, real estate development, and facilities leadership while gaining ZRG's assessment tools and international coverage. Owners, universities, and healthcare systems hiring construction and facilities executives are a particular strength.

Strengths:

• Decades of construction and facilities executive search under the Helbling name
• Owner-side and institutional construction leadership expertise
• ZRG assessment tools and global reach

Limitations:

• Integration into ZRG changes the boutique feel
• Executive level only

4. gpac

Type: National contingency recruiting with a large construction practice Headquarters: Sioux Falls, SD Best for: Project managers, superintendents, estimators, and safety roles filled quickly on a contingency basis

gpac is one of the largest contingency recruiting firms in the US and construction is among its biggest practices, with hundreds of recruiters placing project managers, superintendents, estimators, preconstruction managers, and safety directors for contractors across the country. Its scale and speed make it a default call for contractors that need a slate of candidates for a mid-level role in days.

Strengths:

• Large construction recruiting team and national candidate database
• Fast contingency slates for project-level roles
• Covers general, civil, specialty, and residential contractors

Limitations:

• Volume model means recruiter quality varies
• Less suited to confidential executive searches

5. Michael Page

Type: Global professional recruiting (PageGroup) Headquarters: Weybridge, UK (US offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and more) Best for: Construction project management, estimating, and property roles in major US metros, with international reach

Michael Page is a global recruiting firm with a dedicated construction practice in its US offices covering project managers, superintendents, estimators, and preconstruction roles for general contractors, developers, and owners' representatives. Its strength is in major metros and in companies that also hire in the UK, Europe, or Asia, where PageGroup is one of the largest recruiters.

Strengths:

• Dedicated US construction practice in major metros
• Global network for multinational contractors
• Covers both contractor and owner-side roles

Limitations:

• Thin outside major metropolitan markets
• Standard contingency fees with less construction depth than pure specialists

6. Hays

Type: Global specialist recruiting Headquarters: London, UK (US headquarters in Tampa, FL) Best for: Construction and property recruiting in the US Southeast, Texas, and Northeast, plus contract professionals

Hays is a global specialist recruiter with construction and property as one of its core practices worldwide. In the US it places project managers, superintendents, estimators, and construction executives on permanent and contract bases, with particular strength in Florida, Texas, and the Northeast. Hays publishes a US construction salary guide that is a useful benchmark for offers.

Strengths:

• Global construction and property specialization
• Permanent and contract placement options
• Published US construction salary data

Limitations:

• US footprint is smaller than its UK and Australian business
• Contingency generalist approach in some markets

7. Tradesmen International

Type: Skilled trades staffing Headquarters: Macedonia, OH Best for: Contract electricians, pipefitters, welders, carpenters, and other skilled trades for contractors nationwide

Tradesmen International is the largest skilled trades staffing company in the US, with more than 150 locations supplying licensed and experienced tradespeople to contractors on a contract basis. Its safety record and craft-screening process matter to contractors who need workers who can be productive on day one. For industrial, commercial, and infrastructure projects that need to flex craft headcount, Tradesmen is the national leader.

Strengths:

• Largest skilled trades staffing network in the US
• Craft-specific screening and safety programs
• Flexes headcount for project peaks without permanent hires

Limitations:

• Hourly trades only; no project management or executive recruiting
• Markups reflect the cost of skilled, insured craft labor

8. The Birmingham Group

Type: Construction executive and management search Headquarters: Berkley, MI Best for: Executive and senior management searches at general and specialty contractors, with a strong Midwest and national presence

The Birmingham Group has recruited for the construction industry since 1967, placing executives, senior managers, and key technical professionals at general contractors, specialty contractors, and construction managers. It is known for long client relationships and for understanding how different delivery methods and company cultures affect fit. The firm works nationally from its Michigan base.

Strengths:

• More than 50 years in construction recruiting
• Executive and senior management focus with national reach
• Deep relationships with Midwest contractors

Limitations:

• Small team with limited capacity for high-volume needs
• Less visibility on the coasts

9. KBIC

Type: Construction recruiting specialist Headquarters: Phoenix, AZ Best for: Project management, estimating, and operations roles at contractors in the Southwest and nationally

KBIC is a construction recruiting firm covering project managers, superintendents, estimators, preconstruction, and operations leadership for general contractors, specialty contractors, and developers. It works nationally with a strong base in the Southwest, and its recruiters focus on construction exclusively, which shows in how they screen candidates on project types, contract values, and delivery methods.

Strengths:

• Exclusive construction focus
• Project-level through operations leadership coverage
• Strong Southwest market knowledge

Limitations:

• Smaller national profile than Kimmel or gpac
• Limited skilled trades or executive search capability

10. Construction Execs

Type: Construction executive and management recruiting Headquarters: Carlsbad, CA Best for: Senior management and executive searches at commercial contractors on the West Coast and nationally

Construction Execs recruits presidents, vice presidents, operations managers, and senior project executives for commercial general contractors, specialty contractors, and construction-related companies, with a strong West Coast client base and national reach. The firm's recruiters have construction backgrounds and emphasize confidentiality, which matters when a contractor is replacing a sitting executive.

Strengths:

• Executive and senior management focus with construction backgrounds
• Confidential search process
• Strong West Coast network

Limitations:

• Small boutique with limited capacity
• Not a source for project-level volume hiring or trades

What do construction recruiting firms charge?

Contingency recruiters such as gpac, Michael Page, Hays, and KBIC typically charge 20-25% of first-year base salary, paid on hire, with a 60- to 90-day replacement guarantee. Retained executive search firms such as HMC, Kimmel, and ZRG charge roughly a third of first-year compensation in installments, with minimums that make sense for roles above the $200,000 mark. Skilled trades staffing bills hourly, with markups over the tradesperson's pay rate covering insurance, payroll taxes, and safety compliance.

Building a pipeline without agency fees

Contractors pay some of the highest agency fees of any industry because experienced superintendents and project managers do not apply to job postings; they have to be found and persuaded. That is sourcing work, and it is what AI sourcing agents now do. Noon runs autonomous agents that find construction professionals across the open web, evaluate their project history and progression against each role's requirements, and run personalized email and SMS outreach, on one flat plan with unlimited roles and seats (see pricing). A contractor hiring ten project managers a year can run every search in parallel without ten placement fees. Our AI agent versus recruiting agency comparison and cost-per-hire benchmarks show where the math lands, and the best recruiting firms guide covers general search firms with construction practices.

FAQ

How much do construction recruiters charge? Contingency firms charge 20-25% of first-year base salary on hire, usually with a 60- to 90-day guarantee. Retained executive search runs about a third of first-year compensation. Skilled trades staffing is billed hourly with a markup over the worker's pay.

Which construction recruiting firm is best for executive searches? Hornberger Management Company, Kimmel & Associates, ZRG Partners (Helbling), The Birmingham Group, and Construction Execs all specialize in senior and executive construction searches. HMC is the most purely C-suite focused.

Which firms recruit project managers and superintendents? gpac, Michael Page, Hays, KBIC, and Kimmel & Associates handle most project-level recruiting. gpac is the fastest for contingency slates; Kimmel has the deepest construction-only database.

Where can contractors get skilled trades workers on contract? Tradesmen International is the largest skilled trades staffing company. PeopleReady Skilled Trades, Aerotek, and regional trades staffing firms are alternatives.

What is the hardest construction role to fill? Experienced superintendents and senior project managers with specific project-type experience (healthcare, data centers, heavy civil) are consistently the hardest, followed by chief estimators and preconstruction leaders. These candidates rarely apply to postings, which is why contractors rely on recruiters or direct sourcing.