See the Latest Spend and Cost Trends
With the Facilities Spend Index you can…
- See where your budgets are growing faster than industry spend overall.
- Compare your invoice cost trends to the Service Cost Index.
- Choose between trades and regions to explore different markets.
Top Trends
1. Spend Is Hitting New Highs
facilities spend YOY
Nationwide facilities spend across all trades in Q4 2021 was at a high point after climbing 15% in the last year. Spend was up 38% since the wide scale shutdowns in Q2 2020.
The overall spend in 2021 outpaced the first pandemic year of 2020 by 15%, and spend also exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 by 7%.
2. Service Costs Are Rising
in service costs since 2019
Overall service costs nationwide were 4% higher in Q4 2021 than two years earlier in Q4 2019. Invoice costs peaked in Q4 2020, and have since fallen by 3%.
Since 2018, the typical invoice cost has risen by 1% annually, driven by rising labor rates and material costs. Due to supply chain shortages, materials costs are up 10% annually. Labor rates have climbed 6% annually, though they’ve held steady since Q2 2020, while labor time has fallen.
3. Cleaning Spend Remains Elevated
spend over 2019
Janitorial spend nationwide remains 20% higher in Q4 2021 than two years before, though it’s dropped 3% from the peak.
Spend on the janitorial trade peaked up 24% year-over-year (YOY) in Q4 2020, when locations had reopened and cases were spiking. The expanded scope of cleanings led to a 29% increase in labor spend.
“Data is the foundation for peak facilities performance. We use hundreds of metrics to optimize our clients’ locations and assets in real-time. Being data-driven also accelerates progress. By benchmarking every brand and provider on our platform, we are driving continuous improvement and innovation across the industry.”
– Alicia Barco, Chief Data Officer, ServiceChannel
Insights from the Facilities Spend Index™

Locations spent 7% more in 2021 than in 2020.
All Trades
Spend and costs fell rapidly during pandemic shutdowns
- The shutdown of non-essential businesses began in mid-March 2020, with facilities activity hitting its low point during Q2 2020.
- Among index regions, New York City experienced the greatest drop in spend, cutting back 40%, while Atlanta saw the smallest change in spend, dropping just 13%.
Facilities spend is growing to new highs
- Since the mass shutdowns of Q2 2020, facilities spend across trades has rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic rate in 2019 by 7%.
Overall service costs jumped during reopening, but are down from the peak
- Service costs peaked nationwide in Q4 2020 as locations focused on the critical work required to keep operating as the pandemic endured.
- By Q4 2021, cost per invoice was still 4% higher than two years earlier, but had fallen 3% from the peak.
- Chicago stands out with a cost increase of 9% since 2019.
- Since 2018, labor rates have increased by 6% annually, and material costs have risen by 10% annually.
HVAC Trade
- Spend on the HVAC trade varies seasonally, peaking in the summer months when air conditioning equipment is stressed during hot weather.
- While the shutdowns of Q2 2020 reduced HVAC spend by 25% YOY, it bounced back quickly in Q2 2021 with a 48% annual increase.
- HVAC invoice costs have risen by 3% annually, as labor rates increased by 2% and material costs climbed over 6% per year since 2018.
- The top performing 25% of HVAC providers cost 62% less than those in the bottom 25%, and they arrive onsite 4 days sooner, based on our marketplace data.

HVAC costs have risen the most in Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles in recent years.

Janitorial spend nationwide was 20% higher in Q4 2021 than two years ago.
Janitorial Trade
- Given the sudden importance of deep cleanings for customer and employee safety, U.S. janitorial trade spend jumped as locations reopened in 2020.
- The amount spent on materials like disinfectants more than doubled.
Plumbing Trade
- Invoice costs for plumbing nationwide grew by 7% YOY in Q4 2021.
- Plumbing costs nationwide have risen by 3% since 2018, driven by increases in labor rates of 3% and material costs of 5% annually.
- The top performing 25% of plumbing providers cost 38% less than those in the bottom 25%, and they fix issues on the first visit five times more often, based on our marketplace data.

Plumbing costs in Atlanta are 18% higher than 2019.

Dallas has seen a 44% increase in electrical trade spend in two years.
Electrical Trade
- The electrical trade hit new highs in both spend and invoice cost in Q4 2021.
- The electrical trade saw the largest drop in spend during the shutdowns of Q2 2020, down 41% YOY.
- Since then, spend has rebounded to grow 51% in Q4 2021 compared to 2019 and 67% compared to 2020.
- The top performing 25% of electrical providers cost 37% less than those in the bottom 25%, and they arrive onsite over 4 days sooner, based on our marketplace data.
What is the Facilities Spend Index?
The Facilities Spend Index™ measures spend on facility operations across maintenance, repairs, and capital investments, based on $27 billion in services delivered to 450,000 locations on the ServiceChannel platform since 2018. In Q4 2021, our spend data grew by $3 billion and 30,000 locations.
Brands use ServiceChannel to track every service delivered to every location, so they get peace of mind through peak facilities performance and a consistent customer experience.
The related Service Cost Index™ measures the invoice cost for services delivered. The total facilities spend is a product of invoice cost and invoice volume.
To compare your facilities spend, providers, and assets to your industry peers, check out our benchmark reports for quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and grocery stores. For a customized assessment of how your program compares to industry benchmarks, please contact us.
Learn more about the methodology for the Facilities Spend Index →
Find out how your costs compare with a custom assessment
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