Employee benefits for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors,made easy.
90% of U.S. plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors have fewer than 20 employees.
You want great benefits for your team. You don’t have the time or the resources to get them.
That isn’t on you. For decades, the benefits industry has been built for big companies, and small businesses have been left to figure it out alone. Cakewalk was built for you.
How it works
You run your business. We handle the benefits.
Tell us about your business.
Start with your business name. We fill in what we can find. Connect payroll and your team comes with it.
Hundreds of options. One tailored package.
We compare hundreds of plans for your team. You get one package, priced and ready to adjust.
We get your team covered.
We invite your team. You see who has started. Each person gets help choosing. Everyone is covered.
Benefits admin. Off your plate.
New hires and departures sync from payroll. Each employee gets a benefits wallet. Their questions come to us, not you.
Your benefits team. On the house.
You pay for coverage. Insurance carriers pay us a commission, so we can handle everything from building your package to supporting your team year round, at no cost to you.
The trades at a glance
Offering benefits to your crew
Skilled techs have options, and busy seasons stretch every schedule. Here’s what shapes a benefits plan for an HVAC, plumbing, or electrical contractor.
- of U.S. plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors have fewer than 20 employees
- 90%
- openings a year projected for HVAC mechanics, electricians, and plumbers combined, 2025–2035
- 155,300
- of private construction workers have access to employer medical coverage
- 75%
Source: BLS Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2026
Competing for skilled techs
HVAC mechanic jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, electricians 9%, and plumbers 7%. Electricians and plumbers usually train through a 4- to 5-year paid apprenticeship, so the people you train are worth keeping.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: HVAC mechanics; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: electricians; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: plumbers
Busy seasons and seasonal hires
Heating and cooling peaks mean overtime and irregular schedules. If seasonal workers push you over 50 full-time employees for 120 days or fewer in a year, you still aren’t treated as a large employer.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: HVAC mechanics; IRS: applicable large employers
A physical job
In 2024, plumbing and HVAC contractors recorded 3.0 injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers, against 2.3 across private industry. Income protection and life insurance are worth a look for a crew in the field.
Source: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2024
The 30-hour line
Federal rules treat an employee who averages 30 or more hours a week as full time. A plan bought through the SHOP marketplace has to be offered to every full-time employee, but not to part-time staff.
Sources: IRS: identifying full-time employees; HealthCare.gov: who qualifies for SHOP
Benefits are your choice under 50
Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents, aren’t subject to the federal requirement to offer coverage. Offering benefits is a decision you make for your team, not a mandate.
Source: IRS: applicable large employers
The small business tax credit
The federal credit can cover up to 50% of premiums for employers with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees and average wages under $68,200 in 2026, if you pay at least half of employee-only premiums and buy through the SHOP marketplace. Owners and their families don’t count toward the totals. SHOP plans aren’t offered everywhere, so check your state’s guide.
The whole benefits package.
Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and income protection. Built around your business and the people who power it.
Start with your team’s needs and your business’s budget. Explore medical coverage online, or work with a benefits advisor to understand your options and choose your next step.
Questions contractors ask.
Not under federal law if you have fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents. Offering benefits is your choice, and it’s often a deciding factor for the people you want to hire and keep.
Tell us about your crew.
We’ll follow up to learn about your business and walk you through your options. There’s no cost to work with us.
Prefer to start on your own?