Commercial trades hiring in Grand Rapids.
The "Medical Mile" is adding hundreds of thousands of square feet of hospital capacity in 2025-2026 alone - Corewell Health's $1.34B capital program and a new children's rehab hospital, at once.
The Medical Mile, two projects at once.
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −14% for sheet metal workers to +26% for plumbers and pipefitters.
Corewell Health's South Pavilion expansion at Butterworth Hospital adds 780,000 sq ft and 180 rooms, part of a $1.34B systemwide capital program breaking ground summer 2027 and completing 2030. The $60M Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, built across the street from Mary Free Bed with a connecting pedestrian walkway, opens fall 2026. Van Andel Institute's $100M, 160,000 sq ft Phase II research expansion established the region's lab-grade construction capacity when it completed back in 2009, and remains the benchmark project for that specialty even though it's no longer active.
Outside the Medical Mile, JR Automation broke ground on a new single-campus manufacturing headquarters in Zeeland in September 2025, with plans to more than double its manufacturing space if market conditions allow.
Major capital projects driving Grand Rapids commercial trades demand
- Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital addition$1.34BConstruction starting summer 2027, complete 2030
780,000 sq ft and 180 rooms added to Butterworth Hospital. Hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction at the anchor of Grand Rapids' "Medical Mile."
- Van Andel Institute Phase II research expansion$178M (completed 2009)Completed 2009 -- not a current project
Wet-lab research space with capacity for 12-15 additional principal investigators. Lab-grade mechanical, electrical, and process-utility construction distinct from hospital work.
- Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital$60MOpening fall 2026
A pediatric rehabilitation hospital built across the street from Mary Free Bed, connected by a pedestrian walkway - adds another hospital-grade construction project to the Medical Mile corridor.
- JR Automation headquarters (Zeeland)UndisclosedBroke ground September 2025
A single-campus manufacturing and production headquarters for the lakeshore automation manufacturer, with plans to more than double manufacturing space if market conditions allow - industrial construction outside the Medical Mile corridor.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Hourly wages for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI area, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release for May 2025. These are the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile BLS reports — not our estimate of them. Each row names the BLS occupation it was read from, because our job titles and BLS's occupations are not the same list.
Measured against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood area run from −14% for sheet metal workers to +26% for plumbers and pipefitters. The spread between trades is wider than the gap between most cities, which is why a single "market premium" figure is not much use when you are pricing a specific role.
| Role | Grand Rapids hourly | National hourly | Median vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial construction superintendentBLS Construction Managers (11-9021) | $39.33 – $62.53median $49.22 | $42.57 – $72.91median $55.28 | −11% |
| Commercial electrician (journeyman)BLS Electricians (47-2111) | $23.05 – $38.18median $29.92 | $23.76 – $40.36median $30.38 | −2% |
| Commercial plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter (journeyman)BLS Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $27.67 – $43.90median $38.67 | $24.13 – $40.92median $30.67 | +26% |
| Heavy equipment operatorBLS Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $26.06 – $36.63median $30.70 | $23.40 – $37.10median $28.78 | +7% |
| Sheet metal workerBLS Sheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | $21.94 – $38.13median $25.62 | $22.99 – $39.24median $29.71 | −14% |
| Commercial rooferBLS Roofers (47-2181) | $22.41 – $30.24median $23.86 | $22.24 – $31.44median $26.65 | −10% |
| Commercial HVAC technicianBLS Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021) | $23.55 – $37.12median $28.94 | $23.25 – $37.05median $29.33 | −1% |
| Commercial estimatorBLS Cost Estimators (13-1051) | $29.48 – $45.53median $36.55 | $29.40 – $48.97median $37.86 | −3% |
BLS counts plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters and sprinkler fitters as one occupation. We do not split them here, because splitting them would mean inventing a number BLS does not publish.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. 25th–75th percentile hourly, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI, retrieved October 15, 2026. Download the source file (40 MB .zip) and check any figure. BLS publishes no commercial-only, journeyman-only or certification-specific wage, so we do not print one.
What's happening in Grand Rapids, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Grand Rapids market for each of our 20 commercial trades verticals.
HVAC & Mechanical
The "Medical Mile" - Corewell's South Pavilion addition and the Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital combined - is adding nearly half a million square feet of hospital space. Conventional commercial HVAC is in the range BLS reports nationally.
Commercial Electrical
Lab/research-facility electricians run above the national rate - the largest premium in this metro, reflecting the region's broader lab-construction capacity (Van Andel Institute's wet-lab expansion completed in 2009 and remains the benchmark project, not an active current build). Hospital-experienced electricians for Corewell's pavilion and the Secchia rehab hospital add steady current demand.
Commercial Plumbing
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −14% for sheet metal workers to +26% for plumbers and pipefitters. Standard commercial plumbing runs a modest regional premium.
Commercial Construction
Three concurrent hospital/research projects on the Medical Mile plus JR Automation's Zeeland headquarters give superintendents with healthcare or industrial delivery experience real optionality. Generalist commercial superintendents price at national average.
Commercial Roofing
Large-footprint hospital and research-facility roofing on the Medical Mile is a real opportunity; standard commercial roofing runs a modest premium.
Fire Protection
Hospital and lab-facility suppression for the Medical Mile's concurrent projects carry specific code requirements. NICET-certified designers with healthcare or lab experience are the shortage role.
Paving & Asphalt
Standard municipal and commercial paving demand is in the range BLS reports nationally, with some site work tied to the Medical Mile's active construction.
Commercial Landscaping
Institutional campus maintenance for the growing Medical Mile corridor, plus standard corporate demand across the metro.
Commercial Flooring
Hospital-grade and lab-grade seamless resinous flooring for the Medical Mile's concurrent projects is a distinct, higher-skill install than conventional commercial flooring.
Commercial Painting
Healthcare and lab-compatible coatings for the Medical Mile's active pipeline are a real niche; conventional commercial painting is in the range BLS reports nationally.
Commercial Cleaning & FM
Healthcare and lab-grade cleaning protocols for the expanding Medical Mile are a distinct, higher-skill tier from conventional office cleaning.
Welding & Fabrication
Structural fabrication for the Medical Mile's concurrent hospital/research projects, plus JR Automation's Zeeland headquarters, are both driving steady demand.
Commercial Irrigation
A specialist trade most contractors still source through agriculture or generalist staffing - we recruit it directly, not as an afterthought.
Commercial Pest Control
Licensing-driven and referral-heavy - a maintained, license-verified pipeline outperforms reactive posting in this trade specifically.
Commercial Trucking
A licensing-bottlenecked market where CDL credentials and clean records matter more than resume keywords.
Elevator Maintenance
A small, credential-gated labor pool most generalist recruiters can't actually verify.
Insulation
Mechanical insulators and building-envelope installers are two distinct hiring pools most recruiters treat as one.
LED & Solar
One of the fastest-growing trades we track nationally, and one of the least served by specialist recruiters.
Masonry & Concrete
A small, referral-driven labor pool where reputation moves faster than job postings.
Physical Security
Installers and integrators need both electrical and IT skill - a dual-skillset hiring problem most firms get wrong.
The positions we fill in Grand Rapids, most often.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial trades contractors in Grand Rapids - from senior leadership down to field roles. The positions we recruit for in this market:
- Lab / research-facility electrician - the hardest hire in the region
- Medical gas certified plumber
- Superintendent with healthcare or research-facility experience
- Project manager (healthcare, research, industrial)
- Senior estimator
- NICET-certified fire sprinkler designer (hospital/lab)
- Service manager (HVAC, electrical, plumbing)
For a full list of the 80+ commercial trades positions we recruit for, see the individual industry pages - each lists the 10 most-recruited roles for that trade with current wage ranges.
Frequently asked — commercial trades hiring in Grand Rapids.
How do you hire commercial trades talent in Grand Rapids in 2026?
Commercial trades hiring in Grand Rapids in 2026 is shaped by the "Medical Mile" - two concurrent healthcare projects adding hundreds of thousands of square feet of capacity. Corewell Health's South Pavilion expansion at Butterworth Hospital adds 780,000 sq ft and 180 rooms as part of a $1.34B capital program, breaking ground summer 2027 and completing 2030. The $60M Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital opens fall 2026. Michigan licenses electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors statewide through LARA. My Trade Talent screens Grand Rapids candidates against both the Medical Mile skills premium and this licensing structure.
How long does it take to hire a commercial trades professional in Grand Rapids?
For field roles: typically 3-5 weeks from intake to signed offer, close to national average. Lab/research electricians and medical gas plumbers serving the Medical Mile's concurrent projects run longer, 5-8 weeks, given the specialized experience most candidates don't carry.
Are commercial trades wages in Grand Rapids higher than the national average?
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −14% for sheet metal workers to +26% for plumbers and pipefitters. Lab/research-facility electricians run above the national rate and medical gas plumbers - the two largest premiums, both tied to the Medical Mile's concurrent hospital and research expansion.
How is the "Medical Mile" affecting commercial trades hiring in Grand Rapids?
It's the defining trend in this market. Corewell Health's South Pavilion expansion at Butterworth Hospital (780,000 sq ft, 180 rooms, breaking ground summer 2027) is part of a $1.34B capital program, running alongside the $60M Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital opening fall 2026. Together these add hundreds of thousands of square feet of clinical capacity in 2025-2026, pulling lab-electricians and medical gas plumbers into a specialized labor pool - the same lab-grade specialty Van Andel Institute's $100M Phase II wet-lab expansion established when it completed in 2009, still the benchmark project for this metro's lab-construction capacity.
What licensing applies to commercial trades contractors in Grand Rapids?
Michigan licenses electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC contractors statewide through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes (LARA/BCC). Electrical contractors need a business-level license with at least one licensed master electrician on staff; plumbing contractors need an employed Master Plumber with 4,000 hours of journeyman experience; mechanical licenses renew every three years.
One role open in Grand Rapids right now.
Not a sample of what we could find - these are seats a contractor here is actively trying to fill, and the application goes to us rather than into a job board.
- Lead Pool TechnicianApply →
Every open role we are running →
Board last synced November 12, 2026. Roles move fast; /jobs/ is always the current list.
Hiring commercial trades in Grand Rapids?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.
