Modernize Launches HomeBuddy AI, the First AI Knowledge Platform Built for the Home Services Marketplace
Powered by proprietary LLM and RAG technology, HomeBuddy AI fuses a verified contractor intelligence database, localized project cost data, and hundreds of thousands of real homeowner reviews to deliver expert-level guidance from inquiry to install.Published: May 28, 2026
Modernize Home Services, a leader in performance marketplaces and technologies for the home services industries, today announced the beta launch of HomeBuddy AI, the first AI knowledge platform built for the home services marketplace. Powered by large language model (LLM) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technology, HomeBuddy AI reasons through a homeowner’s specific project situation, then delivers expert-level guidance on costs, contractor quality, and project scope, guiding them from inquiry to install with confidence.
As homeowners increasingly turn to AI to navigate complex and costly home improvement decisions, the demand for authoritative, actionable guidance has never been greater. According to a 2026 QuinStreet survey of more than 3,000 U.S. homeowners, more than 40% now say AI tools and assistants are their most-used resource when researching home improvement projects, and the trend is accelerating.
HomeBuddy AI is designed to meet that demand head-on — purpose-built on a foundation of verified contractor intelligence, proprietary cost data, and hundreds of thousands of real homeowner reviews. With HomeBuddy AI, homeowners can:
- Research projects with speed and confidence. Ask natural-language questions across 30+ project categories — from roofing, siding, windows, solar, and foundation repair to bathroom remodels, flooring, HVAC, water treatment, and plumbing — and receive specific, trustworthy answers grounded in real market data.
- Understand what their project will cost. A proprietary, AI-driven cost database spanning tens of thousands of ZIP codes nationwide delivers localized project cost ranges informed by real contractor and homeowner data so homeowners know what to expect before they make a call.
- Evaluate and connect with the right contractor. HomeBuddy AI draws on more than 5,000 verified contractor profiles and hundreds of thousands of real homeowner reviews to match users with qualified local professionals based on credentials, ratings, and project fit.
- 62% are still in early research when they begin looking for a contractor, and
- 92% say pricing clarity is critical to moving forward
“Homeowners have always made their most important decisions the same way — by talking to someone they trust. AI gives us the opportunity to deliver that trusted guidance at scale, and to do it with a depth of knowledge no single person could offer,” said Jeff Barnes, Senior Vice President of Modernize Home Services.
"What makes HomeBuddy AI different is the technology and what's behind it. Modernize and HomeBuddy bring more than 20 years of home services data, contractor relationships, and real homeowner experiences to this platform. This is not a commodity AI layer built on public web data — it’s deep data-backed knowledge infrastructure for the future of home services AI.”
Built on an MCP server architecture, HomeBuddy AI marks a significant milestone in QuinStreet's platform reach and capabilities — making its proprietary knowledge base accessible across mainstream AI tools, client and partner integrations, and consumer-facing surfaces. It opens incremental revenue opportunities, broadens media distribution, and delivers greater value to home services professionals across the platform.
HomeBuddy AI is available today in beta at homebuddy.com/ai and modernize.com/ai, with plans to expand capabilities and deepen integrations throughout 2026.