Named Top U.S. PEO Brokerage of 2026 (#6) →
PEO for construction companies
Find a construction PEO
that will write your class codes.
For contractors, builders and specialty trades with 5–500 employees. Compare 40+ vetted PEOs on workers' comp for your class codes, certified payroll, safety support and benefits that keep crews, then onboard to the best fit without becoming a PEO expert. Free comparison, no obligation.
Built for:
General & specialty contractors
Field + office crews
Prevailing wage jobs
Multi-state projects
Your PEO shortlist
45-person electrical contractor · 2 states
Illustrative example
PEO A
Best fit
Match
92%
Writes class code 5190
Yes
Work comp billing
Pay-as-you-go
Certified payroll
Included
All-in / employee / mo
$1,642
Exit fee
None
PEO B
Shortlisted
Match
79%
Writes class code 5190
Yes
Work comp billing
Annual deposit
Certified payroll
Not supported
All-in / employee / mo
$1,598
Exit fee
None
PEO C
Shortlisted
Match
64%
Writes class code 5190
Declined
Work comp billing
Pay-as-you-go
Certified payroll
Included
All-in / employee / mo
N/A
Exit fee
None
Every fee decoded by P.A.U.L. · Gaps and exit terms flagged before you sign
Compare leading PEOs with confidence, including
Sound familiar?
You build for a living.
The back office keeps you off the jobsite.
Construction has its own HR problems, and generic payroll companies rarely get them. Here's what contractors tell us most, and where the right PEO fits.
“Our EMR is over 1.0 and it's costing us bids.”
A high experience mod raises your work comp premium and can knock you off prequalification lists. The right PEO brings safety programs, claims management and return-to-work support that help bring your mod down over time.
“Year-end premium audit hit us with a five-figure bill.”
Estimated payroll, misassigned class codes and uninsured subs all surface at audit. Pay-as-you-go workers' comp through a PEO bills premium on actual payroll each pay period, so there's no big deposit and far fewer audit surprises.
“The GC wants a COI with additional insured by Monday.”
Certificates of insurance, waivers of subrogation and additional-insured endorsements gate every job. A PEO with a strong work comp program turns COIs around quickly, so paperwork never holds up a mobilization.
“Prevailing wage job, certified payroll due Friday.”
Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage jobs mean certified payroll, fringe calculations and wage determinations by classification. Not every PEO supports it, and that's exactly what you need to know before you sign.
“We can't find, or keep, skilled labor.”
When a journeyman can walk to the shop down the road for a better health plan, benefits become a retention tool. A PEO gives a 30-person contractor large-group health, dental and 401(k) that help keep foremen and skilled trades. Check your plans in our benefits benchmark.
“Most PEOs won't touch our class codes.”
Roofing, framing, demo and other high-hazard codes get declined by a lot of PEOs, and you often find out after weeks of back-and-forth. We show you up front which vetted PEOs actually write your class codes in your states.
Why contractors use a PEO
Think of a PEO as a GC
for your back office.
You stay the owner of the project. A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) works like a general contractor for HR: it brings in and coordinates the specialty subs your back office needs, from payroll and workers' comp to benefits, safety and compliance, under one contract.
349,000
net new workers construction must attract in 2026
1 in 5
U.S. workplace deaths happen in construction (1,034 in 2024)
#1
most-cited OSHA standard is construction fall protection, 15 years running
12%
lower employee turnover for businesses that use a PEO
Sources: Associated Builders and Contractors (via EC&M), BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (via Construction Dive), OSHA FY2025 most-cited standards (via MSA) and NAPEO.
What you get
Your back-office crew, fully staffed.
Payroll and taxes for field and office crews, including per diem and multi-state jobs
Pay-as-you-go workers' comp written for your class codes
Safety support: written programs, toolbox talks, OSHA recordkeeping and claims management
Large-group health, dental and 401(k) that help keep skilled trades
Compliance: I-9 and E-Verify, drug-free workplace policies and worker classification
Certified payroll and prevailing wage support from the PEOs that offer it
Free for contractors
See which PEOs will write your class codes.
Share your class codes, states and headcount. We'll line up vetted PEOs side by side, work comp rates and fees leveled like a bid.
Why compare here first
Bid out your PEO like a job:
apples to apples.
You'd never award a job without leveling the bids. PEO proposals deserve the same: work comp rates by class code, admin fees, benefits and contract terms all differ. PEO Marketplace levels every proposal, so you land on the best-fit PEO without becoming a PEO expert.
Discover
PEOs that write your class codes
P.A.U.L., our AI PEO assistant, screens 40+ vetted PEOs by class codes, states, headcount and prevailing wage support, so you only evaluate PEOs that will actually take you on.
Evaluate
Every proposal leveled like a bid
Work comp rates by class code, admin fees, benefits and setup costs, decoded line by line in one format, so you see the real all-in cost per employee.
Onboard
Switch without stopping the job
We guide census, class-code mapping, work comp transfer and go-live timing around your payroll cycle and policy dates, and flag auto-renewals and exit terms before you sign.
Free for contractors
Paid by the PEO you ultimately choose
Like a recruiter, our fee comes from the PEO you ultimately pick. Our team's side-by-side comparison costs you nothing, and the first 50 businesses get free beta access to the platform.
What it looks like
A 45-person electrical contractor in two states
A common picture: a commercial electrical contractor with 45 employees, crews on jobsites in two states, a prevailing wage job underway and an experience mod creeping above 1.0. Here's how the office changes once the right PEO is in place. See a real result in our 243-employee construction firm case study.
Illustrative example based on common contractor setups.
Before
Work comp deposit tied up and audit surprises every year
Certified payroll built by hand in spreadsheets
COIs chased through the agent for every bid
Journeymen leaving for bigger shops' benefits
After
Pay-as-you-go work comp billed on actual payroll
Certified payroll through a PEO that supports it
COIs turned around quickly for every job
Large-group benefits that help keep skilled crews
Before you sign anything
6 questions every contractor should ask a PEO
We check every one of these for you, and lay the answers out side by side.
Do you write workers' comp for all of our class codes, in every state we work?
Is work comp pay-as-you-go, and how are our rates set based on our experience mod?
Can you produce certified payroll for Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage jobs?
How fast do you issue COIs, additional-insured endorsements and waivers of subrogation?
What safety, claims management and return-to-work support is included?
What's the contract term, the notice period and any fee to leave?
Your options
Three ways to buy PEO services.
Only one compares them all for you.
Going direct to a PEO
Traditional broker
PEO Marketplace
PEOs you compare
One by one
The few they work with
40+ vetted PEOs, side by side
Your time
Slowest
Faster
Fastest
Proposals
Their format
Each PEO's own format
Standardized format, decoded line by line
Quote paperwork
You gather it
You gather it
Done for you, or guided DIY if you prefer
Cost to your business
Free
Usually free
Free, paid by the PEO you choose
Contract review
On your own
Varies
Before you sign
After you sign
The PEO's service team
Varies
Quarterly advocacy check-ins
Platform launch · December
Pre-register for the PEO Marketplace platform.
Everything the PEO market has been missing, from A to Z: smart shopping, side-by-side comparisons and contract signing on one platform, taking the whole PEO process from weeks to hours. Pre-register today as a business, a partner or a PEO. The first 50 businesses get free access to the beta launch.
✓ Free beta access for the first 50 businesses
✓ First in line when the platform opens in December
✓ Launch updates only. No spam, unsubscribe anytime
Need a PEO right now? Our team can run the comparison for you today →
Early access
Reserve your spot
Who's registering?
For employers
Shopping for a PEO or reviewing the one you have? The first 50 businesses to pre-register get free access to the beta launch of the marketplace.
Free beta access is limited to the first 50 businesses that pre-register.
Construction FAQ
PEO for construction:
what contractors ask first.
Reviewed by PEO Marketplace, a licensed Florida insurance agency (#L129491). Last updated October 2026.
What is the best PEO for construction companies?
There isn't one best PEO for every contractor. The right fit depends on your class codes, states, experience mod, prevailing wage work, union status and headcount. We screen 40+ vetted PEOs on exactly those factors and compare the ones that will write your business side by side. Fabrication or shop work too? See PEOs for manufacturing.
Do PEOs work with construction companies?
Yes, but not all of them. Many PEOs limit or decline construction, especially high-hazard class codes like roofing, framing and demolition. Others specialize in contractors. The key is finding PEOs whose work comp program fits your class codes and states, which is the first thing we screen for.
How does pay-as-you-go workers' comp work through a PEO?
Instead of a large upfront deposit based on estimated payroll, premium is calculated and billed on actual payroll each pay period. That frees up cash and greatly reduces year-end audit surprises, especially for contractors with seasonal or fluctuating crews.
Can a PEO lower our experience mod (EMR)?
Not overnight, but it can help. Your mod is driven by your claims history. A PEO with strong safety programs, claims management and return-to-work support can help reduce claim frequency and severity, which over time can bring your mod down. See how PEO underwriting works.
Can a PEO handle certified payroll for prevailing wage jobs?
Some can. Certified payroll for Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage jobs requires reporting by classification, wage determination and fringe. Support varies a lot between PEOs, so we show you which ones handle it before you compare anything else.
Can a PEO cover union employees?
Usually only in part. Union members typically stay on their union's benefit and pension plans, so a PEO may run payroll and HR for them while benefits flow through the union. Many contractors use a PEO for non-union field staff and the office team. Ask each PEO how it handles your agreements.
Should our subcontractors be on the PEO?
True independent subcontractors aren't your employees, so they stay off your PEO. But if your 1099 subs work only for you, under your direction and with your tools, they may be misclassified, which auditors and states look for. A PEO can help you convert workers who should be W-2, cleanly.
How much does a PEO cost for a construction company?
Expect an admin fee per employee or a percentage of payroll, plus workers' comp priced by class code and the benefits you choose. For contractors, work comp is often the biggest line item, so compare all-in cost side by side. For a quick estimate, try our PEO cost calculator.
Will a PEO help with OSHA compliance?
It can support it with safety programs, training resources, recordkeeping help like OSHA 300 logs, and claims management. You still control your jobsites and remain responsible for site safety; the PEO gives you the systems and expertise to run them well.
Is PEO Marketplace free for contractors?
Yes. We work like a recruiter: our fee is paid by the PEO you ultimately choose. You get our team's discovery, evaluation and onboarding support at no cost, with no obligation to choose any PEO we show you. The platform itself is free for the first 50 businesses during the beta, with paid plans announced at launch.
Keep exploring
Your next step.
Proof
See real results
Case studies with the before-and-after numbers, line by line.
Read the case studies →
Free tool
Estimate your PEO savings
Run your own numbers in the free PEO Calculator.
Open the calculator →
PEO 101
What is a PEO?
A plain-English guide to how a PEO works and what it costs.
Read the guide →
peo-marketplace
Get back to the jobsite.
Compare vetted PEOs side by side, see every rate and fee, and onboard to the best fit without becoming a PEO expert. Free for contractors.
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