Most People Think Google Bought Nest For $3.2B For Thermostats—Search Ismael Valdez & Hannah Hammond
28 Apr 2026 · 1 min

1:16
In this monologue, a plumber explains that Google's 2014 $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest was driven not by thermostat sales but by a strategic desire to dominate the referral ecosystem for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing services. He argues that Google wanted users to continue using its search platform to find service providers, rather than having Nest thermostats embed direct contractor connections like an ADT panel. The speaker describes his own platform that links thermostats directly to contractors, bypassing Google searches, and notes that his company sold $14.2 million worth of thermostats in the first year. He predicts Google would be upset by this model because it reduces search clicks and revenue.










