A homeowner about to spend a large sum on a pool or a deck does one thing before they ring you: they look you up. They read what strangers said. We cannot tell you what any particular reviewer will write, but it is a fair bet that how the job was run comes up as often as how it looks.
That is useful to know, because it tells you what to ask for and when. This post covers how to ask, what Google does not allow, and what to do about the review that arrives on a bad Tuesday.
Why do reviews matter so much for a big-ticket build?
Because the buyer is nervous, and a review is the closest thing to a reference they can check at midnight. Our own research notes on this trade say that a homeowner's dominant fear is the process, not the price: will it run over budget, will the crew show up. A review that says "they kept us informed every week" answers that fear better than any brochure.
Google also says reviews help. Its help page on getting more reviews explains that reviews show next to your Business Profile in Maps and Search, and its page on improving your local ranking lists replying to reviews as one of the things to do. We cannot tell you how much weight any one factor carries, and nobody outside Google can. We can tell you that a profile with no recent reviews looks like a business that stopped working.
How do you ask for a review without being awkward?
Ask in person, at the right moment, and make the next step tiny.
Google says you can ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code, and its help centre shows how to create a link or QR code to request reviews. That is the whole mechanism. A link on a phone beats "please search for us and find the right profile".
The right moment for a builder is usually one of two:
- At handover, when the pool is full, the deck is finished and the owner is standing in the garden looking pleased with themselves.
- A few days later, when the dust has settled and the first weekend of actual use has happened.
A short message works well. Something like: "Thank you again, it was a pleasure building this for you. If you have a minute, a Google review helps other homeowners find us. Here is the link." Then stop. Do not follow up nine times. A review pulled out of someone is not worth having.
Note that customers need to be signed into a Google Account to leave a review. Google says a non-Gmail email address is fine for setting one up, which helps with the client who says they "do not do Google".
What does Google not allow?
Quite a lot, and the rules are not subtle. Google's page says that offering incentives, such as free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for reviews, for changing reviews or for removing negative ones is considered fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited.
Its Maps content policy also lists fake engagement, including reviews that have been paid for, directly or in kind, and content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person.
In builder terms, that means:
- No discount on the final invoice for a five star review.
- No free patio lighting "as a thank you" tied to a review.
- No writing the review for the client and asking them to paste it.
- No reviews from staff, relatives or the odd friendly supplier.
The reason to take this seriously is practical. Reviews that break the policy can be removed, and homeowners tend to be good at spotting reviews that sound staged.
Want this checked on your own site? The free audit covers it, with no obligation.
How should you reply to a bad review?
Calmly, briefly, and for the audience, not the reviewer. The person reading your reply is next year's customer.
Google's tips say to be professional and polite, keep replies short and simple, and avoid offering deals in your reply. For negative reviews it says to protect privacy and avoid personal attacks, and that if a situation is complex you can politely ask the reviewer to contact you by phone or email to sort it out. It also notes that a negative review can be a chance to understand expectations, and that a constructive reply may even encourage the customer to update their review.
A workable pattern for a contractor:
- Thank them for the feedback in one sentence.
- Say what you understood, without arguing the facts in public.
- Give a way to reach a real person.
- Do the follow up for real.
If a review looks like it breaks Google's policies, such as one from someone who was never a customer, you can flag it. That is different from a review you simply dislike. Flagging an honest but unflattering review as "fake" is a good way to look defensive.
One more point: Google says a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy. A wall of identical five star reviews can make a careful buyer suspicious. A single sour one, answered well, can do you a favour.
What should you do about reviews in the next 30 days?
Our view: build a small habit rather than a campaign. Campaigns end. Habits compound.
- Create your review link and QR code from your Business Profile, and save the link in your phone.
- Add one line to your handover checklist: ask for the review while the client is happy.
- Put the link in your project completion email.
- Reply to every existing review you have not answered, oldest first.
- Once a month, count new reviews. If the number is zero, that is the problem to fix, not the algorithm.
Reviews are one part of being found. If you want to see where your profile and site stand, the free audit is a good start, and our SEO work covers the local side in more depth. We cannot promise that more reviews will lift your position, and neither can anyone honest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I offer a discount to clients who leave a review?
No. Google's guidance says offering incentives in exchange for reviews is prohibited. Thanking people is fine. Paying them, in cash or in kind, is not.
Should I only ask my happiest clients?
Ask everyone you would be proud to work for again, at the same point in the project. Quietly picking only the delighted ones is the sort of thing that tends to show in the pattern of reviews.
What if a client does not have a Google account?
Google says customers must be signed in to leave a review, and that they can create an account with a non-Gmail email address. Offer to wait while they sort it, or ask on another day.
Do I have to reply to every review?
Google recommends replying and says to focus on reviews where you can share something helpful. A short, specific reply beats the same thank you copied fifty times.
