Reviews for Trades and Home Services: Winning the Quote

Short answer: ask before you leave the job, while the work is visible and the customer is happy. Aim for reviews that mention punctuality, price accuracy, and leaving the place clean — that's what wins the next quote.

Home services have the highest trust barrier of any local category. The customer is inviting a stranger into their home, often paying a deposit before anything happens, and usually can't judge the quality of the work themselves.

The Four Fears Your Reviews Must Answer

1. "Will they turn up?" No-shows are the industry's reputation problem. A review saying "arrived exactly when he said" is worth more than any qualification badge.

2. "Will the price change?" Quote accuracy is the number one theme in trade reviews. "The final bill matched the quote" is the sentence that wins jobs.

3. "Will they wreck my house?" "Left the kitchen cleaner than he found it" appears in an enormous share of five-star trade reviews for a reason.

4. "Will they disappear if something goes wrong?" A review describing a return visit to fix something is worth ten reviews about a job that went perfectly.

Everything else — technical skill, certifications, years in business — matters less than these four in the moment someone chooses between three quotes.

Ask Before You Leave

This is the single biggest change most trades can make.

The moment the job is done and you're showing the customer the work is the peak. They're relieved, impressed, and standing right next to you. Twenty-four hours later they're thinking about something else.

"Glad you're happy with it. If you've got a second, a Google review really helps — most of my work comes from people finding me there."

Then hand them a card with a QR code, or send the link to their phone while you're standing there.

Put the QR code on: the invoice, your van, the folder you hand over, a sticker on the boiler or fusebox for future reference.

For Jobs That Take Weeks

Big renovations need a different rhythm:

• Ask at the end, at handover, not mid-project.
• Take before/after photos throughout — you'll want them, and so will the customer.
• If there was a problem you solved, ask them to mention how it got handled. That's the most persuasive review you can get for a large job.

Emergency Work

Emergency callouts produce your best reviews, because relief is a powerful emotion. Ask on the spot:

"If you're happy, a review mentioning it was an emergency call would really help — that's how most people find me at 11pm."

Reviews that mention out-of-hours, same-day or emergency work also surface for exactly those searches.

Responding to the Classic Complaints

Price disputes. Never argue figures publicly. "The quote covered X; the extra work was agreed on site before we started. Happy to go through the invoice — {phone}."

Delays. Acknowledge, give the real reason once, say what changed. Weather and parts delays are understood by readers if you don't sound defensive.

Damage claims. Move offline immediately, and mention your insurance exists. "We're fully insured and take this seriously — please call me on {phone} today."

Beyond Google

Trade directories matter in some markets, and word of mouth still dominates. But when a neighbour recommends you, the next thing that happens is a Google search for your name. That's the moment your profile has to look established — which means volume, recency, and replies.

Your own review page also solves a specific trade problem: you can send it in a WhatsApp reply when someone asks for references, instead of giving out old customers' phone numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get reviews from customers who don't use Google?
Send the direct review link by SMS. Most people have a Google account through their phone even if they never search.

Should I be on Yelp, Houzz or local trade directories?
Depends on your market. Google first, always, then whatever your customers actually use locally.

Can I ask a customer to mention the specific job?
Yes — asking for specificity is fine. Scripting what they think is not.

A customer refused to pay and left a one-star. What now?
Reply factually, without emotion, and move it offline. Do not detail the payment dispute publicly; readers can tell who's escalating.

Do photos in reviews matter for trades?
Enormously. Ask customers to add a photo of the finished work — it makes the review concrete and it shows your standard.

References Without Phone Numbers

Kudo gives you a link showing your reviews and photos of past work — send it when someone asks "can I see some references?" instead of passing on a customer's number.

Start free at getkudo.co.