How can a builder get more Google reviews?
Ask at handover, once the snagging is done and the final invoice is settled, with a direct link to your Google review form and a few photos of the finished job. A builder may only finish a handful of big projects a year, so every one of those clients needs to be asked, at the right moment.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
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- Industry
- Builders
- Problem
- Too few Google reviews
- The fix
- Local Search Fix, £800
- Do it yourself?
- Yes, the first steps below
Why it happens to builders.
- Few jobs, long gaps
- An extension or loft conversion can take months. Reviews build slowly, and one missed ask is a big share of your year.
- Mid-project is the wrong time
- Dust, delays and money still owed make asking awkward. Most builders don’t ask then, and then forget at the end.
- Snags colour the mood
- If a door still sticks or a patch of plaster needs redoing, the review will say so. The best moment is after the last snag is fixed.
- Reviews scattered across sites
- Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Houzz and trade association profiles each hold a few. People searching “house extension” plus their town see your Google reviews first, on Google Maps.
What to do, in order.
Build the ask into handover
Make it part of your handover checklist: snag list closed, final invoice paid, then the review request.
Send photos first
Share good photos of the finished space, then the link. Ask them to say what the project was and where, like “single-storey rear extension in Chichester”, which helps the next person planning one.
Go back to past clients
Clients from the last couple of years who never reviewed you can still be asked. A short, personal message with the link is enough.
Ask everyone, and never pay for it
No discount on the final invoice and no asking only the happy clients. Google bans both, and UK consumer law bans fake and hidden incentivised reviews.
Make it automatic
The Local Search Fix sets up review requests that go to every client, and fills in your Google profile with your project photos.
Where M1 can do it for you.
Fixed prices, or a fixed quote before any work starts. No VAT is charged. Any running costs are listed before you agree.
- Local Search Fix £800
It fills your Google profile with finished projects and services, and sets up review requests to every client at handover.
Look right when locals search for what you do.
- Foundation Build from £3,500
A website with written-up projects, your Google profile set up properly and a review system that asks every client.
Show up locally, look the part.
- Growth Plan £1,000 a month
It keeps review requests running and handles review replies each month, so a long project never ends without an ask.
Keep enquiries turning into bookings.
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Before you decide.
Something else? Ask Sammy on WhatsApp.
Should I ask for a review before the final payment?
It’s better to ask after. Asking while money is still owed can feel like pressure, and linking a review to the bill in any way can look like an incentive. Wait until snagging is done and the invoice is settled.
What if a project went badly?
Ask them anyway, the same way as everyone else. Asking only the happy clients is review gating, which Google doesn’t allow. If a critical review comes in, reply once, calmly, with what you did to put things right. The CMA’s fake reviews guidance sets out the UK rules.
Can I move my Checkatrade or Houzz reviews onto Google?
No. Google reviews have to be left by the client on Google. You can show other reviews on your own website, within that site’s terms, and ask those clients to review you on Google as well.
Keep reading.
Know what to fix. Then decide.
Sammy writes down what’s holding your business back and what to fix first. The Foundation Blueprint is yours within 5 working days of your answers.
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