Online Reviews for Contractors: How to Get More 5-Star Reviews | Projul

You can run the best crew in town, finish every project on time, and leave every job site cleaner than you found it. But if you don’t have online reviews backing that up, the contractor down the street with 200 Google reviews is going to get the call instead of you.

That’s the reality of how homeowners and commercial property managers find contractors today. They search online, scan the star ratings, read a few reviews, and make a decision before they ever pick up the phone. Your online reputation isn’t just a nice thing to have. It’s what determines whether you even get the chance to bid on a project.

The good news? Getting more online reviews for contractors doesn’t require a marketing degree or a big budget. It just takes a system. This guide covers exactly where you need reviews, how to ask for them, what to do when someone leaves a bad one, and how to turn your reviews into more signed contracts.

Why Online Reviews Are Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool

Word of mouth has always been the backbone of the contracting business. A happy customer tells their neighbor, that neighbor calls you, and the cycle continues. Online reviews are just word of mouth at scale. Instead of one neighbor hearing about your work, hundreds or thousands of potential customers can see what people think of you.

Here’s what the numbers look like:

93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. That means nearly every homeowner looking for a contractor is checking your reviews before they call. If you have a handful of reviews from two years ago, they’re going to scroll right past you.

Businesses with 4.0 stars or higher get 12x more clicks than those below 4.0. There’s a real threshold effect at play. Drop below 4.0 and you practically disappear from consideration.

The average consumer reads 10 reviews before feeling they can trust a business. So having three reviews, even if they’re all five stars, isn’t enough. Volume matters almost as much as quality.

For contractors specifically, reviews carry extra weight. Hiring a contractor means letting strangers into your home, trusting them with tens of thousands of dollars, and hoping the work gets done right. That’s a high-trust decision. Reviews reduce the perceived risk for potential customers in a way that a flashy website or a social media ad simply can’t.

Think about it from the homeowner’s perspective. They’re choosing between two roofers. One has 47 reviews with a 4.8 rating, with customers talking about clean job sites, good communication, and projects finished on schedule. The other has 6 reviews with a 4.2 rating and no responses from the business. That’s not even a close decision.

Reviews also directly impact your visibility on Google. Your star rating, review count, and how recently reviews were posted all factor into local search rankings. More reviews don’t just build trust. They literally help you show up when people search for contractors in your area. If you haven’t already, take the time to improve your Google Business Profile so your reviews have the maximum impact on your search visibility.

Where Contractors Need Reviews (Google, Yelp, Houzz, BBB, and More)

Not all review platforms are equal. Where you focus your energy depends on where your customers are looking. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms that matter most for contractors:

Google Business Profile

This is the big one. Google reviews show up directly in search results and the Map Pack, which is where most homeowners start their search for a contractor. Your Google star rating is the first thing people see, and it directly affects whether they click through to your website or call a competitor instead.

Priority level: Must-have. If you only focus on one platform, make it Google.

Yelp

Yelp still carries weight, especially in metro areas and for residential work like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. The platform has a notoriously aggressive review filter that hides reviews it considers suspicious, which means you need a steady stream of genuine reviews to maintain a visible profile.

Priority level: High for residential contractors in urban and suburban markets.

Houzz

If you do remodeling, custom homes, or any kind of design-build work, Houzz is where your ideal customers are browsing. Homeowners on Houzz are typically planning larger projects and are willing to spend more. Reviews on Houzz carry a lot of influence with this audience.

Priority level: High for remodelers, custom builders, and design-build firms.

Better Business Bureau (BBB)

BBB reviews and ratings still matter to a certain segment of homeowners, particularly older demographics and those doing due diligence on larger projects. Having an A+ rating and positive reviews on BBB adds a layer of credibility.

Priority level: Moderate. Worth maintaining, especially for commercial and higher-end residential work.

Facebook

Facebook recommendations show up when people ask their friends for contractor referrals in local community groups. Having a well-reviewed Facebook business page means you look legitimate when someone clicks through after seeing your name mentioned in a post.

Priority level: Moderate. Useful as a supporting platform.

Industry-Specific Platforms

Depending on your trade, platforms like Angi (formerly Angie’s List), HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, and Porch may be relevant. These are pay-to-play to varying degrees, but having good reviews on them helps convert the leads they send your way.

Priority level: Varies. Focus on the ones that actually send you leads.

Where to Start

Don’t try to build a presence on every platform at once. Start with Google. Get that dialed in. Then expand to the one or two platforms that are most relevant to your trade and market. Use a CRM tool to track which customers you’ve asked for reviews and where you’ve directed them, so you’re not leaving it to chance.

How to Ask for Reviews Without Being Pushy

Most contractors know they should be asking for reviews. The problem is that it feels awkward. You just finished a $30,000 kitchen remodel, the customer is thrilled, and now you have to say, “Hey, can you go online and write something nice about us?” It can feel like you’re fishing for compliments.

Here’s the thing: customers who are happy with your work genuinely want to help you out. They just need a nudge and a clear path to follow. The key is making it easy and timing it right.

Timing Is Everything

The best time to ask for a review is right after you’ve delivered a wow moment. That could be:

• Final walkthrough. The project is done, the customer is seeing the finished result for the first time, and they’re excited. This is prime review-asking territory.
• After resolving an issue. If something came up during the project and you handled it well, the customer often feels even more positive about you than if nothing had gone wrong.
• When they compliment your work. If a customer says, “You guys did an amazing job,” that’s your cue. “Thank you! Would you mind sharing that in a quick Google review? It really helps us out.”

Make It Stupid Easy

The number one reason customers don’t leave reviews isn’t that they don’t want to. It’s that they get busy and forget, or they don’t know where to go. Remove every possible barrier:

• Send a direct link. Google lets you create a short link that takes customers straight to your review form. Text it or email it to them right after the project wraps.
• Keep it short. Don’t ask them to write a novel. “Even just a sentence or two and a star rating helps a lot” takes the pressure off.
• Text beats email. Text messages have a 98% open rate compared to around 20% for email. A quick text with your review link gets way more responses.

What to Say

Here’s a simple script that works:

“Hey [Name], it was great working with you on [project]. If you have a minute, we’d really appreciate a quick review on Google. It helps other homeowners find us. Here’s the link: [link]”

That’s it. No pressure, no long explanation, no begging. Just a straightforward ask with a clear reason why it matters.

What Not to Do

• Don’t offer incentives. Paying for reviews or offering discounts in exchange for reviews violates the terms of service on every major platform. It can also get your reviews flagged and removed.
• Don’t ask unhappy customers. If you know a customer had a rough experience, asking for a review is just inviting a bad one. Focus on resolving their concerns first.
• Don’t blast everyone at once. A sudden flood of reviews looks suspicious to platforms like Yelp and Google. A steady trickle of reviews over time looks natural and carries more weight.

Responding to Negative Reviews Like a Professional

Every contractor gets a bad review eventually. Maybe the customer had unrealistic expectations. Maybe there was a genuine mistake on your end. Maybe someone confused you with another company. Whatever the reason, how you respond matters more than the review itself.

Here’s why: potential customers don’t just read the negative review. They read your response to it. A thoughtful, professional response to a one-star review can actually build more trust than another five-star review. It shows that you care about your customers’ experience and that you take responsibility.

The Response Framework

Step 1: Don’t respond immediately. When you see a bad review, your first instinct is probably to defend yourself. Don’t. Take a breath. Wait at least a few hours. Emotional responses almost always make things worse.

Step 2: Acknowledge the customer’s experience. Even if you disagree with their version of events, start by acknowledging that they’re unhappy. “We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations” is a good opener.

Step 3: Take it offline. Don’t get into a back-and-forth in the review comments. Offer to discuss it privately. “We’d like to make this right. Please give us a call at [number] or email [email] so we can discuss this directly.”

Step 4: Be specific without being defensive. If there are factual errors in the review, you can correct them briefly and professionally. “We did complete the punch list items on [date] as discussed” is fine. “You’re wrong and here’s why” is not.

Step 5: Follow up. If you resolve the issue, politely ask the customer if they’d be willing to update their review. Many will, and an updated review that says “They made it right” is incredibly powerful.

Example Response to a Negative Review

“Hi [Name], thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry that the timeline didn’t meet your expectations on this project. We know how frustrating delays can be, and we take that seriously. We’d love the opportunity to discuss this with you directly and see how we can make it right. Please reach out to us at [phone] or [email]. We appreciate your business and hope to resolve this for you.”

Reviews You Can Flag for Removal

Not every negative review is legitimate. You can flag reviews for removal on Google if they:

• Are from someone who was never a customer
• Contain hate speech or threats
• Are clearly spam or from a competitor
• Review the wrong business

Projul is trusted by 5,000+ contractors. See their reviews to find out why.

Google doesn’t always remove flagged reviews, but it’s worth trying when the review clearly violates their policies.

Automating Review Requests Without Losing the Personal Touch

Asking for reviews manually works when you’re doing a handful of projects a month. But as your business grows, things fall through the cracks. That $15,000 bathroom remodel wraps up, the crew moves on to the next job, and nobody remembers to send the review request. Three months later, the customer has moved on and the moment is gone.

That’s where automation comes in. The goal isn’t to make your review requests feel robotic. It’s to make sure every single happy customer gets asked, every time, without someone having to remember to do it.

Build It Into Your Workflow

The simplest approach is to tie your review request to a step that already exists in your project workflow:

1. Project marked complete. When a project gets moved to “Complete” in your project management system, that triggers a review request.
2. Final invoice paid. Once the customer pays their final invoice, they get a follow-up text or email with a review link. Using automated invoicing means this trigger is reliable and consistent.
3. Follow-up check-in. A week after project completion, send a quick “How’s everything looking?” message. If they respond positively, follow up with the review ask.

Keep It Personal

Automated doesn’t have to mean generic. Here are a few ways to keep the human element:

• Use their name and project details. “Hi Sarah, hope you’re loving the new deck!” hits differently than “Dear valued customer.”
• Send from a real person. The message should come from the project manager or owner, not “The Marketing Team.”
• Mix up the channel. Text for smaller projects, a personal email for larger ones. Maybe even a handwritten thank-you card with a QR code linking to your review page for your best projects.

Use Your Customer Portal

If you’re using a customer portal, you already have a direct communication channel with every client. Adding a review request to the post-project experience through that portal is natural and non-intrusive. The customer is already logging in to view final photos, warranty information, or payment receipts. A gentle “How did we do?” prompt fits right into that flow.

Track Your Numbers

You should know your review request rate (what percentage of completed projects result in a review request) and your conversion rate (what percentage of requests actually turn into reviews). A good baseline to aim for:

• Review request rate: 100% of completed projects
• Conversion rate: 15-25% of requests turning into posted reviews

If you’re below those numbers, something in your process needs attention. Your CRM should be tracking this so you can spot the gaps.

Turning Reviews Into More Business

Getting reviews is only half the battle. The other half is using those reviews to actively generate more business. Too many contractors collect reviews and then do nothing with them. That’s leaving money on the table.

Put Reviews on Your Website

Your website should feature reviews prominently, not buried on a “Testimonials” page that nobody visits. Put them:

• On your homepage. A rotating carousel or a featured review section near the top of the page.
• On service pages. If you have a page for kitchen remodeling, put kitchen remodeling reviews on that page.
• Near your calls to action. Right before a “Get a Free Estimate” button is a great place for a review that talks about your easy estimate process.

Use Reviews in Your Sales Process

When you’re sitting at a kitchen table giving an estimate, reviews are your secret weapon:

• Create a “brag book.” Print out your best reviews organized by project type. When a homeowner is deciding between you and two other contractors, that stack of glowing reviews tips the scales.
• Reference specific reviews. “We actually just finished a similar project over on Oak Street. The homeowner left us a great review talking about how we stayed on budget. I can send you the link if you’d like to see it.”
• Include reviews in proposals. Add two or three relevant reviews to your written estimates and proposals. It reinforces trust at the exact moment the customer is making a decision.

Share Reviews on Social Media

Every five-star review is a piece of content. Screenshot it, pair it with a photo of the project, and post it to your social media accounts. This does double duty: it shows potential customers that people love your work, and it makes the reviewer feel appreciated (which makes them more likely to refer you).

Respond to Every Positive Review

This one is simple but often overlooked. When someone takes the time to leave you a five-star review, respond to it. Thank them by name, mention something specific about their project, and let them know you appreciated working with them. This encourages others to leave reviews (because they can see you actually read them) and it boosts your profile activity, which helps with search rankings.

Use Reviews for SEO

Reviews that mention specific services and locations are gold for local SEO. When a customer writes, “Best roofer in Denver, replaced our entire roof in two days,” that review is helping you rank for “roofer in Denver.” You can’t control what customers write, but you can gently guide them: “If you have a minute to leave us a review, it would be great if you could mention the type of work we did.” Most people are happy to include those details.

Monitor Your Reputation

Set up Google Alerts for your business name so you know whenever someone mentions you online. Check your review profiles at least weekly. Respond to new reviews within 24-48 hours. Staying on top of your online reputation is an ongoing job, not a one-time project.

If you’re growing your team and wondering how to scale all of this, take a look at Projul’s pricing plans to see how the right project management software can keep your review process running smoothly as you take on more work.

Curious how this looks in practice? Schedule a demo and we will show you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many reviews do contractors need to look credible?

There’s no magic number, but research shows that most consumers want to see at least 10 reviews before they trust a business. For contractors, aim for 20+ reviews on Google as a starting point, then keep building from there. The real goal is a steady flow of recent reviews. A business with 50 reviews but none in the last six months looks stale compared to one with 30 reviews and five from the past month.

Can I ask customers to leave reviews on a specific platform?

Yes, and you should. It’s perfectly fine to say, “Would you mind leaving us a review on Google?” and send them a direct link. What you can’t do is tell them what to say or offer anything in exchange. The review has to be their honest opinion in their own words. Most platforms allow you to direct customers to your profile. Just don’t try to filter out unhappy customers or only ask people you know will leave five stars.

How do I get a bad review removed from Google?

You can flag a review that violates Google’s review policies (spam, fake reviews, off-topic content, conflicts of interest). Go to your Google Business Profile, find the review, click the three dots, and select “Flag as inappropriate.” Google will review it, though they don’t always remove flagged reviews. If the review is from a real customer who had a genuinely bad experience, your best bet is to respond professionally and try to resolve the issue, then ask if they’d consider updating their review.

Should I respond to every review, even the positive ones?

Yes. Responding to positive reviews shows that you value your customers’ feedback and encourages others to leave reviews too. Keep your responses genuine and specific. Instead of a generic “Thanks for the review!”, try something like “Thanks, Mike! Glad you’re happy with the new patio. It was a fun project and your backyard looks great.” That personal touch goes a long way.

How long after a project should I ask for a review?

The sweet spot is within one to three days after project completion or final walkthrough. The experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind, they’re still feeling good about the finished result, and they haven’t gotten buried in the rest of their life yet. If you wait more than a week or two, your response rate drops significantly. Set up an automated trigger so the request goes out at the right time every time, without anyone on your team having to remember.