A homeowner in Bolton has a leaking stopcock and three tabs open. Google's map shows three firms. Checkatrade has a fourth. A neighbour's Facebook post named a fifth. Whoever has a believable run of recent reviews gets the call, and the rest never hear about it. Reviews are the closest thing a tradesman has to a shop window, and most of that window is built by simply asking.
This page is the overview. The posts it links to cover single jobs, like the wording of a text or what to do with a nasty one-star.
Where UK customers actually look
- Google. The map result and the rating beside your name. This is where most searches for a local trade end up, so it is where reviews pay back first.
- Checkatrade. Strong brand recognition, and some people go straight to it. Reviews there stay on Checkatrade, so they do not add to your Google rating.
- Trustpilot. Better known for shops and online firms. Some tradesmen use it, mostly for bigger jobs. See Mitch vs Trustpilot.
- MyBuilder, Bark and Rated People. Feedback is tied to each lead platform and stays there.
- Facebook. Recommendations in local groups. Nobody can ask for these, but a Google review gives the person who tags you something to point at.
If you only have energy for one, make it Google. The customer clicks one link and the review sits on your own profile, where it also feeds the map ranking. Our post on whether Google reviews help SEO goes through the evidence in plain terms.
Ask at the right moment
The strongest moment is a day or two after you leave, when the heating has been on through a cold night or the new kitchen has had its first Sunday roast. Handover day is too soon and the customer is still looking for snags. A fortnight on, they have forgotten you.
Send it as a text from your phone, with your first name and one link. The post on how to ask for a Google review has wording for different jobs, including landlords and letting agents who are not the person in the house.
Text for a customer after a kitchen fit
Do not have the link yet? The free review link generator gives you the link and a QR code that goes straight to Google. Put the QR on the invoice. Our guide to Google review QR codes covers where they work and where they get ignored, and how to find your review link covers doing it by hand.
What the law says about the text
Review request emails and texts can fall under UK GDPR and PECR rules, so check the ICO's guidance on electronic marketing. UK GDPR also covers how you store the number. The usual advice is to keep a note that the customer agreed to be contacted, and include a way to opt out. Mitch only sends a request when you have a mobile number and the consent box is ticked. This is general information and not legal advice, so check the ICO's guidance for your own set-up. If you are a sole trader your customer list is still personal data.
Answering reviews
Reply to the good ones in a line or two with the customer's first name and the job. Take longer over the bad ones, because the reader is not the person who wrote it. They want to see whether you lose your temper.
- How to respond to a bad review
- Replies to positive reviews
- Can you delete a Google review? Short answer: only if it breaks Google's rules, and you flag it rather than remove it yourself.
When reviews do not show up
If a review the customer says they left is missing, it is usually held by Google's filters rather than lost. Give it a few days before you ask the customer to try again.
Shortcuts that backfire
Paying for reviews, writing your own or giving a discount for a five-star all break Google's rules. Google can remove reviews it judges fake, and a profile can be penalised for them. Why buying Google reviews backfires explains what tends to happen. Directories have their own review rules too, so read them before you try anything clever.
A simple loop for a one-man firm
- Finish the job and take the photo.
- Within two days, send the text with one link.
- When the review lands, reply by name.
- Once a month, glance at the total and note how many came in.
The ask is quick. Remembering it is the problem, which is why people tie it to something they already do. For a tradesman, see review management for trades. The full system is in the pillar post, how to get more Google reviews.
Plan: On the Local plan
When you send in a finished job, Mitch texts the customer a review link 24 to 72 hours later (mobile number and a consent tick needed) and drafts a reply for each review that lands. You can edit the reply and nothing posts until you approve it. Local is £149 a month with a 14-day free trial and no card. See [review requests](/uk/platform/reviews).
Stop forgetting to ask
Send in your last job and see the review text it prepares. 14-day free trial, no card.