UK guide for trades and construction
How to get more Google reviews for a trades business
A step-by-step system for UK plumbers, builders, electricians and roofers: the legal way to ask, scripts to copy, the QR code and link, how to reply to a bad review, and why reviews now matter to AI assistants.
How do you get more Google reviews as a tradesperson?
To get more Google reviews, ask every customer, at handover, with a one-tap link or QR code, and reply to every review you receive. Don’t offer discounts or gifts for reviews, don’t write them for customers and don’t ask only your happiest customers. Google prohibits all three, and since 6 April 2025 UK consumer law bans fake and hidden incentivised reviews too.
Construct Virtual builds systems for UK construction and trades firms that send the review request to every customer automatically after each job, so it happens even when you’re busy on site.
What are the rules on asking for Google reviews in the UK?
Most review advice online is written for the US. In the UK you have both Google’s policy and consumer law to follow.
| Rule | What it means for a trade | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| No incentives | No discounts, prize draws or free items in return for a review. Google also prohibits paying for reviews directly or in kind | Google’s contribution policy and its tips for getting reviews |
| No review gating | Don’t selectively ask only happy customers, and don’t discourage negative reviews | Google’s contribution policy. The CMA’s guidance also says selective promotion may mislead |
| No fake or hidden incentivised reviews | Fake reviews are banned. Businesses can face fines of up to 10% of turnover | Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, in force 6 April 2025. CMA guidance CMA208, 4 April 2025 |
| Keep your own ratings honest | If you show a star rating on your website, the rating and the number of reviews must match the original platform | ASA guidance on fake consumer reviews, with rulings in 2026 |
| Real customers only | The review must reflect a genuine experience, from a signed-in Google user | Google Business Profile help |
The one rule to remember
Ask every customer, the same way, and never offer anything in return. That keeps you inside both Google’s policy and the CMA’s guidance. This is general information, not legal advice.
The 7-step system for getting more Google reviews
Get your Google Business Profile right
Verify it, add your services, areas, hours and photos of real jobs. You can’t reply to reviews or post updates until it is verified. Our guide to SEO for construction companies covers the rest.
Create your review link and QR code
In your Business Profile, choose Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or download the QR code. Google says the QR code can only be created on a computer, not on a phone.
Ask at handover
Ask when the customer is happiest and the job is fresh: when you hand over the keys, sign off the work or send the final invoice. That’s practical advice from experience, not a measured figure.
Send the link by text, WhatsApp or email
Google names email, WhatsApp, Facebook, receipts, chat and printed QR codes as ways to share the link. One tap straight to the review box gets the best response.
Put the QR code where customers see it
Add it to invoices, quotes, business cards, van signage and your email signature.
Reply to every review
Keep replies short and sign with your name. Thank people, name the job and invite offline contact for any problem. Never share private details or offer a deal in a reply.
Make it automatic
Most firms stall because asking depends on someone remembering. A system that sends the same request after every completed job fixes that. See the AI admin system for trades.
Review request scripts for trades
Each script thanks the customer, asks for an honest review and links straight to the review box. None offers a reward or suggests what to say.
“That’s all finished. If you’re happy with the work, an honest Google review really helps a small firm like ours. I can text you the link now if that’s easier.”
“Hi [Name], thanks for having us in for the [job]. We’d value an honest review: [link]. It takes a minute. Thanks, [Your name], [Company].”
“Subject: How did we do? Hi [Name], thank you for choosing us for your [job]. If you have a minute, an honest review on Google helps other homeowners find a trusted tradesperson: [link]. Thanks, [Your name].”
“Happy with the work? Scan to leave an honest Google review.”
Is a review request a marketing message?
UK marketing rules (PECR) cover direct marketing. Whether a review request counts depends on its content and on consent. The safest approach is one request to a customer who has just used you, with an easy way to opt out, kept separate from any promotion. Take advice if you’re unsure.
How do you reply to a bad Google review?
A bad review isn’t a disaster. A calm, specific reply shows every future customer how you treat people when things go wrong. Google’s guidance is to keep replies short, sign with your name, avoid personal attacks and keep private details out.
- Wait and check your records before you reply, and never reply in anger.
- Thank them and be specific about the job, so readers see it is a real customer.
- Own genuine mistakes and say what you’ll do about them.
- Invite them to contact you offline to put it right.
- Don’t offer anything in exchange for changing or removing the review.
- Flag it only if it breaks Google’s content policies, such as a fake review from someone who was never a customer.
“Thank you for the feedback, [Name]. I’m sorry the boiler fitting ran a day over. We should have called to explain the delay on Tuesday and didn’t. Please ring me on [number] so I can put it right. [Your name], [Company].”
What does the research say about Google reviews?
only use businesses rated 4 stars or higher, and 31% only 4.5 or higher.
BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (1,002 US adults)care only about reviews from the last three months, so recent reviews beat a big old total.
BrightLocal 2026, USexpect owners to reply to reviews, and 81% expect a reply within a week.
BrightLocal 2026, USThese figures are from a US survey with no UK split, so read them as direction, not a UK benchmark. The one UK trades figure we found is older and from a directory: 44% of 2,000 UK adults said they trust friends most when hiring a tradesperson, and 30% didn’t check reviews after getting a recommendation (Checkatrade and Opinium, August 2023). Reviews back up word of mouth. They don’t replace it.
How many reviews are enough?
We found no verified UK number. Many thresholds quoted online, such as a specific star rating or review count for AI visibility, are unverified vendor claims, so we don’t repeat them. Aim for a steady flow of recent reviews from real customers, not a target figure.
Do Google reviews affect AI recommendations?
Probably, though the evidence is early. BrightLocal found 45% of US consumers now use ChatGPT or other generative AI for local recommendations, up from 6% the year before, and 40% trust those recommendations. A 2026 analysis of 10,000 US local businesses found that those named by both ChatGPT and Perplexity averaged 133.4 Google reviews and a 3.7 star rating, against 10.7 reviews and 1.7 stars for those named by neither. That’s a correlation from a vendor study, not proof that reviews cause recommendations, and it is US data.
The practical point holds either way: a profile full of recent, genuine reviews gives search and AI tools something to rely on. Our guides to ranking in AI search and the free AI search visibility check show whether assistants name your firm today. For Google’s own advice, see its tips for getting more reviews.
Six review mistakes that cost UK trades firms
Offering a reward
A discount or free item for a review breaks Google’s policy and can breach consumer law if not disclosed.
Asking only happy customers
Selective asking is review gating. Ask everyone the same way.
Writing the review for them
A review must reflect their own experience. Don’t supply wording to copy.
Ignoring reviews
Unanswered reviews tell readers nobody is paying attention. Reply to all of them.
A website rating that doesn’t match Google
The ASA expects the rating and review count on your site to match the original platform.
Relying on memory
If asking depends on remembering, it stops when you’re busy. Build it into the end of every job.
Reviews work best alongside the rest of your marketing. See how much SEO costs for trades, digital marketing for plumbers, marketing for HVAC companies and the construction company website checklist. To answer the calls reviews bring in, see the AI receptionist for trades, what it costs and the AI quote follow-up system.
Google reviews for trades: common questions
How do I get more Google reviews for my trades business?
Ask every customer at handover with a one-tap review link or QR code, reply to every review and never offer a reward. Make it automatic so it happens after every job.
Can I offer a discount for a Google review?
No. Google prohibits offering incentives for reviews, and UK consumer law bans fake reviews and requires incentives to be disclosed. The safe rule is to never offer anything in return.
How do I create a Google review link or QR code?
In your Business Profile, choose Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or download the QR code. Google says QR codes can only be created on a computer.
Can I ask only my happy customers for a review?
No. Google’s policy bars selectively soliciting positive reviews, and the CMA says encouraging only satisfied customers may mislead. Ask every customer in the same way.
How should I reply to a negative Google review?
Reply promptly and briefly, check your records first, own genuine mistakes, invite them to contact you offline and offer nothing in exchange for removal. Flag it only if it breaks Google’s content policies.
How many Google reviews do I need?
There is no verified UK number. A US survey found 47% of consumers would avoid a business with under 20 reviews, and recent reviews matter more than a large old total.
Do Google reviews help me show up in ChatGPT and AI search?
Probably. A US study found businesses named by both ChatGPT and Perplexity had far more Google reviews and higher ratings, though that is a correlation. Genuine, recent reviews help every search tool.
Can Construct Virtual send review requests for me?
Yes. We build systems for UK construction and trades firms that send the same review request to every customer after each completed job, scoped on a free diagnostic call.
Keep reading
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UK price ranges, what’s included and a break-even calculator.
Get a steady flow of genuine reviews without chasing
In thirty minutes we look at your Google Business Profile, how you ask for reviews today and what a hands-off system would look like for your firm. No obligation, and no rule-breaking shortcuts.
- A check of your profile and current reviews
- A compliant review request flow for your trade
- A scoped price for automating it
Free AI search check
Does ChatGPT recommend your company?
When someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity to recommend a builder or contractor, is your company named? Find out where you stand today.
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