Google reviews widget for contractors

What homeowners want to learn from a remodeling review

A kitchen remodel might take eight weeks and involve a dozen trades. Homeowners ask about the process. Did the crew keep to the schedule? How were surprises handled? Was the final price near the estimate? What was on the punch list?

Choose reviews that answer those questions. Search your reviews in the dashboard for words like "change order" or "weekly update", and save the matches to a named collection. On portfolio pages, turn on the option that hides star-only reviews with no text.

Licence numbers: show them, and know your state's rules

Many states require licensed contractors to show a licence number in advertising. California is one example. The Contractors State License Board tells licensed contractors to put their licence number in all advertisements, including websites (CSLB bulletin). It cites Business and Professions Code 7027, 7029.5 and 7030.5. The same bulletin says contractors may not advertise that they are bonded, and fines run from $100 to $5,000. Other states have their own rules, so check yours.

Whatever applies to you, put the number in the footer or beside your reviews, where homeowners can look it up with the state board. If you use Local Services Ads, Google's Verified badge appears only in the ad (Google help); the widget doesn't show it.

Project pages and portfolio pages

Make one widget per type of work. A bathroom-remodel page can show a named collection of bathroom reviews, a basement-finishing page another. Use a grid beside project photos, and a photo story layout when the reviewer attached their own pictures on Google.

For multi-trade jobs, if a review praises a named subcontractor, check that you still work with them before adding it to a collection.

Example: asking at the end of a remodel

1. Week of completion: walkthrough with the homeowner, punch list written and signed.
2. Punch list open: no review request. Send a thank-you with your warranty contact once items close.
3. One week after the last item closes: send the Google review link by email or text.
4. Add the review to the matching service-page collection once it's live on Google.

Request templates

1. After a remodel: "The punch list is complete and we hope you're enjoying the new space. If you'd like to share an honest Google review of the project, here's the link: [link]."
2. After a small repair job: "Thanks for having us out. If you want to leave a Google review about the visit, here's the link: [link]."
3. After a design-only consult: "Thank you for the consult. If you'd like to review the experience, here's the link: [link]."

Send to every client, including those whose project had issues. Never offer money off the final payment or a longer warranty in return for a review. Google's review policy bans discounts and free services for reviews. The FTC's 2024 rule bars rewards that depend on a positive review.

Reply examples

• Positive: "Thank you for mentioning the weekly photo updates. We'll keep doing them."
• Negative: "We're sorry the cabinet delay pushed completion back. We'd like to talk through the timeline with you; please call [number]."
• Change-order dispute: "We'd like to go through the signed change orders with you. Please call our office so we can find the right time."

Set up the widget

Paste your Google Maps link into VerifiedWidget, choose a layout, and copy the script to your site. The Free plan covers one widget with up to 20 reviews, refreshed monthly. The Reviews plan allows unlimited widgets, so each project page can have its own. For search stars, see Google's rule on your own reviews.

Frequently asked questions

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