Everything you need to build a reputation that wins customers before they even call for an estimate. Includes 15+ ready-to-use templates, timing strategies, and the exact playbook top plumbing companies use to dominate local search.
Plumbing is a trust business. Homeowners are letting a stranger into their home to work on systems they don't understand, often in emergencies when they're stressed and vulnerable.
Unlike buying a product on Amazon, they can't return a plumbing repair if it's bad. They can't verify if the work was done correctly. They have no way to know if the price was fair. Reviews from other homeowners are the only way to bridge that trust gap before you've even walked through the door.
When a pipe bursts at 2 AM, homeowners aren't carefully comparing websites. They're Googling "emergency plumber near me" and calling whoever looks trustworthy. That decision happens in seconds—and reviews are how they decide.
The templates and timing strategies below will help you capture reviews at the moment of highest customer satisfaction—right after you've fixed their problem and they're relieved.
Text messages get 98% open rates vs. 20% for email. These templates are optimized for plumbing—copy them directly into your review request system.
Pro tip: Send SMS within 2 hours of service completion. Response rates drop 50% after 24 hours. The relief of having a plumbing problem fixed fades fast.
Best for commercial clients, property managers, and follow-up sequences when SMS doesn't get a response.
Subject: Your plumbing is all fixed! Quick favor?
Hi {first_name},
Thanks for choosing {company_name} for your plumbing needs today. We hope everything is working perfectly and you're back to normal.
We're a local, family-owned business and reviews from customers like you help us compete with the big national chains. If you have 30 seconds, would you mind sharing your experience?
[Leave a Review]
Thank you for supporting local!
{your_name}
{company_name}Subject: Your {property_name} plumbing service summary
Hi {first_name},
{company_name} recently completed plumbing service at {property_name}. Here's a summary:
- Work completed: {service_description}
- Technician: {tech_name}
- Warranty: {warranty_period}
We value our partnership and would be honored if you'd share your experience working with us. Your review helps other property managers find reliable plumbing partners.
[Leave a Review]
Looking forward to serving you again.
Best,
{your_name}
{company_name}How you respond to reviews matters as much as the reviews themselves. Google factors response activity into local rankings. Many negative plumbing reviews mention pricing— these templates help you address that professionally.
"We understand plumbing repairs can be an unexpected expense. Our pricing reflects licensed technicians, 24/7 availability, and a warranty on all work. We'd be happy to explain the breakdown if you have questions. Please call us at {phone}—we want you to feel confident in the value you received."
"We're sorry for the wait you experienced. During busy periods, we prioritize emergency calls, which can delay scheduled appointments. We've since added more technicians to reduce wait times. Can we offer you priority scheduling on your next call to make it up?"
"We're sorry to hear the repair didn't meet expectations. All our work is backed by our warranty, and we'd like to make this right. Please contact us at {phone} so we can send a technician back at no additional charge."
"Thank you so much, {name}! We're thrilled we could solve your plumbing problem quickly. It's customers like you who make what we do rewarding. We'll be here whenever you need us!"
Important: Respond to every review—positive or negative—within 24 hours. This shows potential customers you're engaged and care about feedback. Never argue publicly.
The best time to ask is when gratitude peaks—right after you've fixed the problem. The toilet works. The leak stopped. Hot water is back. That's your window.
| Service Type | Best Timing | Channel | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Call | Next morning | SMS | 48% response rate |
| Scheduled Repair | Within 2 hours | SMS | 35% response rate |
| Installation (Water Heater, etc.) | Day after | SMS + Email | 42% response rate |
| Commercial Property | End of week | 31% response rate | |
| Drain Cleaning | Same day, evening | SMS | 38% response rate |
Peak opportunity: Emergency calls have the highest response rate (48%) because you've just rescued someone from a stressful situation. Don't miss this window—send the request the next morning.
Not all review platforms are equal. Focus your energy where it matters most.
90%+ of local searches. When someone Googles 'plumber near me,' Google reviews determine who shows up first.
Tip: Focus 80% of review requests here. This is the #1 factor in local search rankings.
High trust for home services. Many homeowners check Yelp specifically for plumber reviews.
Tip: Don't ask directly for Yelp reviews (against TOS). Let them happen organically.
Community recommendations matter. Good for neighborhood referrals and word-of-mouth.
Tip: Useful for residential, less important for commercial work.
Pay-to-play model. Reviews matter if you're paying for leads on these platforms.
Tip: Only prioritize if you're actively using these for lead generation.
Trust signal for older demographics. Some commercial clients check BBB ratings.
Tip: Maintain an A rating but don't prioritize review collection.
Property managers and commercial clients are review gold. One review mentioning your reliability across multiple properties is worth ten residential reviews.
Worth noting: Commercial clients read reviews differently—they're looking for reliability signals and responsiveness, not just star ratings. A review that mentions "showed up when promised" or "fixed the issue without disrupting tenants" carries more weight than generic praise.
These templates work great manually, but they work even better when automated. GetMoreReviews sends review requests automatically after every job—so you can focus on fixing pipes.
See how GetMoreReviews helps plumbing companies build 5-star reputations.
Learn more8 proven strategies to collect more 5-star reviews for your plumbing business.
Read articleAffordable plans for plumbing businesses of all sizes.
See pricing