How to ask for roofing reviews within Google's rules and CASL

Why roofers struggle to get reviews

Roofing customers are often happy but quiet. The job is done, the crew is gone, and the homeowner moves on. Nobody asked, so nobody wrote.

Three things make it harder in roofing than in some trades:

• One-time customers. Unlike a furnace company with annual tune-ups, you may only see a customer once.
• Crews, not owners, finish the job. The person with the relationship (the estimator or owner) is often not on site at the end.
• Seasonal crunch. In peak season, review requests are the first thing dropped.

The fix is a routine that doesn't depend on anyone remembering.

What Google allows and prohibits

Google's fake engagement policy is the rulebook. In roofing terms:

Allowed:

• Asking customers for honest reviews, with a link or QR code. Google's own review tips recommend it.
• Asking every customer the same way.
• Replying to reviews, positive and negative.

Not allowed:

• Incentives. No discounts on gutter cleaning, gift cards, draws or free inspections in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing one.
• Gating. No "if you're happy, review us on Google; if not, tell us privately" flows. Google says businesses may not discourage negative reviews or selectively solicit positive ones.
• Conflicts of interest. No reviews from your employees, former employees, relatives, suppliers or business partners. And no reviews of competitors.
• Quotas for staff. Google prohibits requiring staff to collect a set number of reviews, or to ask for specific content.
• Unnatural patterns. A sudden burst of reviews after years of silence can look like manipulation. Steady beats spiky.

What Canada's anti-spam law adds

Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL) covers commercial electronic messages, and the federal guidance says that includes texts as well as emails. According to ISED's consent guidance:

• Express consent is when someone agrees, verbally or in writing, to receive messages. It doesn't expire unless withdrawn.
• Implied consent can arise from an existing business relationship, such as a purchase, but it's time-limited: up to two years after a purchase, and six months after an inquiry.
• Every message must identify the sender, include current contact information (a mailing address plus a phone number, email or website) and offer an unsubscribe mechanism.
• Unsubscribe requests must be honoured within 10 business days, at no cost to the recipient.

Whether a review request is a commercial message can depend on its content. We don't give legal advice, so the practical rule we follow is to design every review request to meet CASL's requirements anyway. It costs nothing and removes the question.

Getting express consent the easy way

Add one plain line to your contract or invoice:

May [Business name] text or email you about your project, including a request for feedback after the work is done? You can opt out at any time. ☐ Yes ☐ No

Keep a record of the answer. Now your follow-up is on solid ground.

When to ask: the roofing timeline

Avoid asking before the final clean-up. A homeowner still finding nails in the lawn won't write a glowing review, and you shouldn't pressure them.

Templates you can adapt

Keep requests short, warm and neutral. Don't tell the customer what to write or what rating to give.

In person, at the walk-through:

Thanks for having us. If you have a minute in the next few days, an honest Google review really helps other homeowners decide. This card has a link. Whatever you think, we'd like to hear it.

Text message:

Hi [Customer first name], it's [Your name] at [Business name]. Thanks for choosing us for your roof in [City]. If you're willing, here's the link to leave an honest Google review: [link]. Questions about the job? Call [phone]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Email:

Subject: Your roof at [Street name], and a quick request

Hi [Customer first name],

Thanks again for trusting [Business name] with your roof. If you have a few minutes, an honest review on Google helps other homeowners in [City] choose a roofer: [link].

If anything about the job isn't right, call me directly at [phone].

[Your name], [Business name], [mailing address], [phone] To stop receiving messages from us, reply "unsubscribe" or [unsubscribe link].

Notice what's missing: no stars, no "if you loved us", no reward, no request to name anyone.

Replying to reviews

Replies are part of your profile. Buyers read them to see how you handle problems.

• Positive reviews: thank the person briefly and personally. Mention the type of job if it's natural. Don't stuff in keywords or promotions.
• Negative reviews: stay calm and factual. Acknowledge the concern, explain briefly what you did or will do, and invite them to contact you directly. Never share private details, invoice amounts or personal remarks.
• Unfair or fake reviews: if a review clearly breaks Google's policies, you can report it through your profile. Don't argue in public.

A short, decent reply to a one-star review often does more for your reputation than another five-star review.

Mistakes we see roofers make

1. The "happy customers only" list. Office staff quietly skip difficult jobs when sending requests. That's gating, even if no one meant it that way.
2. Blasting the old customer list. Implied consent from a purchase years ago may have expired, and a burst of reviews can look unnatural.
3. Family and crew reviews to "get started". These are conflicts of interest and risk removal.
4. Asking only in peak season. Your routine should run on every job, all year.
5. Never replying. Silence makes even good reviews look neglected.

Making it run without you

The routine works best when it's written down and assigned:

• The estimator handles the consent line at signing.
• The crew lead asks at the walk-through and leaves the card.
• The office sends the text or email within 24 hours, from a template.
• The owner replies to reviews weekly.
• Once a month, someone compares jobs finished with requests sent.

Our review strategy service sets this up and reports on it. From our HVAC work, GasBoilers.ca holds 5.0★ from 76+ Google reviews, earned through exactly this kind of steady asking; more on the results page. To talk about your own routine, see the contact page.