The Contractor Follow-Up Calendar: What to Send and When
A complete timeline of every touchpoint in the contractor customer journey — from missed call to review request — and the text to send at each step.
Most contractors don't have a follow-up problem. They have a timing problem. The right message at the wrong time either goes unread or feels off. This guide maps the full customer journey — from the first missed call to the final review request — and gives you the text for each moment.
Each step in this calendar links to a deeper guide and ready-to-use templates.
The full touchpoint map
Day 0 (call received, missed): Missed-call auto-reply text — immediate, from your number Day 0–1 (estimate requested): Confirm you received the request, give a timeline for the estimate Day 1–3 (estimate sent): Send the estimate with a note that you're happy to answer questions Day 3 (no reply to estimate): First follow-up text — light check-in Day 7 (still no reply): Second follow-up — soft close Day 14 (still no reply): Mark closed Job booked: Booking confirmation text — date, time, job description, prep notes Day before job: Reminder text — short, time only Job morning: On-my-way text — 20–30 minutes out Job complete (same day or next morning): Review request text — with direct link One week after review request (if no review): One gentle follow-up
What this looks like for a roofer on a typical lead
Monday 11am: Homeowner calls about a roof repair. Contractor is on a job. Missed-call text goes out automatically. Monday 11:05am: Homeowner replies via text. Contractor sees it at lunch and responds with a time to come take a look. Wednesday: Contractor does the walk-through, sends an estimate that afternoon. Saturday (day 3): Follow-up text — "Just checking if you had a chance to look at the estimate." Wednesday (day 7): Second follow-up — "Still available if the timing works." Thursday: Homeowner replies — ready to book. Contractor confirms the date and sends a booking text. Day before the job: Reminder text. Job morning: On-my-way text. Job complete: Review request text with Google link.
That's the full loop. Eight texts over roughly two weeks. Most of it can run automatically.
The checklist
Build your follow-up plan
Build your follow-up plan
Hi there, this is us — I just sent over the estimate for the job. Let me know if you have any questions!
Hi there, this is us — just checking if you had a chance to look at the estimate for the job. Happy to answer any questions.
Hey there, us here — one more follow-up on the job. Still available if the timing works. No pressure!
Hi there, us here — I'll pause follow-up on the job for now. If the timing changes, just reach out and we'll pick it back up.
Hi there, confirming the booking with us for the job. We'll be there on [date] at [time]. Let me know if anything changes.
Hi there, thanks for choosing us for the job! If you have a moment, we'd really appreciate a quick Google review: [your link]. Thanks again!
Hi there, just a quick follow-up from us — if you have a few seconds to leave a review for the job, it would mean a lot. No worries if not!
Adjust before sending — these are starting points, not scripts. Replace [date], [time], and [your link] with real values.
Copying the plan helps. Remembering to send it is the hard part.
Forge can send these automatically — Day 3, Day 7, after booking, after the job. You stay human on the conversations.
Common questions
How many texts should a contractor send a customer?
For the full funnel from missed call to review, the count is typically 8–10 messages across 2–3 weeks. Each serves a specific purpose — none of them are filler.
Can all of these texts be automated?
Most of them can. Missed-call reply, estimate follow-up reminders, booking confirmation, and review requests are all automatable. The ones that stay human are responses to replies — when the customer says something, a person should answer.