How to Automate Warranty Follow-Up for Builders (Turn One Job Into Three Referrals)

The 90 days after handover is the most valuable marketing window you'll ever have — and most builders waste it completely. Your client is living in the home you built. Their friends are asking about it. They're posting it on Instagram. They're having people over. And you haven't sent them a single message since you handed over the keys.

That silence is costing you referrals.

Builders who automate a simple 3-step warranty follow-up sequence — 30 days, 60 days, 90 days — generate an average of 1.4 additional referral jobs per completed build. On a $400,000 build, that's potentially $560,000 in referred work from a handful of automated messages that take about two hours to set up once.

Here's exactly how to build it.

Why Builders Go Silent After Handover (And Why That's a Mistake)

The build is done. The final invoice is paid. You're already focused on the next site. The last thing on your mind is following up with a client who's already settled in.

But from the client's perspective, the relationship doesn't end at handover. They've got questions. Neighbours are asking who built it. They notice things after moving in — a door that sticks, a tap that drips, a question about the warranty on the hot water system. If you proactively reach out before those things become problems, you look like a professional. If you don't reach out and they have to chase you, you look like every other builder who disappeared after getting paid.

The post-handover window is also when referrals are most likely to happen. A client who just moved into a new home is the most enthusiastic they'll ever be about your work. That enthusiasm — captured with a referral ask at the right moment — converts into real jobs.

The 3-Step Builder Warranty Follow-Up Sequence

This sequence runs automatically inside Kabooyaa once you set it up. You trigger it when you mark a job as Handed Over in your pipeline, and the system handles the rest.

Step 1 — 30-Day Warranty Check-In (SMS)

Timing: 30 days after handover date

Purpose: Show you care, surface any warranty issues early, build goodwill

Message template:

Hey [First Name], it's [Your Name] from [Business]. It's been about a month since handover — hope you're settling in well. Just checking if there's anything that needs attention or any questions I can help with. Happy to come back out if needed. — [Your Name]

This message does three things. It shows professionalism. It gives the client an easy way to raise any warranty items before they become complaints. And it keeps your name front of mind exactly when their friends are starting to ask about the build.

Most clients reply positively. Some flag small items. Either way, you're ahead.

Step 2 — 60-Day Google Review Request (SMS + Email)

Timing: 60 days after handover date

Purpose: Capture a Google review while the client is still happy and engaged

Message template:

Hey [First Name], hope the new home is treating you well. I'd really appreciate it if you had 2 minutes to leave us a Google review — it helps us a lot and we read every one. Here's the link: [Google Review Link]. Thanks so much, [Your Name]

60 days is the sweet spot for review requests. The client has had enough time to live in the home and form a genuine opinion. They're still in the honeymoon period of a new build. And they haven't yet moved on mentally to other priorities.

Builders who send this message via Kabooyaa see a review conversion rate of 30–45%. If you complete 20 builds a year, that's 6–9 new Google reviews per year from this message alone.

Step 3 — 90-Day Referral Ask (SMS)

Timing: 90 days after handover date

Purpose: Directly ask for a referral with a specific incentive

Message template:

Hey [First Name], hope everything's still going great at the new place. We're starting to book new builds for [next quarter] and I wanted to reach out to our best clients first. If you know anyone thinking about building, we'd love to help them — and we'll give you a gift card as a thank you if they sign with us. Happy to chat if you'd like to put anyone in touch. — [Your Name]

The referral ask only works if the previous two touchpoints have already happened. By the time this message lands, the client has heard from you twice post-handover, had their warranty concerns addressed, and (if Step 2 worked) has just left you a review. They're warm. The referral ask feels natural, not transactional.

Including a specific incentive — a $250 restaurant voucher, a $500 Bunnings gift card — dramatically increases conversion. The amount doesn't need to be large. What matters is that it's specific and real.

Why 1.4 Referrals Per Build Is a Realistic Number

The 1.4 referral figure comes from tracking builders who run this sequence consistently across 12+ months. Some builders who do high-end residential work in tight social networks see even higher numbers — 2 or 3 referrals per build is not uncommon in suburbs where new builds are common conversation topics.

Even at 1.4 referrals per build and a 30% conversion rate on those referrals, you're generating 0.42 additional signed jobs per completed build. On a $400K average build price, that's $168,000 in additional revenue per 10 builds — from three automated messages.

Setting Up the Sequence in Kabooyaa

You don't need a developer or a tech background to set this up. Here's how to do it:

1. Create a Handed Over stage in your pipeline — This is the trigger point. When you move a job to this stage, the sequence fires.
2. Build the 3-step automation: Day 30 SMS warranty check-in, Day 60 SMS plus email review request with Google link, Day 90 SMS referral ask with incentive.
3. Set your Google review link — Get this from your Google Business Profile under the Get more reviews section. Paste it into your review request template.
4. Set your referral incentive — Decide on the amount and update the template. Keep it consistent so you're not making ad-hoc decisions per client.
5. Test with a completed job — Move a past client into the Handed Over stage and check that the sequence fires correctly.

Total setup time: about 2 hours. Time it takes to run per job thereafter: zero.

What Happens When You Don't Run This Sequence

Builders who don't follow up post-handover:

• Leave Google reviews on the table — clients who would have reviewed don't, because no one asked
• Miss the referral window — by the 6-month mark, the client has moved on mentally and the enthusiasm has faded
• Get called when there are warranty complaints (the only contact the client initiates) — which means your first post-handover interaction is a problem, not a celebration

The builders dominating Google Maps in every major Australian city are not the ones doing the best work — they're the ones who systemised their post-job follow-up. Kabooyaa makes that systemisation available to builders of any size.

FAQ: Builder Warranty Follow-Up Automation

When is the best time to ask a builder client for a Google review?

60 days after handover is the optimal timing. The client has moved in, settled down, and formed a genuine view on the quality of the build. They're still in an enthusiastic phase. Earlier feels rushed; later and the moment has passed.

How do I automate warranty follow-up without it feeling impersonal?

Keep the SMS messages conversational and short — not corporate templates. Use the client's first name. Sign off with your own name. Kabooyaa's message templates are fully customisable, so the messages sound like you wrote them personally.

What referral incentive works best for builders?

Gift cards (Bunnings, a local restaurant, general-purpose Visa gift cards) work well for residential builds. The amount should feel meaningful — $250 minimum for a standard build, $500 or more for premium or luxury builds. The key is making it specific and tangible.

Can I run this sequence if I'm a sole trader builder?

Absolutely. Kabooyaa is used by sole traders through to medium-sized building companies. The automation runs in the background regardless of how many staff you have. One person can manage a full post-handover sequence for 20+ active clients simultaneously.

Does this work for commercial builders too?

The sequence works for commercial builds with some modifications. The warranty check-in and review request work well. The referral ask may need to be framed differently — commercial clients often refer through professional networks, so a phone call follow-up may be more appropriate than an SMS.

Build the sequence once, run it forever. Set up your Kabooyaa trial at kabooyaa.com.au and have this automation live before your next handover.