supernilaGuide for owners
What to text a homeowner after an estimate request, with examples
Updated
The short answer
Text back the same day with three things: proof you read the request, the one detail you still need, and a clear next step. Then send a few short, friendly follow-ups spaced over a week or two, and stop. The examples below are written to copy and adjust.
The first reply
Keep it short, use their name, and name the job. Ask for one thing only.
- “Hi Dana, thanks for reaching out about repainting your living room and hallway. Could you send a photo of the walls? We can stop by Wednesday or Thursday afternoon to measure.”
- “Hi Mark, sorry to hear about the leak. What’s the address, and is water coming through the ceiling now? We can have someone look at it tomorrow morning.”
- “Hi Priya, thanks for the request for weekly lawn care. Roughly how big is the yard, and which day of the week works best?”
Follow-ups when they go quiet
Most quiet homeowners are busy, not lost. Each follow-up should be easy to answer in one word.
- Day 2: “Hi Dana, just checking you saw my note. Does Wednesday or Thursday work better?”
- Day 5: “Hi Dana, happy to send a rough range first if that helps you plan. Want one?”
- Day 10: “Hi Dana, I’ll close this out for now. If the repaint is still on your list, just reply and we’ll pick it up.”
What not to send
Avoid messages that pressure or mislead. They cost more trust than they win.
- Fake deadlines, such as “price only good today”.
- More than one text in a day, or texts late at night.
- Long paragraphs. If it needs a paragraph, it needs a call.
Texting rules to know
Text a homeowner only about the request they sent you, and honor any reply like STOP right away. Rules on business texting vary, so check what applies to you before you send marketing messages to people who did not ask.
Where Nila fits
Supernila is Nila, the AI front office for owner-led home service businesses. That means the online front office only: Nila does not answer phones or schedule crews. She keeps your Google profile active and runs the chat on your website, where homeowners can leave a request and their contact details. She follows up on the requests she takes down, by text or email depending on what the homeowner left, a set number of times, then stops, and writes check-ins for past customers. Past-customer messages always wait for your OK, and by default posts and review replies do too.
It is $199 a month, month to month, with no contract. If you want to see how your business shows up first, the free visibility report looks at your Google and AI search presence.
FAQ
Should my first text include a price?
Usually not. You rarely have enough detail yet. Offering a rough range after you see a photo can help homeowners who are still planning.
When should I stop following up?
After a set number of messages you choose in advance, such as four or five over one to two weeks, or as soon as they reply, book or say no.