An unanswered negative review reads as neglect, regardless of whether the complaint was fair. A thoughtful, calm, specific response - acknowledging the issue, explaining what happened or what changed, and offering to make it right - often builds more trust with future homeowners reading it than a five-star review with no response at all.
The tone matters most: defensive or dismissive responses make the business look worse, not better. A brief, professional reply that takes the concern seriously, without an argument playing out publicly, is what reads as credible to someone comparison-shopping remodelers.