A survey is where a quote stops being a guess. We walk the building, note what the surface actually is under the paint, check access and take the measurements a written price depends on. Skipping this step is how quotes go wrong later.
We look past the topcoat at what it is sitting on — old gloss, bare plaster, render, painted metal — because each substrate changes preparation time and product choice. Moisture readings are taken where damp is suspected rather than assumed sound.
Stairwells, tall ceilings, restricted parking and shared entrances all affect how the job can be run. We note where towers, MEWPs or scaffold will be needed and where deliveries can realistically be brought in.
A survey defines what is included as clearly as what is not. Areas outside scope — a neighbouring flat, a section already recently painted — are recorded so the quote matches exactly what was walked and seen.
For anything beyond a single small room, yes. Photographs can support a survey but rarely replace the moisture checks and access assessment done in person.
It depends on the size of the property, but we work through it methodically rather than rushing a walk-round.
Yes — anything that affects preparation, such as damp or unstable coatings, is flagged at the survey stage, not discovered mid-job.
Book a site survey and we will confirm scope and access before any figure is written down.
A proper survey turns assumptions into a written scope, which is what makes the quote that follows reliable.
Speak to a Hampshire commercial decorating contractor that turns up, communicates clearly and delivers a finish that lasts.
