The fastest quotes start with a good first message. You don't need drawings or exact sizes, just enough for a joiner to understand the space and what you'd like done.
Photos: more is better
- One or two wide shots of the whole room, taken from the doorway or a corner.
- Close-ups of the area the work is in: the alcove, the staircase, the doorway or the wall the kitchen will go on.
- The tricky bits: where walls meet the ceiling or floor, radiators, sockets, pipes, and anything that looks out of square.
- Anything you'd like matched, such as existing skirting, architrave or doors.
Rough measurements
A tape measure and a phone note is plenty. Measurements don't need to be perfect at this stage, because the job will be measured properly before anything is made.
- Alcoves: the width at the back and at the front (they're often different), the depth from the wall to the front of the chimney breast, and the height to the ceiling.
- Doorways: the width and height of the opening, and the thickness of the wall.
- Kitchens: the length of each wall the units will go on, the ceiling height, and where windows, doors and the boiler sit.
- Staircases: a photo of the side of the stairs from the bottom and from the landing is often more useful than a measurement.
The details that change a quote
- Your area or postcode district.
- When you'd like the work done, and whether there's a fixed date to work to.
- Finishes: painted, natural timber, or not decided yet.
- What's staying and what's coming out, such as an old kitchen or doors that need removing.
- Any pictures of the look you're after.
Why a visit still matters
Photos get things moving and usually give enough for a first conversation. For most made-to-measure work a joiner will still want to see the space and measure up before giving a firm price, because that's where the uneven walls and hidden surprises show up. See how a job works.
