A preliminary estimate checklist you can reuse

Write down the customer’s description before interpreting the photos. “Replace the door” might mean replacing a leaf, the frame or the complete opening. Agree what is being considered before you price different work.

• Job name or reference: ______

• Work requested, in the customer’s words: ______

• Items included and items to keep unchanged: ______

• Preferred finish, product or material, if already chosen: ______

• Customer’s intended timing and any access contact: ______

Use a job reference when sharing notes. Keep information unrelated to the work out of the capture.

Request the views that help answer a specific question. A broad view can show location and nearby obstructions; a closer view may show an edge or visible surface condition. Keep any required measurement points visible in overlapping photos.

• Overall work area and surrounding space: ______

• Clearly visible edges needed for preliminary dimensions: ______

• Relevant floor, threshold or adjacent surface: ______

• Visible obstructions, furniture or equipment affecting access: ______

• Specific detail that is still hidden or unclear: ______

For a Sightimate capture, ask the customer to follow the on-screen sequence. This checklist does not replace it. Share the phone-capture guide if they need preparation tips.

A number alone is difficult to interpret later. Record exactly what its end points represent. The outside of the trim and the inside of a frame are different measurements, even when both relate to the same opening.

• Item and dimension: ______

• Start point and end point, described clearly: ______

• Measured value and displayed unit: ______

• Estimated uncertainty shown with the result: ______

• Scan or photo reference: ______

• Intended use: preliminary estimate / needs another capture / check on site: ______

Do not silently replace an uncertain measurement with a guess. If a needed point cannot be identified, leave the value open and record the next check. For opening-specific dimensions use the door and window checklist.

The customer’s answers can guide your next questions, but are not a substitute for the checks required by your trade. Separate a reported condition from one you have verified.

• Access route, opening hours or appointment restrictions: ______

• Removal or protection of existing items: ______

• Known damage or previous work reported by the customer: ______

• Material, mounting or concealed-condition questions still open: ______

• Checks requiring an on-site specialist or final measurement: ______

For example, a painter may need to clarify which surfaces are included; a cabinet business may need to clarify which units will stay. These are examples of scope questions, not confirmation that every surface or cabinet dimension can be measured from a capture.

Keep three short notes rather than blending everything into one description. This makes it easier to explain what your preliminary estimate is based on and what could change after the visit.

• Observed in the capture: ______

• Reported by the customer: ______

• Assumed or still unknown: ______

• Next action, responsible person and target date: ______

Illustrative example: The capture shows an exterior opening and a step. The customer says the existing trim should remain. The condition behind it is unknown. Next action: confirm the trim condition and final dimensions on site before ordering.

This is an example of how to organize notes, not a customer case or a price calculation.

To help us prepare an initial estimate, please tell us what you would like to change and what should stay. Open the scan link on your phone and follow the capture steps, keeping the work area and the relevant edges visible. Let us know about access restrictions or existing damage you know of. We will review the capture, ask about any missing details and confirm the final measurements on site before ordering or installation.

Adapt the request to the job and send the link through your usual messaging channel. Ask only for details you need. If the capture is not usable, follow the recovery instructions shown for that scan rather than automatically asking for a new link.

Read about the remote site survey workflow or the difference between a photo and a guided measurement capture. The preliminary-versus-final measurement guide explains where the final site check belongs.