Is the survey chargeable?

Most companies, including ours, do not charge for a standard technical survey once you have decided to proceed with a quotation. It is treated as part of the ordering process rather than a separate paid service.

Can the price change after the survey?

The specification price is usually confirmed at survey and should not move unless the scope changes. Additional costs only arise if remedial building work is needed, and this is always priced and agreed separately before work starts.

Do I need to do anything before the survey?

Just clear access to each window or door being measured. There is no need to remove existing frames or prepare the building fabric; that happens on installation day.

What if my walls are not square?

This is extremely common in older Cumbrian properties and is exactly why a proper survey matters. Frames are manufactured to accommodate the actual opening, and installers pack and adjust on site to achieve a level, square result.

Installation

What Happens During a Window and Door Survey

The technical survey is where an approximate quotation becomes a fixed, accurate order. Here is what a surveyor actually checks, and why.

3 min read

It is easy to assume a survey is just someone confirming the sizes you already gave over the phone. In practice, it is a more thorough check of the building itself, because openings in older properties are rarely square, rarely identical, and often hide structural issues that only become visible up close.

A good survey protects you from the two things that cause the most frustration in this industry: frames that do not quite fit, and unexpected extra costs discovered on installation day. Getting it right up front avoids both.

Before the surveyor arrives

You do not need to prepare much for a survey, but it helps to have clear access to every opening being measured, including drawing back curtains and moving any furniture directly in front of windows. If you have particular preferences on handle position, opening direction on doors, or ventilation, having them in mind speeds the conversation up.

What gets measured and checked

Width and height of each opening, measured at top, middle and bottom, since older openings are frequently out of square
Depth of the reveal and position of the existing frame within the wall
Condition of the lintel, sill and surrounding masonry or render
Cavity wall construction and insulation position, where accessible
Existing drainage and weathering details
Access routes for removing old frames and bringing in new ones

Measurements are taken at multiple points on each opening rather than assumed to be uniform.

How long a survey takes

Project	Typical survey time
Single window or door	30–45 minutes
Whole house, 3–4 bed	1.5–3 hours
Larger or period property	2–4 hours

From survey to confirmed order

After the survey, exact sizes and specification are used to produce a fixed quotation, replacing the earlier guide figure. This is also the point at which any remedial building work is priced separately, so there are no surprises once installation begins.

Questions

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Keep reading

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