An enquiry at 9pm on a Sunday
A buyer has just had an offer accepted on a Victorian terrace. Their mortgage broker suggested they get a survey. They search, find three local practices and fill in each contact form, asking what a Level 3 survey would cost and how soon someone could come.
Your office opens on Monday. Someone reads the enquiry, looks up the property on a map, checks the asking price and the fee scale, and emails a quote. By then one of the other practices has already sent a price with a booking link, and the buyer has taken it.
Why quoting takes so long
- Fees depend on property value, size, age, type and survey level, so quotes are worked out by hand.
- Contact forms ask for too little, so the office has to email back for the address, value or number of bedrooms.
- Availability depends on which surveyor covers the area, which the office has to check in each diary.
- Acceptance means sending terms of engagement by email and waiting for a signed copy.
- Many buyers are unsure which survey level they need and want someone to explain.
What slow quoting is costing you
The obvious cost is lost bookings, from buyers who never reply to your quote because they have already booked. Less obvious is the office time spent on quotes that do not convert, and on the back and forth about survey levels. Your surveyors' diaries also end up with gaps that could have been filled.
| Step | Today | With the quote and booking flow |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry details | Chased by email | Collected on the form, with postcode lookup |
| Price | Calculated by hand | From your fee scale, shown straight away |
| Survey level | Explained on the phone | Plain-English comparison, with option to call |
| Terms of engagement | Emailed, signed, returned | Accepted online before booking |
| Inspection date | Checked in diaries | Offered from the covering surveyor's diary |
How we build the quote and booking flow
- A quote form on your website asks for what you need: address with postcode lookup, property type, age, bedrooms, agreed price and the survey level, with a short plain-English explanation of the levels your practice offers.
- Your fee scale is set up as rules, so the price is calculated and shown on screen. Properties outside your normal range, such as large, listed or unusual buildings, are marked for a manual quote instead.
- The buyer sees the price, your terms of engagement and inspection dates from the surveyor covering that postcode.
- They accept the terms, pick a date and pay a deposit or the full fee online, using Stripe or your existing payment provider.
- The booking appears in your survey software or shared calendar, and the office gets a notification with the details.
- Buyers who do not complete get a single follow-up email with their quote, and your team sees a list of abandoned quotes to call.
Which survey a buyer needs is a professional recommendation. The form explains your levels in general terms and always offers a call with a surveyor where the buyer is unsure.
What changes for the office
Quotes go out instantly, including on Sunday evenings. Simple bookings arrive complete, with terms accepted and the date chosen. The office spends its time on the enquiries that need a person: listed buildings, unusual properties and buyers who want advice. Surveyors' diaries fill more evenly.
Does this sound like your enquiries?
- Most quote requests arrive in the evening or at weekends.
- Buyers often do not reply to quotes you send.
- The office emails back to ask for property details.
- Terms of engagement are signed and returned by email.
- You have gaps in surveyors' diaries while enquiries sit unanswered.