'Nobody said the flue had to go through the roof'
The surveyor saw it all: the gas pipe from the meter was undersized for the new combi, the condensate had to go to an outside gully, the flue needed an extension kit, and the customer's cat must be shut in the kitchen. Some of that made it into the quote. The rest was in his notebook.
The installer arrives, discovers the pipe size problem at eleven, and has to go to the merchant. The customer is without heating longer than they were told.
The customer is polite about it, but the review they leave mentions the extra day, not the neat pipework.
Why survey knowledge doesn't reach the install
The survey and the install are often done by different people, days or weeks apart. The quote records what the customer is paying for, not everything the surveyor noticed. Job software has a notes field that gets a line or two. Photos are on the surveyor's phone.
| Survey knowledge | What the installer gets |
|---|---|
| Flue route and kit needed | Sometimes in the parts list |
| Gas pipe upgrade | Maybe in the quote |
| Condensate route | Rarely recorded |
| Access and parking | Not passed on |
| Customer requests | Lost |
It is worse when surveys are done by a salesperson rather than an engineer. They may capture what the customer wants but not the technical details that matter on the day, such as the size of the gas pipe or whether the flue can go straight out.
What surprises cost on install day
Merchant runs mid-job cost hours. Missing fittings mean a second day. Customers without heating for longer than promised are unhappy, and sometimes the job loses its margin completely. Installers lose trust in surveys and start doing their own, which duplicates effort.
Customers notice the gap too. They told the surveyor about the dog, the parking and the fact that the loft hatch sticks. When the installer arrives knowing none of it, it feels as if nobody listened.
Wrong parts are also a waste. A flue kit ordered to the wrong length, or a filter that does not fit the pipe size, goes back to the merchant, and the credit may or may not be claimed.
The job pack we build
- Survey form: the surveyor records flue route, gas supply, condensate, electrics, controls, access and customer notes in a structured form, with photos per item.
- Quote link: accepted extras from the quote are attached to the matching survey item, so it's clear what's been sold.
- Parts list: the parts list is built from the survey and quote, checked by the office, and ordered from your merchant.
- Risk flags: anything the surveyor marks as uncertain, such as pipe size to confirm, is shown at the top of the pack.
- Installer view: the installer opens the pack on their phone before the job, with photos, notes and parts, and can ask the surveyor a question in the pack.
- Feedback: after the install, the installer records anything the survey missed, which helps surveyors improve.
We usually start with your most common job type, such as a combi swap, and write the survey form with your lead installer, because they know exactly what they wish surveyors had told them.
Installs that match the survey
Installers arrive knowing what they're walking into. The van has the right fittings. Customers get the day they were promised. And surveyors get feedback, so surveys get better over time.
It also helps the office. When a customer calls during the install to ask about something they agreed with the surveyor, the office can find it in the pack instead of ringing round.
Recognise this?
- Installers find things on the day the surveyor already knew.
- Mid-job merchant runs are common.
- Survey photos stay on the surveyor's phone.
- Installs overrun the day the customer was told.
- Installers don't trust surveys and re-check everything.