How to prepare for your builder site visits

Site visits are how builders work out what your project actually involves and how to quote it. Each builder visits your home for an hour or so, takes measurements, looks at the structural reality, and asks you about how you want to use the space. A bit of preparation makes the visits more useful for everyone.

Before the visit

A few things help the builder give you a better quote:

• Have your design pack to hand if you've completed the design phase. The builder will quote against it; having it open during the visit means you can talk through it together.
• Know your priorities. What do you care most about? What are you flexible on? What's a must-have?
• Have access ready. The builder will need to look at the rooms in scope, and often the loft, the meter cupboard, and any external walls involved in the work. If access requires a key from a neighbour or a freeholder, sort it before the visit.
• Note any non-obvious issues. Things you've noticed but a visitor might not — damp patches, electrical quirks, pipes you've heard rattle, the wall that gets warm. Tell the builder.

During the visit

The builder will:

• Measure the relevant spaces — usually with a laser measure plus their phone for photos.
• Look at the structural reality — joists, walls, services, anything that affects feasibility.
• Ask you about goals, priorities, and trade-offs — partly to quote properly, partly because it matters that you can talk to each other.
• Flag anything they spot. Good builders do this even when it isn't in their interest — it's a useful trust signal.

You'll have time to ask questions. Some good ones:

• How would you approach the sequencing of this project?
• What's the trickiest bit of this work?
• What's your typical timeline for a project this size?
• How do you handle changes once work has started?
• Have you done a project like this recently? Can I see photos or talk to the customer?

After the visit

The builder takes their notes and prepares a quote. Quotes are due within four working days of the visit (longer for larger projects, by agreement); most builders submit well inside that window. Once it's in, you'll see it in your dashboard alongside the others.

What this means for you

Preparation makes a meaningful difference. The builders who quote tightly are the ones who got a clear view of the project on the visit. A bit of effort up front saves a lot of back-and-forth later.

Related articles

• How to get builder quotes
• How a quote review works
• Comparing builder quotes