Ravi is one of our longest-standing architect clients, regularly instructing us on compact residential and mixed-use projects across West London.
For this scheme – a set of studio units just off Gloucester Road (W5) – he needed a reliable measured survey and existing drawings package to support design and planning work. The fee structure on his side was tight, with very little margin built into the project, but he still needed:
- Accurate existing plans of the building
- Clean CAD files he could work from straight away
- A photo record of the property to support his design process
He also hinted that there would be more projects coming down the line, so he needed a team he could rely on without blowing the budget.
Scoping and pricing – balancing margin and quality
Ravi first asked for:
- A quotation for the measured survey and existing drawings
- Our earliest availability, ideally the following week
- Confirmation that we could work from his existing plans and update them accurately
We responded with a clear, itemised quotation and earliest availability on Friday afternoon, with a 3:00–3:30 pm arrival window.
Because Ravi has been with us for years and flagged that there was no margin in this job, we:
- Reviewed the scope internally
- Applied a loyalty discount as a thank-you for the volume of work he’d already sent us and the pipeline of future projects
- Re-issued the quotation at the reduced fee, keeping the same level of service and deliverables
Ravi confirmed he was happy, asked for an invoice, and we:
- Sent the initial invoice, explaining that payment would secure and activate the survey slot
- Proposed Monday 29th September, 4:00–4:30 pm arrival, which suited both his schedule and his client’s access availability
Once payment was made, we issued a payment receipt and reconfirmed the booking in writing, including the surveyor’s name and contact number.
Carrying out the survey – late-afternoon access
On the day of the survey, Ravi sent a quick message to double-check that everything was on track and that the surveyor was running on time. We confirmed:
- The survey was going ahead as planned
- The arrival window of 4:00–4:30 pm would be met
Our surveyor then attended site and carried out the measured survey using:
- A laser distance meter (for fast, accurate internal dimensions)
- A tablet-based sketching template, so plans could be structured consistently with our drawing standards
- A tape measure for spot-checks and tight areas
- A full set of site photos, capturing both internal layouts and key external views
The focus was on turning Ravi’s supplied “existing plans” into a fully verified set of as-built drawings, so he could trust every dimension moving forward.
Turning the survey into drawings
Back at the studio, our CAD team converted the survey data into a clean drawing pack for:
- Existing plans of the studios in a consistent, layered CAD format
- Scaled PDFs ready for Ravi to share with his team and planning consultants
- A curated set of site photographs to sit alongside the drawings
Within a few days, Ravi checked in on progress. We confirmed we were targeting Monday submission, then:
- Finalised the draft drawing pack
- Issued it for review alongside the final invoice, explaining that once the balance was settled we would release the DWG, final PDFs, and photos
This kept the process transparent: Ravi could see exactly what he was getting before making the final payment.
Final delivery and outcome
After reviewing the drafts, Ravi immediately settled the final invoice and asked us to:
- Release the final drawings
- Share the photographs from the survey
Our closing email:
- Confirmed receipt of payment, attaching the formal receipt
- Provided access to the final drawings and all related files for this project
- Confirmed that the site photos were included with the final deliverables
The project card was moved to Completed, with:
- A verified, CAD-ready existing model of the studios
- PDFs and photos that Ravi could drop straight into his design and planning workflow
- A fee structure that respected his tight margins, while still reflecting the care and accuracy we bring to every survey
For us, this project is a good example of how we work with repeat architect clients: flexible on commercial realities, firm on technical standards, and clear in our communication from first quote to final DWG.
Project Details
| Service Type | Measured survey, existing drawings & site photography |
| Time Taken | 1 week |
| Budget | £800–£950 |
| Location | Gloucester Road, West London |
