Quoting drilling work without seeing the slab is mostly guesswork. The trick isn't to send a perfect spec — it's to send the things that actually move the price. Here's the short list.
1. Site postcode
Tells us travel time, parking, and how long the crew is on the road. The first half of the postcode is plenty (B1, M3, NG7) — we don't need the rest until the job's booked. If parking or access is unusual — congestion charge zone, gated estate, third-floor car park only — flag it now.
2. Photos or drawings
A wide phone photo of the wall or slab, plus a closer one if there's anything specific (rebar exposed, a service running through, a finished wall above). If you have a PDF drawing or an MEP coordination plan, even better — but a snap from your pocket beats nothing.
3. Hole size and depth
Diameter in mm, plus how thick the slab or wall is. Don't know the wall thickness? Tell us roughly — "about a foot", "a typical residential floor" — and we'll confirm. Even an estimate halves the back-and-forth.
4. Material
What you're drilling through. Reinforced concrete, brick, blockwork, stone, granite — and any rebar, post-tension or special reinforcement you know about. If it's a transfer slab or a pre-cast plank, mention it. The more we know, the less we have to assume.
5. Access and restrictions
- What floor — and is there lift access big enough for a stand drill?
- Are there occupied spaces nearby? (Vibration, noise, dust limits.)
- Is water on site, or do we need to bring our own bowser?
- Is slurry going to a drain, or do we need full extraction?
- Are there working hours / out-of-hours-only restrictions?
6. When you need it
A target date or window — even "as soon as possible" or "any time in the next fortnight" works. If it's a permit-only window or a programme-driven slot (the riser trade lands on Monday), say so. Tight programmes change how we resource the job; we'd rather know up front.
If you only have a phone photo and a postcode — that's still enough to start. The rest can come on the second message.
What you don't need to send
You don't need a quantity surveyor's spec, a measured drawing, or a method statement. We'll write the RAMS once the job is on. We don't need a procurement portal account, a five-page tender, or a referral. If you've sent us the six things above, we've got everything we need to come back with a number.
Ready? Send the brief →