Who is a photo assessment for?

Who benefits most from a photo assessment?

• Owners abroad who want to understand the scope before travelling to Spain.
• Buyers comparing properties and wanting to know which chapters each one is likely to need.
• Owners planning ahead, who need an early view to organise their budget and timing.
• Holiday-let owners deciding whether a job fits between seasons.
• Anyone unsure what to ask for, who wants help writing a clear brief.

In each case the value is the same: knowing which parts of the job are likely, which questions will decide the cost and what to check on a visit. Our guide on how to measure for a quote explains what to send.

Which projects suit a photo assessment?

Photo assessments work best for flats and for well-defined rooms: a bathroom, a kitchen, gotelé removal, new floors. In these cases most of the information needed for a first view is visible in good photos with measurements. We can tell you which chapters apply, what is uncertain and roughly how deep the work seems to go. See bathroom renovation cost for the kind of questions a bathroom raises.

They are less conclusive for houses and villas, where the roof, façade, terraces and access play a large part and are hard to judge from photos alone.

When is a photo assessment not enough?

• For a firm quote. Quantities, hidden services and access are confirmed on site.
• When structure may be involved: cracks, sagging, removing walls. A technician must assess first.
• With damp or leaks of unknown cause. The cause decides the work.
• In houses with envelope issues: roofs, terraces, façades.
• When the community must approve part of the work.

In these cases the photo assessment is still a useful first step, but its main output is a list of what needs to be checked. For houses, see villa renovation cost.

What does a photo assessment tell you, concretely?

You receive a description of the chapters your project is likely to need, the questions that will decide the cost, what we would check on a visit, and anything that suggests a technician should be involved. It does not contain a figure presented as a quote, because a figure without a visit would not be reliable. It is the start of a conversation, not a commitment on either side.

Because it is based only on what the photos show, the assessment also lists its own limits: what could not be seen, what might change the scope and what we would need to confirm. If you want to proceed, the next step is a visit and an itemised quote. Our blog post on mistakes when asking for a quote explains how to make the most of both steps.

How do you get one?

Use the form on this site with photos and the approximate floor area, or send them by WhatsApp or email. Include the town, the type of property, the rooms in scope and what you want to change. Write in English if you prefer. The assessment is free and without obligation.

If you are abroad, this is the natural first step; the visit can be arranged for when you or someone you trust can be at the property. We do not offer remote project management, but a first assessment by email or WhatsApp is exactly what this service is for.

Can a photo assessment save you money?

Indirectly, yes. Knowing early which chapters a project needs helps you avoid two expensive situations: committing to a property or a plan without understanding its scope, and briefing builders so vaguely that the quotes cannot be compared. It also tells you whether a technician’s report is needed before anything else, which is better known at the start than discovered halfway through.

For buyers, a first view of the likely scope of a resale flat can inform how much renovation the purchase really involves. It is not a survey, and it does not replace one where the structure is in doubt, but it puts the renovation side of the decision on firmer ground.