What to Measure Before You Even Call Us
Taking your own rough measurements before the first conversation helps an initial quote or design idea be more realistic from the outset, even though a professional survey will always confirm the exact figures before anything is ordered. Here is what is genuinely useful to check yourself.
Overall width and depth against the wall
Measure the length of the wall you're considering and how far out from it you'd like the structure to project, keeping an eye on any obstructions like drainpipes, air vents or meter boxes that a design will need to work around.
Height to eaves and any overhead obstructions
Note the height from ground to any window sills, soffits or existing guttering the new structure needs to sit beneath or connect around, since these fixed points often constrain how tall a veranda can realistically be at the wall.
Distance to boundaries and existing structures
Rough distances to fences, garden walls or other structures help identify early whether a design idea might bump into the height and projection considerations covered elsewhere on this site.
Common questions
Do my own measurements replace the need for a survey?
No, they help an initial conversation be more useful but a professional survey confirms the precise figures a design and quote are actually built around.
What if my rough measurements turn out to be inaccurate?
This is exactly what the survey is for, and small discrepancies are entirely normal and simply corrected before the final design is confirmed.
Should I measure to the fence or to the actual boundary line?
Where these differ, it is worth noting both if you're aware of the distinction, since boundary lines are not always exactly where a fence currently sits.
Is it worth measuring more than once?
It can be useful, particularly for height measurements which are easy to misjudge from ground level, though again the survey will confirm the final figures.
Photographing the space from multiple angles
Photographs taken from several angles, including close-ups of the wall surface and any nearby fixtures, give an installer a much better initial sense of the site than measurements alone, and they cost nothing extra to provide.
- Wall length and desired projection from the house
- Height to sills, soffits or existing guttering
- Distance to nearby boundaries or structures
- Photographs from several angles, including close-ups
In short
Homeowner measurements and photographs help an early conversation, but a professional survey always confirms the precise figures a design is actually built around.
What to do next
Send us your rough measurements and photos and we'll follow up with a proper site survey to confirm everything.
Ready to Transform Your Outdoor Space?
Get a free, no-obligation quote. Email a photo of the area plus your preferred width, projection and operation type — and we'll do the rest.