Start with the question you need answered
Tell ADI what you have seen and what remains uncertain. “The bathroom floor is damp and the heating loses pressure” records two observations. It does not establish that both have the same cause. Include previous visits, tests and attempted repairs so the engineer has that history.
Ask what the proposed survey covers and how the price is agreed. If you already know the leaking component and only need it repaired, say so. A specialist investigation may not be the work you need.
Make a practical plan for the visit
Identify the affected rooms, meter, stopcock and heating equipment where you know their locations. Explain cupboards, furniture, stairs or shared areas that may limit access. Discuss parking and lift access when booking, and follow the preparation instructions for your particular heating system.
For a flat, tell the booking team if access to another home or a communal cupboard is unresolved. Agree arrangements with the people involved rather than assuming that a visit to your flat allows entry elsewhere.
Let the team know about the household arrangements that matter to the appointment, such as when someone can attend or rooms that need to remain accessible. Discuss any proposed interruption to water or heating before making plans around it.
Separate four decisions about the work
- Investigation
- Which symptoms and systems are being investigated, and what information or access is needed?
- Opening up
- If a floor, wall or fitting needs opening, what area is proposed, who can approve it and what is the quoted scope?
- Repair
- Who will carry out the proposed repair, what is included and what checks are planned afterwards?
- Putting the room back
- Who will assess drying needs and arrange flooring, tiling or decoration? Which of those items still need a separate appointment or quote?
The detection price covers investigation. Access and suitable repair work are quoted separately. Roofing, structural work and finishes may need other trades. Agree the work before it starts; a survey booking does not mean all four stages will happen on the same day.
Read the findings before arranging the next trade
Look for the area investigated, the tests carried out, the source or location identified and any limitations. Keep a recommended repair separate from one already completed, and note which checks were recorded afterwards.
The Camberwell case illustrates the distinction: ADI replaced a heating fitting and retested the system, but the floor still needed to dry before retiling. The Marlborough case records a supply repair without describing completed basement drying or restoration. Neither repair record should be read as confirmation that every affected finish was restored.
Read the three residential case records for the different outcomes and the work actually documented.
Keep the next actions in one place
- The property reference, affected room and date the symptom was first noticed.
- Previous work or test results given to the engineer.
- The investigation and any additional work you agreed.
- The finding, any access limitation and questions still unanswered.
- The completed repair and the checks recorded afterwards.
- Who is arranging drying, reinstatement or further investigation, and when they will update you.
If an insurer or landlord is involved, check their approval and evidence requirements before committing to work. Coverage and payment depend on the relevant arrangements. ADI’s domestic “no find, no fee” offer also has eligibility conditions and exclusions; confirm your job’s position with the office and read the booking summary.