Getting an accurate repair quote remotely starts with good photographs. When you contact Shazam Repairs for a quote, we ask for photos of the damage before booking a technician visit. The better your photos, the more accurate our estimate — and the more likely we are to be able to give you a fixed-price quote rather than requiring a physical inspection first.
Why Photos Matter for Surface Repair Quotes
Surface repair pricing depends on the size and type of the damage, the material, and the colour complexity. A chip in a plain white bath takes ten seconds to assess from a photo. A crack across a heavily veined quartz worktop needs more visual information. The right photos let our estimators understand the job without a site visit.
How to Take Good Damage Photos
1. Clean the area first
Wipe the surface clean before photographing. Dirt and limescale can obscure the edges of damage and make cracks appear larger or smaller than they are. A clean surface makes it much easier to see exactly what needs repairing.
2. Use natural light where possible
Photographs taken with direct flash from a phone can flatten shadows and make damage look less prominent than it is. Natural daylight — from a window, with the surface dry — gives the clearest picture of chips, cracks and scratches.
3. Take three types of shot
- A wide shot showing the whole surface (worktop, bath, floor section) — so we can see the context and the proportion of the damage
- A medium shot at about 30–40cm distance showing the damage and about 20cm of surrounding surface
- A close-up at 10–15cm distance, directly over the damage — this is what lets us assess the severity and type
4. Include something for scale
Place a coin, pen or ruler next to the damage in the close-up shot. This immediately communicates whether a chip is 5mm or 25mm across — a significant difference in pricing.
5. Photograph at an angle as well as overhead
Chips and cracks are three-dimensional. A photo taken at a low angle, raking across the surface, shows the depth of damage much more clearly than a straight top-down shot. Include one raking light photo if possible.
Send Your Photos for a Quote
Once you have your photos, contact us via our quote form and attach them. We’ll get back to you with a fixed-price quote or call you to discuss if more information is needed.
