Getting a paving quote from your photos and a rough measurement

Can a paving job really be priced from photos?

Yes, in most cases a reliable first quote can be built from photos plus an approximate area. Paving prices are calculated per square metre, so once the surface type, the condition of the existing ground and the access are visible, the main cost drivers are known. What a photo cannot show is hidden: what lies under the old paving, or whether a soft patch extends further than it seems.

This matters particularly for owners who live abroad for part of the year. Instead of arranging a visit around a short stay on the Costa del Sol, you can send pictures taken by yourself, a neighbour or your property manager, and receive a written figure that you can compare calmly at home. If something in the pictures is unclear, we ask for one or two extra shots rather than guessing.

A photo quote is not a vague estimate dressed up. It is based on the same published rates as any other quote on this site, and every line states its unit, quantity and price. Where an item depends on something we cannot see, it is written as a separate, conditional line so that you know exactly which part could still move.

Which photos should I send for a paving quote?

Send wide shots first, then details. A good set usually has between four and eight pictures taken in daylight, without people or cars blocking the surface. Shoot from standing height and, where possible, from the corners of the area so that the shape and the edges are visible in each frame.

• One overall photo from each end of the area, showing the full surface and its borders.
• The access route: gate width, steps, narrow passages or a steep lane leading to the house.
• Close-ups of any sunken, cracked, loose or stained zones, with a shoe or a tape measure for scale.
• The edges: kerbs, walls, planters, pool coping, thresholds and drainage channels.
• Any manholes, inspection chambers, gullies or tree trunks inside or next to the paved area.
• If the slope is noticeable, one low-angle photo along the fall so the gradient can be judged.
• For restoration of stamped concrete or concrete, a close-up of the current surface texture and colour.

Phone photos are perfectly adequate. There is no need for special equipment or editing; in fact, filters and wide-angle distortion make it harder to read the surface. If you can, add a short note saying what you want: new paving, repair of a sunken zone, or a renovation of the existing surface without replacing it.

How do I give the approximate square metres?

Measure length times width for each rectangular part and add the parts together. For irregular shapes, split the area into rectangles and triangles, measure each one and round to the nearest whole square metre. A tape measure and a sketch on paper are enough; an approximate figure within a few metres is fine for a first quote.

If you already have a plan of the property, a land registry drawing or the area from a previous builder, mention it, but say where it came from. Older figures sometimes include planted beds or steps that will not be paved. Our detailed walkthrough in how to measure the square metres of a patio or driveway explains curved edges, slopes and the parts people usually forget.

When you cannot measure at all, for example because you are not in Spain, a photo of a known reference such as a standard garage door, a car or a row of tiles helps us estimate the scale. We then mark the area in the quote as estimated, so the final invoice follows the measured surface rather than our guess.

What happens after I send the photos?

The photos are reviewed, the type of work is identified and the matching rate is applied. You receive a written quote with each line itemised and IVA shown separately. The usual sequence looks like this: Nothing is priced from a general impression; each line in the quote can be traced back to something visible in your pictures or stated in your note.

1. We look at the pictures and decide whether the job is new paving, a repair of sunken areas or a surface restoration.
2. If something is missing, we ask for a specific extra photo or a measurement rather than a general visit.
3. The square metres are multiplied by the relevant published rate, and separate lines are added for kerbs, waste or access if they apply.
4. Conditional items, such as a base that may need more correction, are written as clearly marked optional lines.
5. You receive the quote in English, with the totals before and after IVA at 21 %.
6. If you accept, the measured area and the conditional items are confirmed on site before work starts.

Throughout the process, communication can be by email or WhatsApp, and we send photo updates when the work is under way. That makes it practical to manage a job on a holiday home while you are elsewhere, as long as somebody can open the gate on the agreed day.

Which published prices does a photo quote use?

The quote uses the same rates as our price pages. New block paving with all materials is priced on the turnkey rate, while laying on an existing base or with materials supplied by you uses the labour-only rate; both are explained on block paving cost per m². Repairs of sunken pavers start from a separate rate described on the paving repair cost page.

For a quick idea before you even take the photos, the online paving calculator gives a rounded price band from the area and the type of work. The photo quote then narrows that band to a concrete figure for your property.

When is a site visit still necessary?

A visit is needed when the photos leave a cost-relevant question open. Typical cases are large surfaces with a varying slope, communities of owners where several zones and access points are involved, sunken areas whose cause is unclear, and drives where the existing base cannot be judged until a few pavers are lifted.

Even then, the photos are not wasted. They let us arrive knowing what to check, and the visit becomes a short confirmation rather than a first look. If you prefer a visit from the start, say so; some owners simply want to meet the person who will work on their property, and that is a reasonable wish.

For sunken paving in particular, the diagnosis of the cause is the specialist work of our sister site. If the photos show dips, rocking blocks or standing water, the article on finding the cause of sinking before repair explains what will be checked on site and why it affects the price.

What can a photo quote not include?

A photo quote covers the paving works themselves. It does not include technical projects, building licences, geotechnical studies or architect fees, because we are a paving contractor that executes works rather than designing or authorising them. Where the town hall requires paperwork, it remains the owner's responsibility or that of their gestor or architect.

It also cannot fix in advance anything that only appears once the old surface is open, such as buried rubble, a broken pipe or roots that run further than expected. Those items are described as conditional lines. To see how the different parts of a quote fit together, read what a paving quote includes and excludes.

When you are ready, send us a photo and the approximate m² – free, no-obligation quote. Mention the municipality and whether the property is a villa, a townhouse or part of a community, so that access and approval questions can be anticipated.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Published paving rates (adoquines.eu)