A remote survey replaces the installer’s first visit with a structured evidence pack the customer collects: labelled photos of the consumer unit and supply, a walk-through video of the cable route, the charger position and the car it will serve. For a straightforward job, that pack fixes the scope and supports a firm quote. It decides nothing that has to be measured — earthing, load and hidden runs are verified on site.
Key Takeaways
- A remote survey is one structured evidence pack: board, supply, route video, charger position, car.
- Each shot settles a scoping question; measurements — earthing, load, hidden runs — stay open until the visit.
- Quote standard jobs from the pack; visit first for old boards, long routes and commercial sites.
- Never ask a customer to open a consumer unit for a photo; covers come off only for your electrician.
The Evidence Pack: What to Ask For
Send one checklist, not a stream of messages. Each item settles a question that otherwise becomes a surprise on install day.
| Shot or item | What it decides | What it cannot decide |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer unit, front-on, plus a close-up of the breaker labels | Whether a spare way is visible and what feeds the board | The board’s condition inside or its capacity under load — photos of the closed unit only; opening it is your job, never the customer’s |
| Meter and main fuse area, with the rating plate legible | The supply size the quote is planned against | Whether the network operator allows the added load — that answer is theirs |
| A slow video walk from the board to the charger position | Route length, what the run passes, where drilling or trenching falls | What is hidden inside walls or under floors along that route |
| The charger position and the parking spot, shot wide | Mounting surface, weather exposure, and whether the cable reaches the car’s port — the question where to install a home charger works through | Wall construction behind the surface, and fixings strength |
| The car, its charge port side, and its normal parking position | Cable length class and connector family for the quote | The car’s acceptance rate — that comes from its documentation, not a photo |
What a Photo Cannot Decide
The pack plans and prices; it does not verify. These questions stay open until your electrician is on site:
- Earthing quality. An earthing arrangement can be photographed; whether it measures correctly cannot. It is tested on site, with instruments.
- True spare capacity. A free way is not automatically headroom. The load picture is confirmed on site against the supply and the home’s other loads, as the factors that drive installation cost set out.
- Hidden route problems. Joists, insulation and other services hide from a camera. Price the route the video shows, and say what would change the price.
- Signal at the charger. Phone bars are a report, not a test; whether a smart unit holds its connection at that spot is proven at commissioning.
Sorting Jobs: Quote From the Pack, or Visit First
- Quote remotely when the pack is complete and the job matches what a standard installation includes: modern board, spare way, short open route.
- Visit first when the board is old or unlabelled, the route is long, trenched or through finished rooms, or the site is commercial.
Either way, name the assumptions in the quote — a quote that lists them survives install day.
Fix the Charger Rating From Evidence, Not Hope
The survey output is a rating decision. Charging is a continuous load under the U.S. National Electrical Code, so the circuit is sized at 125% of the charger’s draw: 32 A on a 40 A breaker, 48 A on a 60 A breaker. Where the pack shows a healthy supply, the EV-ACT5006T 48A wall charger is a fair specification; where the supply is tighter, the EV-ACS3210T portable, adjustable from 10 A to 32 A in six steps, lets the setting match the site. Installers building a repeatable remote-survey workflow can open a supply conversation through the distributor program or the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can every installation be surveyed remotely?
No. Remote evidence suits standard homes with a modern board and a visible route. Old or unlabelled boards, long or hidden runs, unusual supplies and commercial sites still earn a visit first — the pack sorts them out early.
What if the customer’s photos are unclear?
Send the checklist back with the failed items marked, and ask for those shots again in daylight, front-on, labels in focus. Do not quote around a blur: an unreadable label is an open question, and open questions belong in the quote as stated assumptions.
Does a remote survey replace the inspection or the on-site tests?
Never. The survey is pre-quote evidence. Testing, certification and any local inspection happen on the finished installation, in person.
Related Reading
- What Is a Standard EV Charger Installation?
- What Affects EV Charger Installation Cost? 8 Factors to Check
- How Long Does EV Charger Installation Take?
- Where Should You Install a Home EV Charger?
