When a prospective client asks you to quote for kitchen extract cleaning, the quality of your initial site survey will determine everything that follows. It shapes the accuracy of your quote, the safety of your team on the job, the compliance of your final certificate, and — most importantly — whether that client trusts you enough to become a long-term customer. Yet many contractors still treat the survey as a quick walk-around with a tape measure and a clipboard. That approach might have been acceptable ten years ago, but in today's regulatory environment, where fire safety officers are increasingly scrutinising TR19 documentation and insurance companies are asking harder questions about maintenance records, a thorough, methodical survey is no longer optional. It is the foundation of your entire service.
Why the Survey Matters More Than You Think
The TR19 specification published by BESA is explicit: before any cleaning work begins, the contractor must carry out a survey to assess the condition of the ductwork, identify access requirements, evaluate risk factors, and determine the appropriate cleaning methodology. This is not bureaucratic box-ticking. The survey exists because kitchen extract systems are inherently dangerous environments. Grease deposits are combustible. Ductwork often runs through concealed ceiling voids, across rooftops, and through fire compartment walls. Access may require working at height, in confined spaces, or in areas with live electrical equipment. Without a proper survey, you are sending your team into an environment you do not fully understand. That is a liability you cannot afford.
Beyond safety, the survey is your opportunity to demonstrate professionalism. When you arrive at a site and methodically assess every component of the extract system — measuring duct runs, photographing access points, noting the condition of filters, fans and canopies — the client sees a business that takes its work seriously. Compare that with the competitor who glances at the canopy, asks how many metres of duct there are, and emails a quote from the car park. Which contractor would you trust with your fire safety compliance?
Preparing Before You Arrive
A good survey starts before you leave the office. Gather as much information as you can from the client in advance. Ask for floor plans or building layout drawings if they are available. Find out what type of kitchen it is — a high-volume fast food operation will present very different challenges from a gastro pub or a hospital kitchen. Ask whether there have been any previous TR19 cleans, and if so, request copies of previous certificates or reports. This gives you a baseline to work from and may reveal recurring issues such as persistent grease build-up in specific sections or access problems that previous contractors struggled with.
Check the site address and plan your route, but also research the building itself. Is it a listed building with restrictions on external access? Is it within a shopping centre where you will need to coordinate with centre management? Is the kitchen in a basement, a ground floor unit, or on an upper level? These details affect your access strategy, equipment requirements, and ultimately your price.
Prepare your survey kit. At minimum, you need a tape measure (preferably a laser measure for longer duct runs), a camera or smartphone with a good flash, a notebook or tablet for recording observations, a torch, and appropriate PPE including disposable gloves and a dust mask. If you suspect you may need to inspect confined spaces, ensure you have the correct equipment and that you hold a valid confined space entry certificate. Do not improvise — if a space looks too tight or too dangerous to enter safely, note it as a restricted access point and plan accordingly.
The Walk-Through: What to Assess
When you arrive on site, start with a conversation. Speak to the head chef, kitchen manager, or facilities manager. Ask them about the kitchen's operating hours, the type of cooking they do (frying produces significantly more grease than steaming or baking), how many covers they serve, and whether they have noticed any issues with the extract system — reduced airflow, visible grease drips, unusual odours, or excessive heat in the kitchen. These observations from the people who work with the system every day are invaluable. They will often point you towards problems that are not immediately visible.
Begin your physical assessment at the canopy. Examine the filters: are they baffle-type or mesh? Are they in good condition or bent, damaged, or clogged with grease? Note the number of filters and their dimensions. Look at the canopy interior. A light grease film is normal between cleans, but heavy build-up, especially with visible carbonised deposits, suggests either infrequent cleaning or a particularly demanding cooking operation. Check the canopy gutters and drain cups — blocked drainage means grease is accumulating instead of being captured, which increases the fire risk in the ductwork above.
Move to the ductwork. Trace the route of the extract duct from the canopy to the fan and then to the discharge point. In many kitchens, this will involve accessing ceiling voids, plant rooms, and the roof. Measure each section of ductwork, noting the diameter or dimensions, material type (galvanised steel, stainless steel, or occasionally flex duct), and the number and type of bends. Every bend creates a potential grease accumulation point and adds complexity to the cleaning process. Note the location and condition of every access panel. TR19 requires that adequate access panels are installed to allow thorough cleaning and inspection. If access panels are missing, too small, or in the wrong locations, this must be recorded and raised with the client because it will affect both the cleaning methodology and the final certificate.
Inspect the fan. Note the fan type (axial, centrifugal, or mixed flow), its location, condition, and whether it has a hinged or removable access door for cleaning. Check the fan motor and belt condition if visible. A poorly maintained fan with worn belts or an unbalanced impeller not only reduces extract efficiency but can also be an ignition source for accumulated grease.
Finally, examine the discharge point. Is it a vertical stack through the roof, a horizontal discharge through a wall, or does it terminate at a grease trap or filtration unit? Check for signs of grease overflow or staining around the discharge, which can indicate that the system is not being cleaned frequently enough. If the discharge is near windows, air intakes, or neighbouring properties, note this as it may be relevant to environmental health considerations.
Risk Assessment During the Survey
The survey is where your risk assessment begins. TR19 identifies several risk factors that directly affect the cleaning specification:
Working at height is one of the most common. If ductwork runs across a flat roof, can you establish safe access with edge protection, or will you need scaffolding or a cherry picker? If the fan is mounted on a roof at height, how will your team access it safely? These considerations do not just affect your price — they determine whether the job can be done safely at all.
Confined spaces present another significant hazard. Ductwork within ceiling voids, risers, or plant rooms may require confined space entry procedures. If the space is too small for a person to enter, you may need to rely on rotary cleaning equipment inserted through access panels. Document these areas carefully and assess whether additional access panels need to be installed before cleaning can take place.
Consider the proximity to fire compartment walls. Extract ductwork that passes through fire-rated walls or floors should have fire dampers or intumescent wraps. Check whether these are present and in working order. Their condition should be noted in your survey report, as damage or absence of fire stopping is a serious fire safety concern that the client needs to address, regardless of the cleaning work.
Electrical hazards are also common in kitchen extract systems. The fan motor, control panels, and any in-duct UV-C or ozone systems must be isolated before cleaning work begins. During the survey, locate all isolation points and note them so that your cleaning team can safely de-energise the system on the day of the clean.
Measuring and Recording
Accuracy matters. The measurements you take during the survey form the basis of your quote, and errors at this stage will either cost you money (if you underquote) or cost you the job (if you overquote). Use a laser measure wherever possible and double-check readings. Record the linear metres of each duct section separately, noting the diameter, and keep a running total. For irregularly shaped or oversized ductwork, record the cross-sectional dimensions so you can calculate the cleaning area accurately.
Take photographs of everything. Not just the obvious elements like the canopy and fan, but also access panels (and their locations relative to identifiable features), areas of heavy grease build-up, any damage or defects in the ductwork, the discharge point, and any areas where access is restricted. Photographs serve multiple purposes: they support your quote by documenting the scope of work, they provide a before-cleaning baseline for your TR19 report, and they protect you in the event of any dispute about pre-existing damage.
Compiling the Survey Report
Back at the office, compile your findings into a structured survey report. This document should include a site overview with address, kitchen type, and operating details. It should list every component of the extract system — canopies, filters, ductwork sections, fans, and discharge points — with measurements, condition assessments, and photographs. It should identify all access requirements, including any additional access panels that need to be installed. It should include your risk assessment, covering working at height, confined spaces, electrical isolation, and any other hazards identified. Finally, it should include your recommended cleaning frequency based on the kitchen use category, in accordance with TR19 Table 2.
This report is not just an internal document. When you send it to the client alongside your quote, it demonstrates the thoroughness of your approach and builds confidence in your competence. It also provides a defensible record of the system condition at the time of your assessment, which is valuable if questions arise later about the scope of work or the condition of the ductwork.
The Survey as a Sales Tool
Here is something that many contractors overlook: the survey is one of the most powerful sales tools in your arsenal. When you walk a client through a detailed, professionally presented survey report — pointing out grease accumulation risks, explaining what TR19 compliance means for their insurance, and showing them photographs of areas they did not even know existed in their building — you are positioning yourself as the expert. You are not just offering a cleaning service; you are offering peace of mind, regulatory compliance, and fire safety assurance. That is a very different conversation from competing on price alone.
The contractors who invest time in thorough surveys, who produce professional reports, and who use that process to educate their clients are the ones who win contracts, retain clients, and build sustainable businesses. The survey is not a cost — it is an investment in every job that follows.