Practical working guide
Paid discovery or a free estimate: a service-business decision guide
Use a free estimate when the problem and proposed work are sufficiently understood to describe an honest range or offer. Consider a separately agreed paid discovery when investigation itself produces useful deliverables. Explain the distinction before work starts; an enquiry alone does not authorise a charge.
Compare the work, not just the sales stage
| Question | Details |
|---|---|
| What is unknown? | Estimate route: Quantity or final choice Discovery route: Cause, feasibility or requirements |
| What is delivered? | Estimate route: Indicative scope and assumptions Discovery route: Named assessment, findings and options |
| What must be agreed? | Estimate route: Limits and basis of estimate Discovery route: Scope, fee, deliverable and decision to proceed |
A worked boundary between the two
Fictional example: replacing a known unit with an agreed specification can support an estimate, subject to access checks. Investigating an intermittent fault across several systems may require a diagnostic visit. The discovery brief should say what will be inspected, what report the customer receives and what remains unverified. Do not present the diagnostic fee as a deposit against later work unless that condition is explicitly part of the offer.
Send a clear next-step message
“We cannot confirm the repair scope from the current information. We can offer [defined assessment], producing [deliverable], for [stated fee and conditions]. Please review that offer before we book anything. The repair would be a separate decision.” If the customer declines, record that outcome without treating it as an unpaid invoice. This is an operational decision aid, not a contract or legal advice.