Should a contractor quote form require photos?

Some contractors want photos before they give a price. Others just want the phone to ring. Make photos required and you get more photos, but fewer inquiries.

Why do people disagree about requiring photos?#

Both sides are right about something.

Photos help you quote. A picture of a leaking valve, a cracked panel, or a water heater's label shows which parts to bring. It shows how long the job might take, and whether you need a second person. That can save a trip.

Required fields cost inquiries. Every required field is one more reason to stop. Someone on a phone, on a lunch break, or with water on the floor may not have photos yet. Some people cannot get a clear picture of the problem. If the form will not send without one, they leave, and you never learn what the job was.

The two sides want different things. One wants enough to quote. The other wants the inquiry to arrive at all. A quote form needs both, in that order: first the inquiry arrives, then you get what you need to quote.

What is the rule that settles it?#

Photos are optional, and saying yes to them raises the lead's score a little.

1. Never require photos. The inquiry always goes through without them.
2. Ask near the end, in its own message. By then the visitor has told you where the job is and what it is.
3. Give credit for yes. Someone who offers photos has looked at the problem and wants a price.
4. Never turn anyone away for no. No scores lower than yes, and that is all.
5. Never mark anyone down for skipping it. Saying nothing is not the same as saying no.

Here is one way to grade it. These grades are an example, not something the product picks for you.

How do you score photos without requiring them?#

In Qualiform, the photo question is one more question on the form. These steps add it.

1. Add the question. Press Add question, then write it under Your own. For example: "Could you send a few photos of the problem if we need them?" Set This answer is to yes or no.
2. Set when the AI asks it. Under Asking, pick Ask if you can. The AI asks if there is a natural opening, and drops the question if not. Set Asks up to to one.
3. Say how to ask. On the Advanced tab, in How to ask, or when not to (Optional), write: "Ask near the end, in its own message. No photos is fine." Then drag the question near the bottom of the list.
4. Set how much it counts. On the Scoring tab, pick Low under How much it counts. Low moves the score a little.
5. Grade the answers. Under How it is scored, pick A grade for each answer. Give yes Best fit. Give no a lower grade, but not Not a fit. Leave Turn away anyone who picks a Not a fit answer unchecked.
6. Save. Press Save at the top of the page to keep your changes.

A question nobody answers is left out of the score, so skipping it never lowers a score. The AI also reads answers out of what people already said. "I took some pictures this morning" can count as yes without the question being asked.

Getting the photos to you is a separate step. Ask for photos by text or email in your first reply. The home services page shows the other questions a trades form asks.

When should photos not count at all?#

Sometimes even a small credit for photos sends the wrong signal.

• Emergencies. Someone with a burst pipe or no heat should not have to take pictures first. They should not rank lower for skipping it either. On an emergency form, pick No score, so the question is still asked but not counted. Or leave it off.
• Jobs you always visit. If you look at every job in person before you price it, photos change little. Ask for them in your reply instead.
• Quotes given only from photos. Some trades price from pictures alone. Even then, let the first inquiry through without them. Ask for photos in your first reply, once you know the job is in your area.

A photo requirement fits best after someone has already reached you, not on the form that decides whether they reach you at all. The same goes for other fields that make people stop, covered in contact form fields that add friction.

How do you know it is working?#

After a month, split your leads into two piles: those who said yes to photos and those who did not. Check which pile turned into more jobs you won. If the yes pile wins more often, keep the question at Low. If both piles look the same, move it to Minimal or No score. To see where this question fits among the others, read the guide to qualifying leads from your contact form.