How much does a pre-purchase yacht survey cost in 2026?

Typical UK and EU pricing for pre-purchase yacht surveys, what's included, and how to quote profitably as a small marine surveyor.

Pricing a pre-purchase survey is the question every new marine surveyor wrestles with. Quote too low and you race to the bottom; quote too high without justification and the broker stops calling. Here's what realistic 2026 pricing looks like for a small yacht surveyor working out of a UK or EU marina, and how to build a fee structure clients accept without flinching.

The 2026 benchmark

For a typical pre-purchase condition survey on a 30–40ft sailing yacht or motor cruiser, expect:

  • UK: £18–£25 per foot, with a £600–£900 minimum
  • EU mainland: €22–€32 per foot, with a €750–€1,100 minimum
  • Out-of-water inspection (slipway/lift fees): £150–£350 passed through at cost
  • Travel beyond 30 miles: £0.45/mile or a flat day rate

These are working figures, not insurance valuations. A 40ft yacht in Southampton lands around £800–£1,000 all in; a 45ft motor yacht in Palma lands around €1,400–€1,800.

What buyers expect for that fee

A pre-purchase survey isn't just a hull tap. The deliverable that justifies four figures is:

  • Out-of-water hull inspection with moisture readings
  • Rig and standing rigging visual assessment
  • Engine and drivetrain inspection (visual; sea trial is usually separate)
  • Electrical system review with continuity and battery checks
  • Seacock, hose, and through-hull audit
  • Safety equipment and gas system check
  • Photo-documented findings tied to each observation
  • A branded PDF report delivered within 5 working days

If you can't deliver that report in 5 days, you're leaving money on the table. Clients are usually mid-negotiation and need the findings to push back on price.

How to quote without losing the job

Three rules that consistently win work:

1. Quote per foot, not per hour. Buyers and brokers understand £ per foot. Hourly quotes feel open-ended and trigger price comparison. 2. Bundle the report. Don't itemise "report writing" as a line — it signals admin overhead. The report is the product. 3. Name your turnaround in the quote. "Branded PDF delivered within 5 working days" beats a vague "report to follow" every time.

Where surveyors leak margin

The single biggest profit leak is post-survey office time. A surveyor doing 4 surveys a week at £800 each is making £3,200 of revenue — but if each report takes 6 hours to write, that's 24 hours of unbilled desk time eating into the week. The fix isn't to charge more; it's to capture observations in a structured way on the boat so the report writes itself.

That's the reason evalo exists. Working surveyors using a mobile-first capture flow typically cut report turnaround from 5 days to 24–48 hours, which means more surveys per week at the same fee.

Quoting template

Steal this:

> Pre-purchase condition survey, [vessel] [LOA]ft, located [marina]. > Survey fee: £[X] inc. out-of-water inspection (slipway charged at cost). > Branded PDF report delivered within 5 working days of slipping. > 50% deposit on booking, balance on report delivery.

Short, specific, and signals professionalism. Don't apologise for the price — buyers paying £200,000 for a yacht aren't worried about £900.