Project enquiry planning
An early project enquiry does not need to be a final specification. It does need to show what the team knows today, what is only a visual reference, and what still needs confirmation. For architects, fit-out teams, contractors, importers and distributors, an item-by-item schedule makes that information easier to review than a single, catch-all email.
Start with project context, not a finish name
Use a short cover note to identify the project or internal reference, your role and company, the destination country or market, the intended application, and the current information stage. A plain-language description of the element is more useful than a broad label: for example, state the component or surface family being discussed rather than assuming that a product name explains the scope.
Then make uncertainty explicit. This is especially helpful when a visual direction exists but the drawing package is still moving. It keeps an early conversation focused on the evidence available, without presenting assumptions as settled decisions.
Build an item-by-item enquiry schedule
Make one line for each surface or component family, rather than mixing every requirement into one paragraph. The schedule below is an illustrative framework, not a completed product specification. It gives every contributor a place to connect visual intent, the correct drawing reference and the commercial context.
| Schedule field | Include in the enquiry | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Item reference and application | Item name or drawing callout, plus where it is intended to be used. | Connects the request to the team’s own documents. |
| Current visual direction | WJH sample item number, labelled photo, finish name, colour or texture direction, and visible face if known. | Gives the visual reference a traceable place in the brief. |
| Material direction | State the requirement if it is already set; otherwise write “to confirm”. | Prevents an early assumption from appearing final. |
| Drawing and geometry reference | Latest drawing number, revision and units, or the available sketch or component list. | Helps relate the enquiry to the right project information. |
| Processing or component scope | Say whether the enquiry concerns sheet or a component; list only processing shown or requested in the project information. | Separates a surface discussion from the component question. |
| Appearance-control notes | Directionality, pattern orientation, visible edges or faces, and references that should be considered together. | Makes visual intent visible without promising an outcome. |
| Quantity and destination | Approximate quantity, where known, and destination country or market. | Provides project and export context for the review. |
| Open questions | Items awaiting design, client or site confirmation. | Stops missing decisions from being buried in email threads. |
Attach the reference that best explains the requirement
Put the current drawing or component schedule first, followed by a labelled finish or sample reference. Add a photo or sketch only where it clarifies design intent, then state what remains open. A photo can communicate a visual direction, but it should not be treated as the whole component brief.
- Project document: current drawing, schedule, sketch or marked-up component list.
- Traceable visual reference: a WJH item number where available, or a labelled image with a short description of the intended direction.
- Scope note: the stated material direction, visible-face notes and relevant unanswered questions.
Surface designations alone may not describe an identical appearance. One manufacturer’s finish guidance notes that standards can describe a production route rather than the exact surface appearance, and that a surface sample or roughness value may be needed to verify an exact specification.[3] For an enquiry, the conservative response is to identify the available sample or reference and describe the desired direction in words.
If you need a starting point, browse finish directions and actual sample references. For a colour-led direction, consult the PVD colour sample references; for reflective surfaces, use the mirror and 8K sample references; and where linear direction matters, use the hairline or brushed sample references. These are starting references for a project discussion, not final specifications.
Separate the visible surface from the fabrication question
A finish reference does not by itself explain whether the enquiry is for decorative sheet or a drawing-based component. State that distinction in the schedule, then identify only the relevant processing or component scope. WJH publicly describes cutting, polishing, PVD coating, etching, bending, mirror, brushing, embossing and project customisation as subjects that can be discussed against project information.[1]
For a drawing-based component or custom metalwork scope, see WJH’s project engineering and custom fabrication page. Keep architectural design responsibility, local structural work, on-site installation and local-code decisions within the project team’s own remit unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Use the right starting point for your role
Architects and designers
Identify the visual hierarchy, named reference, drawing revision and decisions still awaiting coordination.
Fit-out teams and contractors
Identify item callouts, drawing interfaces, visible-face notes, approximate quantities and destination market.
Importers and distributors
Identify the customer or project context, finish reference, proposed sheet or component route, approximate quantity and market.
Copy-and-paste project enquiry cover note
Project reference: [name or internal reference]
Your role and company: [role / company]
Destination country or market: [country / market]
Application: [plain-language description]
Information stage: [concept / coordinated drawing / procurement review]
Item schedule attached: [drawing / component list / sketch]
Visual reference: [WJH item code, photo, sample or description]
Material and surface direction: [known requirement or “to confirm”]
Relevant processing or component scope: [only what is shown or required]
Approximate quantity: [if known]
Open questions for scope review: [list]
Share the information you have; identify what is still to confirm. This cover note is a briefing template, not an order form or a final technical specification.
Before sending, make uncertainty visible
Use this final clarity check before sharing the brief:
- Give every attachment a clear name and drawing revision.
- Label each visual reference and state whether it is a known requirement or reference only.
- Identify the visible surface direction, faces or edges where this information is available.
- State the destination country or market and approximate quantity where known.
- List unknowns as open questions rather than leaving them implied.
Start a project enquiry
Send your current drawing or component schedule, finish reference, intended application, approximate quantity, destination market and the questions still to be confirmed. Ask WJH to review whether the stated material and fabrication scope can be defined for quotation.
Frequently asked questions
What if the final finish or material direction is not confirmed?
Mark it “to confirm”, attach the best available reference and state the visual direction in words. List the unresolved point as an open question instead of presenting it as a final requirement.
What should one line in an enquiry schedule contain?
Include the item reference and application, visual reference, material direction, drawing reference, relevant scope, appearance notes, approximate quantity, destination market and open questions where available.
Can a photo replace a drawing or component schedule?
A photo can clarify visual intent, but it does not define the component scope by itself. Attach the current drawing, sketch or component list when available and label any information that remains open.
What should an importer or distributor include in a first enquiry?
Include the customer or project context, finish reference, intended sheet or component route, approximate quantity, destination country or market and any questions that need later review.