Why bother
A site survey takes 20 minutes to read and 30 minutes to execute on a 50-door property (it scales linearly). The output is a structured scope document you can share with any vendor. Skip this step and you will pay for it in change orders, missed door types, and we did not include that line items mid-install.
Hotel owners doing their first lock retrofit usually underestimate the work by 30-50%. The reason is almost always the same: doors and access points get missed, prep types get mis-identified, and on-site improvisation becomes a change order. The survey kills that loop.
What you need
- Smartphone with camera (any model)
- Tape measure (8 ft minimum)
- This per-door checklist (printed or in your notes app)
- Property keys / staff access to back-of-house
- 60 to 90 minutes for a 100-door property
- Bonus: a maintenance team member who knows the trouble doors
You do not need any specialized tools. The point is to gather the data RevKey (or any vendor) needs to give you a real scope without an on-site visit.
The 4-clicks-per-door survey
Every door needs four pieces of information, captured in this order:
1. Door handing
Which side does the lock go on? Stand outside the door, looking at it. Note which side the hinges are on (left or right), which way the door swings (push or pull from your side), and where the lock cylinder sits.
2. Prep type
How is the existing lock mounted? Most hotel doors are mortise(lock body fits inside a rectangular pocket in the door edge) or cylindrical (round hole through the door face). A few have tubular bolts or full panic devices on stairwells and exits.
3. Latch model + frame condition
Is the existing latch an ANSI-standard pattern? Is the strike plate intact in the door frame? Is the door frame ferrous (steel) or aluminum? Frame condition matters because misaligned or worn frames slow down installs.
4. Current credential + electrical
What reads at the door today? Magnetic stripe, RFID card, BLE/NFC, or just a mechanical key? Is there a power source nearby? Most modern hotel locks are battery-powered, but networked online locks need a power and data drop.
If your photo does not clearly show the lock body, the strike, and the latch relationship, retake it. The vendor cannot scope what they cannot see.
The 8 photos per door
Eight specific shots per door. Each one captures information that affects scope:
Shoot in good light. No flash glare on glossy hardware. Frame straight-on (not at an angle) so prep types are obvious in the image.
Common areas, not just rooms
Most GMs miss the non-room doors. Survey these too:
- Pool gate (Wallreader or fob reader)
- Fitness room
- Business center
- Meeting and conference rooms
- Elevator access (if elevator-restricted floors)
- Back-of-house staff entries
- Linen, storage, utility rooms
- Parking gates (if controlled)
Each of these has different access scoping (one-time guest, staff-only, time windowed, etc.). This section is where RevKey adds the most value compared to a generic installer who only thinks about room doors.
PMS, network, and credentialing
Beyond the doors, capture:
- Current PMS name and version (Opera, Cloudbeds, Mews, Sabre, etc.)
- Existing credential issuance workflow (front desk encoder location, card format)
- Existing mobile key setup (if any) and brand program (Hilton Honors, Bonvoy)
- Property WiFi coverage map (matters for online locks)
- Network closet location and accessibility (for Salto KS gateways)
- Power infrastructure (battery cycles for current locks, common-area power)
For PMS, take a screenshot of the homepage (no guest data). For network closet, photograph the rack and any open ports. For credential issuance, capture the encoder and a sample current key card (both sides).
After the survey
You now have:
- 8 photos per door (corridor, room, lock detail, strike, hinge, bottom, power, room number)
- A completed per-door checklist (handing, prep, latch, credential, power)
- Notes on PMS, network, credentialing
- Notes on common areas and non-room access points
Three paths forward:
1. Send to RevKey for a real scope
Use the Self-Scope Worksheet to structure your survey data, then submit it. We respond with a real scope within four business hours.
2. Send to any vendor for an apples-to-apples quote
The survey is vendor-agnostic. Send the same data to two or three vendors and compare what they include and exclude. Vendors who say they need an on-site visit before quoting are saying they cannot quote at all without billable hours up front.
3. Plan internally
Use the data to forecast CapEx. With a real door count by type and condition, you can model rough cost-per-door ranges and timing windows for board or ownership conversations.
Ready to convert the survey into a real scope? Open the Self-Scope Worksheet. Twenty-five questions, ten minutes, real scope back in four hours.