FAQ's on receiving your free of charge quotation
How long will it take to receive my free of charge quotation?
Once we receive your document we will normally get back to you by email, fax or telephone within a few hours during weekdays and within 24 to 48 hours over weekends.
Are our quotations accurate and binding?
YES. Since we always treat our quotations as maximum quotes if the final target word count works out less than our estimate once the document has actually been translated, we will only charge you based on the lesser amount i.e. your final bill may be slightly less than our quote but never more! If the final target word count works out more than our quoted estimate we will still honour our quote. There are no hidden extras and you will never pay more than our quote!
What information will our no obligation free of charge quotation contain?
Since our quotations are normally based on the target word count (the language we are translating into) we will give you an estimate of the final target word count based on your original source text. We will then use this estimate to give you a delivery time and a final cost in £ + VAT based on our standard translation rates/1000 words for each language.
How long will my translation take?
translating is a profession, which requires the utmost skill and experience.
Our 21 year track record of delivering on time! - We pride ourselves in always being able to translate our clients' texts in a prompt and efficient manner as demonstrated by the many entries from satisfied customers in our testimonials page. Whilst we continually endeavour to comply with our clients' delivery requirements, we are always obliged to take all due care and attention with every project we undertake.
How are our delivery times estimated?
Since even the finest translators find it difficult to translate more than 3000 words per day (fully edited) and since our translators' work is always checked in house on several occasions to eliminate typographical errors and to vouch for content and style there is always a limit to how quickly translations can be produced. With large texts (20,000 words +) where more than one translator is required, project managers are also involved to help coordinate the vocabulary used and to liaise with clients when queries arise. This helps guarantee quality but also adds complexity and extra costs, which invariably impact on deadlines. quality translations take time to achieve!
Does the nature of my document affect the delivery deadline?
Whilst we always use expert translators selected for their understanding of your type of text it is clear that some documents take longer to translate than others. Basic business correspondence or private letters can be very straightforward, but legal, technical, scientific or medical texts can sometimes be very difficult to understand even in their original untranslated versions. This has to be taken into account when estimating delivery deadlines.
for your guidance
The following estimated delivery deadlines for different types of documents are merely guidelines to give you a general idea of how long it will take to get your document translated. We will always give you an exact quotation for both price and delivery once we have had a chance to examine your document.
Type of document |
Delivery in |
Minimum charge jobs of less than 400 words (Birth, marriage & death certificates etc) NB. The final delivery deadline depends upon whether the translation needs to be legally certified in which case we will need to make an appointment with a solicitor to swear an affidavit. This can add a day to the delivery time and once postage delays are also included you will need to allow for a delivery of at least 4 to 5 days from the moment you give us the official go-ahead. Legally certified translations will always need to be sent by post, but those not requiring such a certification can be sent more quickly by email/fax. |
2 to 3 days for the translation with an in-house certification 3 to 4 days for the translation with a legal certification (but excluding postage) |
General commercial texts |
2 to 3 days |
Specialised legal, technical, scientific & medical texts |
3 to 5 days |
What about certification fees?
If you have requested a legally certified translation, where we have to swear an affidavit before a solicitor, we will tell you the extra cost for this in our quotation. This cost normally covers the expense of the solicitor's swearing fee in the UK, but in the case where we obtain overseas certifications it may also include court costs and other legitimate third-party disbursements. We only make a charge for legal certifications (where solicitors or other third parties are involved). OUR STANDARD IN-HOUSE CERTIFICATIONS (IF NEEDED) ARE COMPLETELY FREE.