Is it presumptuous to email and ask about working arrangements before applying for a job?

[probablyamunreasonable]

I’ve seen a job I may want to apply for. It says the location is in a particular town / remote, but there is no detail on how often they would need to work in the office. Looking online, it seems some departments are mostly remote but others are in regularly and it varies by team.

Would it be presumptuous to email the hiring manager and ask what the arrangements /expectation for this role would be in terms of days in the office?

As if it was more than 1 day a week I wouldn’t want to waste my time (and theirs) by applying due to the primary location. Or is this something that shouldn’t be asked until much later in the process?

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable request

It's absolutely fine to ask.

I would frame it more as asking for a chat to learn more about the role.. and sneaking in that particular question.

If the location is the only thing you ask about it probably doesn’t give the best impression about you as a candidate. Obviously it is one of the more important things, but you have to play the game and pretend you’re very interested in all the aspects of the role, not just the location.

Saves a waste of time all round if the arrangements don't work for you, ask away!