Jobsite Photos: Before, During & After — The Backbone of Construction Documentation

Systematic jobsite photos reduce disputes, speed decisions, and fuel marketing. Capture a repeatable before / during / after shot list, store it centrally, and share updates with clients and insurers. With Toolsey you can capture photos in the mobile app, organize them by project or use CompanyCam or FlatZap integrations to bring photos or video into Toolsey. 

Why Jobsite Photos Matter

• Proof & protection: Visual evidence for scope, site conditions, and completed work—critical for insurance, change orders, and disputes.
• Progress & quality control: Photos surface deviations early and keep teams aligned with plans.
• Transparency with owners: Clear, visual updates build trust and cut “status” calls.
• Training & safety: Use real conditions to coach crews and verify safety practices.
• Marketing & portfolio: Real before/after visuals drive reviews, referrals, and bids.

The Framework: Before → During → After

1) Before (Baseline)

Document existing conditions and risk.
Capture: property elevations, interior areas impacted, utilities, access routes, landscaping, adjacent structures, pre-existing damage, weather and site condition.
Why it matters: establishes a clear starting point and prevents “we didn’t cause that” disputes.

2) During (Progress & Compliance)

Track milestones and verify workmanship.
Capture: materials delivered, protection in place, in-wall / in-roof / in-slab photos before cover, code/permit checkpoints, change-order triggers, safety setups, unforeseen conditions.
Why it matters: speeds approvals, minimizes rework, and supports change orders with visuals.

3) After (Closeout & Marketing)

Prove completion and celebrate results.
Capture: all elevations, detail shots (flashing, penetrations, terminations), equipment labels/serials, cleanup, punch-list items, owner walk-through, final signage.
Why it matters: smooth handoff, faster final payment, high-quality portfolio content.

Field Shot Lists (Copy/Paste)

Exterior — Roofing/Exteriors

• Front/left/right/rear elevations (wide)
• Close-ups: valleys, step flashing, pipe boots, ridge/vents, gutters/downspouts, penetrations
• Materials on site, underlayment, ice & water, nail patterns (in-progress)
• Final cleanup, magnet sweep, lawn/landscaping condition

Interior — Remodel/HVAC/Plumbing

• Rooms before demo, protection paths, existing finishes
• In-wall/in-ceiling MEP before close-up (with tape measure for scale)
• Appliance/equipment labels and settings
• Final finishes, sealant & trim details, thermostat/controls

Best Practices (Make It Repeatable)

• Standard angles: same corners, same distance, same order each visit.
• Time & location stamps: preserve EXIF; capture GPS where allowed.
• Context + detail: shoot wide → medium → close-up for every issue.
• Measure in frame: tape or ruler in close-ups for scale.
• Name & tag: project → phase (before/during/after) → category (roof, HVAC, interior).
• Daily cadence: quick morning or end-of-day sweep; 3–7 photos per milestone.
• Privacy & compliance: avoid faces/plates when not needed; follow HOA/site rules.

Turn Photos Into Communication

• Owner updates: send a weekly “3-photo recap” with a one-line status.
• Change orders: attach “condition found” photos; note location + impact + fix.
• Punch lists: photo-tag items and mark “resolved” with an after shot.
• Insurance packages: export baseline → damage → repair sequence as a single PDF.

Do It Faster with Toolsey

• Capture in the Toolsey App: snap photos on iOS/Android directly to the correct project and phase—no camera-roll chaos.
• CompanyCam integration: photos or videos so field and office see the same, up-to-date visuals.
• FlatZap integration: auto-organize photos by geofenced job location; current + future shots route to the right project automatically.
• Smart tags & search: find “valley flashing” or “pipe boot” across projects instantly.
• Shareable links & PDFs: send owners, adjusters, or subs a clean view without giving full system access.
• Automations: when status hits “In Progress,” prompt crews with the right shot list; on “Substantial Completion,” request final photo set.
• 2-Way Texting: drop a photo into the client thread from the job record—no context lost.

Team Training Checklist

• Crews know the before/during/after shot list for your trade
• Toolsey mobile capture enabled; tags standardized
• Daily photo cadence set (AM/PM)
• Change-order photos include scale + note
• Closeout bundle exported for every job
• Weekly review: missing shots, quality, and usage in client updates

KPIs to Track

• Jobs with complete photo sets (%)
• Average photos per job/phase
• Change-order approval time (w/ photo evidence)
• Dispute rate & resolution time
• Closeout cycle time (final invoice → paid)
• Marketing reuse (photos added to portfolio/social per month)

Call to Action

Make photos the easiest, most valuable part of your process. Capture in Toolsey, sync with CompanyCam and FlatZap. Better documentation, faster approvals, fewer disputes.