Sooner or later, a customer will tell you your crew damaged something that was already broken. Without proof, it''s your word against theirs, and that''s a conversation you lose more often than you should. A few minutes of documentation before you start ends it before it begins.
Why it matters
Pre-existing damage disputes are expensive in two ways: the repair you didn''t cause, and the relationship you sour arguing about it. Dated photos take the argument off the table.
What to capture before you touch anything
- Driveways, walkways, and hardscape near your work and staging areas
- Existing cracks, stains, or wear on surfaces you''ll be near
- Landscaping, fences, and structures you need to protect
- The condition of the area where materials and equipment will sit
Pin and date everything
Don''t just take photos, pin them to their exact locations and let the timestamp do its job. A pinned, dated overview of the property at job start is the single most useful record you can keep. It''s also a natural first step in any photo documentation workflow.
When a dispute comes
You don''t argue. You open the job, show the dated pin from before you started, and the conversation is over. That''s the whole point, documentation you''ll probably never need, that pays for itself the one time you do. It also cuts down on callbacks; see Reduce Callbacks with Photo Records.