Six months later, the question is simple: where was the backing for the towel rail? A folder of unlabeled close-ups can make it surprisingly difficult to answer.
Agree the photograph stage
Ask the contractor when services, blocking and other concealed work will be ready to document. Keep photography within the agreed site-access arrangements. Do not climb through open framing, move protective barriers or touch wiring to improve a picture.
Office of Consumer Affairs: home renovations includes inspection planning among the responsibilities to settle before work. Photographs sit beside those required records, not in place of them. Do not close work because you have taken pictures if an inspection or other review remains outstanding.
Wide view
Show the room, wall and recognizable opening.
Detail view
Capture the feature and any useful product identification.
Reference
Record a safe, meaningful dimension and its starting point.
Index
Save date, location and related drawing or inspection record.
Begin with a recognizable wide view
Take one view showing the whole wall and its relationship to a doorway or window. Label it by room, wall and date. Then take closer views of the features you need: service routes, backing, access points and product labels.
Include a measured reference where it is safe and appropriate, and record which finished or structural point the measurement uses. A tape floating diagonally in a photograph is not a reliable dimension. The room-survey guide explains how consistent references make the record usable.
Record changes without guessing what they mean
If a route or position changed from the drawing, ask the responsible trade or designer to explain and update the relevant record. Name the photo by location rather than making an unqualified claim such as 'all wiring approved'. A visible detail may not show the whole assembly.
For flooring and sound layers, photograph the materials and junctions before the next layer goes on. Keep the product identity with the image. In a condo, this can support the installation record, although it does not establish measured sound performance.
Make the folder easy to use
Use a simple room-based folder structure and a short index. Keep original files, a backup and the current drawings together. Save a small selected set for handover rather than asking someone to search hundreds of near-identical photographs on your phone.
Years later, treat the record as a guide to investigation. Further changes, image distortion and hidden depth can make a photograph incomplete. Before drilling or cutting, use appropriate current checks for concealed services. Add the photo index to the handover documents so it remains available when the original contractor is no longer on site.