How to Document Your Renovation the Right Way

Renovations are exciting — and a fast way to spend a lot of money. A little documentation along the way protects your investment and your resale value.

Before you start

Get everything in writing: scope, timeline, fixed price, and payment schedule. A trade quote isn't a contract. And for anything structural, electrical or plumbing, confirm whether you need building consent before work begins — not after.

During the project

• Keep every quote, invoice and variation.
• Photograph the work at each stage (especially behind walls, before they're closed up).
• Record the contractor, their licence and contact details.
• Save the consent and inspection paperwork.

These details feel like admin in the moment. They become gold if you ever sell, make an insurance claim, or need a repair years later.

After completion

File the code of compliance, warranties and manuals. Log the total cost — not just for your budget, but because renovation spend is part of your home's value story. HomeVault turns each renovation into a timeline event automatically.

The best renovation record is the one you build as you go, not the one you try to reconstruct later.

Before-and-after matters

Photos tell the story numbers can't. Before-and-after images in your Property Passport show the transformation — and they're one of the first things a future buyer or valuer will look at.