When should I take before-drywall photos?

After the plumbing, electrical and HVAC rough-ins are in and the insulation is installed, and before the first drywall sheet goes up. If your project has rough-in or insulation inspections, photograph after each one. Requirements vary by town, so check with your building department.

How many photos is enough?

For each wall and ceiling: one wide photo, then close-ups of every pipe, wire run, box, duct and blocking location. A typical room ends up with 20 to 40 photos. Too many is better than missing the one you need.

Should the homeowner or the contractor take the photos?

Either, ideally both, in the same shared record. The contractor knows what is in the wall; the homeowner keeps the record for the life of the house. Coordinate visits with your contractor so the site is safe.

What to Photograph Before Drywall Goes Up

A room with open walls and exposed framing during a renovation — Open walls before drywall. Stock photo.

You only get one look

Once drywall is hung, taped and painted, nobody can see what is behind it without cutting it open. A dated photo taken the day before is the only way to answer questions like where the pipe runs, whether there is blocking for the cabinets, or how deep the shower valve sits.

Those questions come up during the job, at the final walkthrough, and years later when you hang a TV, fix a leak or sell the house.

How to take photos that are useful later

Go wall by wall in the same order, starting at the door and moving clockwise.
Take a wide shot first, then close-ups, so every close-up can be placed on a wall.
Put a tape measure in the frame from the floor or a corner. It turns a photo into a location.
Include a fixed reference in each shot: a window, a door frame or a box.
Make sure every photo is dated, and keep them in one place, not spread across phones.

The before-drywall checklist

Framing

Every wall, end to endStand in the middle of the room and take one wide shot of each wall and the ceiling, so you can match close-ups to a location later.
Blocking and backingWood added between studs for cabinets, a wall-mounted TV, shelves, grab bars or a heavy mirror. You will want to know exactly where it is.
Headers and postsOver doors and windows, and anywhere a wall was opened or removed.

Plumbing

Supply and drain linesFollow each pipe from where it enters the wall to the fixture. Include shut-off valves and cleanouts.
Shower and tub valvesA straight-on shot and a side shot, with the valve depth visible before the wall is closed.
Pressure test and protection platesIf a test gauge is on the line, photograph the reading. Photograph the metal plates where pipes pass through studs.

Electrical

Boxes and wire runsEvery outlet, switch and fixture box, and the path the cable takes between them.
Low-voltage and dataNetwork, coax, speaker and doorbell wiring that will be hard to trace later.
Junction box locationsAny junction box that must stay accessible, and where each circuit enters the room.

HVAC and insulation

Ducts and connectionsEach duct run, its joints and where it meets a register or vent fan.
InsulationEvery bay filled, with any vapor barrier in place. This is the last stage before drywall, so it is the last look inside the wall.

Keep it dated and shared

Photos on one person’s phone help one person. GetProofed keeps dated photos of every stage in one record that the homeowner and the contractor both have, so the before-drywall photos are there for both of you, during the job and years later.

GetProofed records every stage, dated, so it's never your word against theirs.

GetProofed is an independent app for keeping your own job-photo records. It is not affiliated with any building department and does not replace inspections or permits. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so check with your building department.

What to photograph before the drywall goes up