How to photograph a repair so you get a fixed price the same day

Most of the jobs we do (a drywall patch, a door that won’t latch, a TV to mount, a dresser still in its boxes) can be priced from photos. That saves you a site visit and gets you a number the same day. The catch is that the photos have to answer the questions a pro would ask standing in your hallway. Here is what helps.

Shoot wide, then close

Take one photo from across the room so we can see where the problem is: which wall, how high, what’s around it. Then take one or two close-ups of the damage itself. The wide shot answers “can we get a ladder there?” and “is that the only spot?” The close-up answers “how big, and how bad?”

Put something in the frame for scale

A tape measure held flat against the wall is best. A credit card or a soda can works too. A hole that looks “about fist-sized” can be anything from three inches to eight, and that difference changes the repair.

Show the edges, and what the problem does

For drywall, get the edges of the hole in focus, and if you can see inside it, take a quick shot of what’s back there. For a door, take one photo with it closed, showing the gap along the top and the latch side, and say what it does: sticks, won’t latch, drags on the floor, or swings open by itself. For mounting, photograph the wall and the box the TV or shelf came in, since the size and weight are printed on it.

Say what you want, in one sentence

“Patch and paint so it disappears,” or “just make it close.” A sentence like that tells us whether to price a quick fix or a finished, invisible repair, so the number matches what you had in mind.

The questions we usually ask

Do you know the paint color, or is there leftover paint in the garage? Is the wall textured, and if so, orange peel or knockdown? Is it a rental, and who approves the work? Does anything have to happen first, like an HOA approval or a delivery? Answering these up front saves a round of texts.

When photos aren’t enough

Some things can’t be priced honestly from a phone: a soft spot in a floor, a stain that may still be wet, or a crack that keeps growing. If we can’t give you a firm number from your photos, we’ll say so and tell you what would settle it. And if a photo shows plumbing, electrical or HVAC work, or something that needs a permit, we’ll tell you the same day that it needs a licensed contractor.

Ready to try it? Send your photos through the request form on our website, or text them to (702) 978-8862. You get a fixed price, usually the same day, and you approve it from your phone before any work starts.