What Records Should I Keep During Building Work?
Keep what shows what was agreed, what you paid, what was said and what the work looked like. Here is the list, and a simple way to keep it.
The short answer
Keep what shows what was agreed, what was paid, and what the work looked like.
During building work, keep six kinds of record: the agreement (the accepted quote or contract and its terms), any changes agreed along the way, proof of every payment, your messages with the contractor, dated photographs from before, during and after the work, and the completion paperwork, such as warranty terms and any certificates. Keep them together in one place, and add to them as you go rather than trying to piece things together later.
With luck, you will never need them. But when a question comes up, about a date, a price, a change or a fault, the first thing anyone asks is what was agreed and what happened. A tidy record answers that in minutes. It also helps in ordinary ways, such as a warranty claim years later or questions from a buyer's solicitor when you sell.
The list
Six kinds of record worth keeping
The agreement
The accepted quote or contract, its terms and conditions, and the date you accepted. See what paperwork should I get before work starts?
Changes
Anything added, removed or altered during the job, with the agreed price and timing, confirmed in writing.
Payments
Invoices, receipts and bank records for every payment, showing who was paid and what for. Invoices and receipts covers what each should show.
Messages
Emails, letters and texts, plus brief notes of phone calls and conversations on site: the date, who you spoke to, what was said.
Photographs
Before the work starts, at key stages during it, and when it is finished. Dated, and taken from the same spots where you can.
Completion papers
Warranty terms, manufacturer guarantees, and any building regulations certificate the work needs.
A simple system
How to keep it without it becoming a chore
Use one folder
A single folder on your computer or phone, backed up, with a paper wallet alongside for anything printed.
Name files by date
Start each file name with the date, such as 2026-05-14 quote accepted. Everything then sorts itself into order.
Save messages as you go
Screenshot important texts and save emails to the folder. Phones get replaced and message histories get lost.
Note calls the same day
Two lines are enough. Where it matters, send a short message confirming what was agreed.
Photograph every stage
Especially anything that will be hidden once the job moves on, such as work under a roof covering or behind plasterboard.
Why it matters
Records that do their job later
Photographs of work in progress are easy to forget and impossible to take later. Once a roof is covered or a wall is plastered, nobody can see what is underneath. A few dated pictures at each stage can settle a later question about how something was done.
Some work also needs to meet building regulations, and when you sell your home, the buyer's solicitor may ask for evidence that it did. That usually means a completion certificate from building control, or a certificate from an installer registered with a competent person scheme. What is a competent person scheme? explains how that works. GOV.UK sets out which work needs approval.
If a problem does come up, your records become your evidence. How do I prove work was defective? explains how they are used, and keeping evidence and records goes into more depth.
If a problem comes up
Start a simple diary
If something goes wrong, add a short diary to your folder. Each entry needs only the date, what happened, who you spoke to and what was agreed. Note when you first noticed the problem, when you reported it, and every reply or visit after that. Keep copies of what you send as well as what you receive.
Photograph the problem when you first see it and again if it changes, such as a damp patch after rain. Keep receipts for anything you pay for as a result, such as a temporary covering or cleaning. A calm, dated record like this is often what brings a disagreement to an end, because it leaves little room for doubt about what happened and when.
This is general information, not legal advice. Whether particular work needs building regulations approval depends on the work; GOV.UK and your local authority's building control team can confirm.
If you use Mortaro
Your quotation is the first record
When Mortaro coordinates your project, your written quotation names your contractor, sets out the work as they priced it and confirms their warranty terms. It is valid for 30 days. The deposit and the balance are paid to your contractor, with Mortaro receiving them as payment administration agent, so keep those payment records with the quotation.
Keep our emails too. They form part of the record of what was agreed and when. Payments explained covers how each payment works.
Straight answers
Questions about keeping records
How long should I keep building records?
At least for as long as the warranty runs, and ideally for as long as you own the property. Certificates and warranties are often asked for when you sell.
Are text messages good enough as a record?
They are better than nothing, but they are easy to lose. Save screenshots, and confirm anything important by email.
Should I keep records if everything goes well?
Yes. The same folder is your proof of the work when you sell, and as the starting point for a warranty claim if a fault appears later.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.