Construction Progress Photos from the Same Spot

Take construction progress photos from a recorded camera position, aiming at landmarks that will remain through the work, and match that view on each visit. For a remodel, that might mean standing in the hallway and photographing the kitchen through its doorway. Progress Photo: Before After can show an earlier shot over the live camera to help you line up the next one; you still position the phone yourself.

Choose viewpoints that will survive the work

Before demolition or site preparation, choose an overview that includes the work area and something outside it that will stay recognizable. A cabinet being removed is a poor reference; a retained window opening or neighboring building may work better. Pick a standing position that you expect to reach throughout the project. Confirm access with whoever manages the site, and stay within permitted areas. If one view cannot show both the room and the exterior addition, give each viewpoint its own series. The example shot list below shows how to separate them.

Record the camera position, not just the subject

Give each viewpoint an ID and mark its location and viewing direction on a simple floor plan or site sketch. Record the phone height, orientation, and distance from a retained feature. Measure from the surface where the phone stands, noting whether that surface will change when flooring or grading is finished. Take a separate reference picture showing the standing position in its surroundings. This gives someone else enough information to repeat your shot. Keep the same phone and camera choice where practical, and record any equipment change.

Set up one Progress project for each repeated view

In Progress, choose New project, select the Build category, and name the project for the viewpoint, such as Kitchen from hallway. Put a short positioning instruction in Note, then choose Create project. Open Take the first photo and capture the starting view. Use one project for each repeated angle: the app has a single photo timeline within a project, rather than separate viewpoint groups. Keep occasional close-ups in a separate folder or record so they do not become the reference for your next overview.

Match retained features with the ghost overlay

On your next visit, open the same project and choose Take today's photo. The Ghost tool displays an earlier image over the camera, with an opacity control and Photo or Outline styles. Once the series contains multiple photos, choose First photo to refer back to the baseline or Last photo to match the latest stage. Align retained features around the work area, rather than the wall or fixtures being changed. The camera opens with Last photo selected, so select First photo again on later visits if that is your reference.

Handle blocked views and changing floor levels

If stored materials or temporary barriers block your view, record the obstruction and take a separate contextual shot from an approved position. Keep the original viewpoint ID for its original location. If that location permanently disappears, establish a replacement viewpoint and record where the old series ends and the new one begins. After a floor or ground level changes, check the camera's height against a retained reference before continuing. A matching doorway at the edge of the frame can help you recognize whether you have returned to the intended view.

Photograph work before it gets covered

Alongside the repeated overview, arrange access for detail photos before walls, floors, ceilings, or backfill conceal the work. For a kitchen remodel, that could mean an overview of the open wall followed by closer views of the exposed services. Label those detail files by room, wall, and stage in your separate record. The USACE photographic documentation guide includes recording interior systems before enclosure and utilities before covering. Apply that idea to your shot list, while following your project's own documentation instructions. Keep those detail photos distinct from the overview sequence.

Keep a short log beside the photo series

For each visit, record the viewpoint ID, capture date, work stage, and anything that prevented a normal repeat shot. Use descriptive entries such as west kitchen wall open or cabinets installed, rather than assigning a completion percentage from appearance. Keep the dated visit log outside the app: Progress offers a project Note, not a separate construction report for every photo. Keep that Note under 2,000 characters because longer notes can be cut off when reopened. Store detailed observations, measurements, and supporting documents in your project records.

Compare the same view at meaningful stages

Once a project has two photos, open Before / After and choose the images for the stages you want to discuss, such as before demolition and after cabinet installation. Progress offers Slider, Side by side, and Fade views, plus Save as image. Check that both photos show the intended viewpoint and dates before sending a comparison. Keep the original files alongside any exported illustration. The app helps present visible change; it does not measure dimensions, calculate construction completion, or verify the quality of work hidden behind a finished surface.

Protect the record before clearing anything

In Settings, use Back up everything (.zip) and save the file somewhere you can access if the phone is lost. Do not rely on Android's device backup to carry this app's records to another phone. After restoring, open the photos you need: an unreadable image can still be included in the restored count. Move a finished series to Memories when you want to retain it. Back up before deleting a project, because photos can be lost even if deletion later reports a storage error. For construction records you cannot replace, keep independent copies of important original photos as well.