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What to photograph on a junk removal job: the pile, the path and the cleared space
The before is the pile, and the proof of a fair price is what was in it. Junk removal is quoted by volume and judged by the result, and both are easy to dispute when nobody wrote down what was there.
A set of photos at the start protects the quote, a few along the path protect you from damage claims, and a clean shot of the empty space at the end is what a customer wants to see before they pay.
Before you start
- Photograph before you lift anything. Once the first box is gone, the baseline is gone too.
- Walk the route from the pile to the truck, because that is where damage claims come from.
- Take wide shots that show volume, and close shots that show anything unusual: heavy items, hazards, appliances.
- Ask the customer to point out what stays, and photograph those items too.
The shot list
10 photos, in the order to take them. For each one: what to shoot, how to frame it, and why it is worth the few seconds.
The pile and the quote
- The whole pile or room from the doorway
How: Wide, from a fixed spot, with the walls and floor in the frame.
Why: It records the volume that the quote was based on.
- Large and heavy items
How: Each one on its own: furniture, appliances, mattresses, equipment.
Why: It supports any extra charge for weight or handling.
- Anything the customer wants to keep
How: Mark it with a note or a bit of tape, and photograph it.
Why: It prevents "you took my..." claims.
- Items that need special handling
How: Electronics, paint, tires, chemicals or anything restricted in your area.
Why: It supports the extra fee or the decision to leave an item.
The path and the property
- Doorways, hallways, stairs and railings
How: Wide, from the room toward the exit.
Why: It records the route, and the condition of the surfaces you will pass.
- Floors, walls and door frames along the route
How: Close up of existing scratches, dents and marks.
Why: Damage claims on walls and floors are the most common after a cleanout.
- Driveway, lawn and walks
How: Where the truck and the dumpster will sit.
Why: It records the surface before the weight goes on it.
After the load
- The cleared space, from the same spot
How: Same doorway, same height, with the lights on.
Why: The pair is the report, and the photo the customer wants to see.
- The route and the floors, swept
How: Along the same path as before.
Why: It shows you left it clean and undamaged.
- The truck, loaded, and the disposal
How: A wide shot of the load, and a receipt for donations or the dump, if you have one.
Why: It shows the stuff left the property, and where it went.
Get the angle and the light right
- Stand in the doorway and shoot the whole room, with the phone at chest height, so the volume and the floor both show.
- Take a second shot from a different corner of a large pile, so the depth is clear.
- Keep your crew and the customer out of the frame where you can.
- Photograph the floor in the after shot. A swept floor is part of the result.
Mistakes that make the result look smaller
- Photographing the cleared space only.
- Skipping the path, then being asked about a scuff on the stairs.
- Not photographing items the customer asked to keep.
- Leaving the after shot until the crew has packed up and the lights are off.
When it is not a standard job
A hoarding or heavy cleanout
Take extra care and photograph room by room, in sequence, and note any hazards. Be respectful: frame the room, not the personal items, and avoid photographing people.
An estate or a landlord cleanout
Photograph the property before and after for the owner or the agent. The report is often what the person who is not on site actually wants to see.
Items left behind
If the customer asks you to leave something, photograph it where it stays and note it. It answers "you did not take that" before it starts.
Printable checklist: junk removal
Tick each one before and after.
- The whole pile or room from the doorway
- Large and heavy items
- Anything the customer wants to keep
- Items that need special handling
- Doorways, hallways, stairs and railings
- Floors, walls and door frames along the route
- Driveway, lawn and walks
- The cleared space, from the same spot
- The route and the floors, swept
- The truck, loaded, and the disposal
photoluego.com/guides/junk-removal-photo-checklist
From photos to proof
A folder of photos is not a report. Photo Luego for junk removal companies lines up each before and after shot with a ghost of the first photo, pairs them for you, and turns the best pairs into a report with your logo, your review links and a pay button. It works in your phone's browser, and it has an always-free plan. New to it? Start with Getting started, then see how to send a report.
Questions
Why photograph the pile before I quote?
The photo records what the quote was based on. If more shows up on the day, you can explain the change with a picture.
Can photos protect me from damage claims?
They help. A dated photo of a scuffed stair or a cracked tile before you carry anything past it answers most claims quickly. Keep them with the job.
Is it okay to photograph a customer's belongings?
Tell the customer you document the work and get their okay, and keep photos to the space and the items being removed. Avoid people, documents and personal papers.
General advice, not legal advice. Rules about photographing people and property vary by place, so check yours.