Keep the agreement and its changes together
Save the complete signed contract, its attachments, and the proposal it incorporates. Keep every agreed change order beside it, with the date, affected work, and price or schedule adjustment. Preserve the original documents rather than replacing them with your own summary.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act FAQs explain that home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing and signed, and that under a time-and-materials contract any cost beyond the initial estimate plus 10% needs a written change order signed by both sides. This checklist does not decide whether a particular contract is legally sufficient. Before the work starts, our checklist for hiring someone for a home repair covers what the contract should include.
Match invoices with proof of payment
Keep itemized invoices and the corresponding receipts or payment confirmations. Label each payment with the stage of work it covered, without editing the original confirmation. If an invoice appears twice or an amount is unclear, ask the provider for a written explanation and keep the reply. Store financial details privately.
Save photographs as a dated sequence
Keep the before, progress, and completion photographs you already have, in their original files, with short captions naming the area and what each image shows. If a contractor supplies photos of concealed work, keep the explanation with them and note who provided them. The same habits from what photos help with a home repair estimate apply here. Photos record visible conditions; they do not certify technical compliance. Do not reopen finished work or enter an unsafe area to improve the record.
Collect warranty and maintenance information
Ask for any written workmanship warranty and the relevant manufacturer documents. Note who handles which issue, how to request service, and what the written terms ask you to provide. Record coverage periods and exclusions directly from those documents, and do not assume one warranty covers every part of the job.
Confirm the permit record when applicable
If permits were required, keep the permit numbers, approved documents, inspection results, and final approval. Philadelphia’s Get a Building Permit guidance says a Certificate of Approval is issued once all required inspections are successfully completed, so a contractor’s invoice alone does not show the permit is closed. In Bucks County, ask the township or borough that issued the permit which completion records apply.
Finish with a follow-up list
List open questions or agreed follow-up work, who will respond, and the next step. Keep the folder backed up. This guide does not set a disposal deadline; check warranty terms and any continuing need for the records before discarding them. More planning questions are collected on our home repairs and improvements page.
About HomeFix
HomeFix is a home-repair information and referral website. A call or quote request may go to a provider who is related to the site owner. HomeFix is not a government agency or public assistance administrator. Confirm the provider’s qualifications, availability, and written terms before agreeing to work.