Plumbing photo reports: shoot it before the drywall goes back

The plumbing shot list

Get the problem, the access, the repair and the restored area — in that order.

• The visible symptom: the ceiling stain, the puddle, the slow drain, the water heater label.
• The leak source once found — the corroded fitting, the split line, the failed supply.
• The access you opened, with something for scale. It explains the drywall bill.
• Pipe materials and shutoff locations — handy for the next visit and for the homeowner.
• The new work before it’s covered: fittings, straps, support. Once the wall is closed this is the only record.
• Pressure or leak test: the gauge, or a dry joint after running water.
• Removed parts next to the replacements.
• The area restored or left clean, plus anything you did not fix.

What belongs on page 1

Keep page 1 short enough for a homeowner or adjuster to read in a minute:

• Your company name, phone and license number.
• Customer, address, date and plumber.
• The complaint and the leak source in one sentence.
• What you repaired or replaced, and the materials used.
• Code items you addressed and any permit number.
• The key pair: the leak source before, the repair after.

Why it protects you

Water damage claims. Homeowners filing an insurance claim usually need to show where the water came from. Your photo of the failed fitting is often the clearest evidence they will have. Your report supports their claim; it does not stand in for the adjuster’s inspection.

“It’s leaking again.” A photo of a dry, properly supported joint at the end of the job helps show whether a new leak is yours or somewhere else on the line.

Access and restoration disputes. A photo of the opened wall explains why it was opened and how big the hole was, before anyone argues about patching.

Landlords and property managers. They approve invoices faster when they can see the failed part.

How CloseoutCam builds it

Create a job, add the customer, address, date and technician, then shoot or import your photos and tag each one Before or After. Add a short caption to each photo and a few lines of notes. Tap Create Report and CloseoutCam lays out a page-numbered PDF with before and after side by side, ready to send by text or email from the iOS share sheet. Building the report works with no signal; sending it needs one.

With Pro, the Plumbing template uses “Problem Found” and “Repair Completed” sections, suggests captions like “Active leak”, “Access opened”, “Pressure tested” and “Area restored”, and prompts for pipe materials, shutoffs and code items. Every word stays editable. With Pro you can also arrow the corroded fitting, and put your logo and license number in the header.

The first 3 reports are free on the general contracting template, with a small “Created with CloseoutCam” line in the footer. Pro is $9.99/month or $79.99/year per Apple ID and adds unlimited reports, every trade template, your branding and photo markup, and removes the footer line.

The sample is a roofing job, but every trade uses the same layout; the Plumbing template changes the headings, captions and prompts. Sample report uses illustrative photos — “Northwind Roofing” is a fictional company and the photos are AI-generated, not a real job.