What should I keep from a contractor after a project is done?

Keep a complete job file. DPOR's consumer guide says to keep a file of all papers relating to your project, and the signed contract, permits, payment records, lien releases and photographs are the ones you will be glad of if a problem shows up later. Store it with your other house records, in paper and in a scanned copy.

What goes in the job file

DPOR's list is specific. It says the job file should include:

• A copy of the signed contract and any change orders^[1]
• Plans and specifications^[1]
• A copy of the contractor's application for required permit(s) and a copy of the officially issued permit(s) for your project^[1]
• Bills and invoices and canceled checks^[1]
• Lien releases from subcontractors and material suppliers^[1]
• Record of all project-related correspondence (email, texts, etc.)^[1]
• Documentation (photographs/video) of the job start, phases/progress, and completion^[1]

The guide's closing checklist adds one more: Keep a job file of all payments and papers relating to your project (permits, change orders, warranties, etc.).^[1] Collect every warranty, whether it covers the contractor's labor or a manufacturer's product, and note the start date and who to call.

What else is worth asking for at the end

Proof the work was inspected and finished. DPOR advises you to make sure all required building inspections have been completed to the satisfaction of the proper authorities, and never to sign a completion certificate until all the work called for in the contract has been properly completed.^[1] Keep the final inspection record or sign-off from your locality with the permit. If the contractor never pulled a permit that the job needed, find out before paying the last invoice.

The contractor's identity and licence details. The Board's required contract contents include the Contractor's name, address, license number, class of license, and classifications or specialty services.^[2] Keep a note of those, because they are what DPOR asks for if you need to make a report, and what a future buyer's agent may ask for.

Product details and care instructions. Model numbers, finish and paint colour names, tile and flooring batch numbers and the make of fixtures save time when you need a repair part or a matching patch. They are not in DPOR's list, so ask your contractor to write them down at the end.

Photographs before the walls close. The best pictures are of wiring, plumbing and framing before drywall covers them. They show where things run, which helps the next person who cuts into a wall.

How long to keep it

There is no single rule for homeowners, but three deadlines show how long a problem can stay alive.

DPOR will investigate a report against a regulant only if it is made in writing and received within three years of the act, omission, or occurrence giving rise to the alleged violation.^[3] The contractor's side is longer: the Board's regulations make it a violation for a contractor to fail to maintain for a period of five years from the date of contract a complete and legible copy of all documents relating to that contract, including the contract and any addenda or change orders.^[2]

If a dispute ever reaches court, you may need the paper for a claim against the Recovery Fund, which asks for a form filed within 12 months after the judgment is final, a copy of the contract, and a notarized affidavit.^[4] DPOR notes it is also helpful for a claimant to provide proof of the amount of their monetary loss,^[4] which is what your invoices and canceled checks are. Read how the Recovery Fund works and how to file a complaint against a contractor for the whole process.

A practical rule is to keep the file at least five years, to match the contractor's own retention period. Selling the house is a good time to hand the next owner a copy.

Good habits during the job

Everything above is easier if you gather it as you go. Save every text and email, photograph each stage, and ask for lien releases with each payment instead of at the end. Pay by check or card rather than cash, so that the payment record exists, and put every change on a signed change order. Our guide to what has to be in a home improvement contract in Virginia covers the contract itself.

When to call a licensed pro

Keeping records is yours to do, but fixing a problem found later is a job for a licensed contractor. Check the licence on DPOR's lookup before you hire again, and send the earlier contractor's paperwork along so the new firm can see what was built. See what a general contractor does and what a general contractor charges for what to expect from the next one.

Loclis lists licensed businesses with their licence number and class. Browse remodeling and general contracting services and read more remodeling answers.

To get a repair or follow-up job done, describe it once and licensed local businesses quote it.