Before-and-after photos that win work

Same spot, same angle

The rule that matters most: take the 'after' from exactly where you took the 'before', at the same height and angle. Stand in the same doorway, or line up a fixed point such as a window or a downpipe. When the two photos match, the change is obvious; when they do not, people wonder whether it is even the same job.

Light and tidiness

Take both in similar light if you can, ideally daylight. For the 'after', clear away tools, dust sheets and rubbish. A finished room with a ladder in the corner reads as unfinished.

Show the detail as well

A wide shot shows the transformation; a close-up shows the quality. Add one or two close-ups of the things customers judge you on, such as a clean cut-in line, a straight grout joint, neat leadwork, a level patio edge.

Honesty and permission

Never use photos from someone else's job or the internet. Ask customers before sharing photos of their home, and avoid house numbers, car registrations and faces unless they agree. Many customers are happy to say yes, especially if you ask when they are pleased with the work.

Use them everywhere

Put the best pairs on your website, grouped by type of job, on your Google Business Profile and on social media. A steady stream of recent ones shows customers you are busy and doing good work now.

Mid-job photos count too

Some of the most convincing photos are the ones customers never normally see: the joists before boarding, the membrane under a new roof, the sub-base under a patio, the pipework before the bath goes in. They show that the hidden parts of the job were done properly, which is exactly what a careful customer worries about.

Take a couple at each stage as a habit. It costs seconds, and it also gives you a record if a question ever comes up about how something was done.

Label photos in your phone by job as you go, so finding the right pair later takes a minute rather than an evening.