How to document home improvements for resale

Two homeowners do the same $48,000 kitchen remodel. One keeps the contract, permits, change orders, and contractor info in a folder; takes before/after photos; saves the appliance manuals and paint codes. The other does none of that. Three years later, both sell. The first lists "fully permitted 2022 kitchen — Wolf range, quartz counters, all warranties transfer" and gets close to asking. The second writes "updated kitchen" and gets nickel-and-dimed in negotiations because the buyer can't tell what's actually new versus cosmetic.

Documentation is the cheapest renovation upgrade you can buy. It takes minutes during the project and pays for itself at closing — both in sale price and in capital-gains tax basis.

What to capture during every project

• The contract and scope of work — every project, every time, even small ones
• Every permit pulled, with the final inspection sign-off
• Itemized receipts — these add to your cost basis and reduce capital gains
• Contractor name, license #, COI, and contact — so warranty work has a phone number
• Change orders and lien waivers
• Before, during, and after photos — including in-wall shots before drywall goes up
• Material specs — paint brand/color/code/finish, flooring SKU, tile, hardware, fixtures
• Appliance install dates, models, serials, and warranties

The this home section of the vault

The this home side of the vault by BuildTrust AI is a per-property record built specifically for this. Forward receipts to your personal BuildTrust inbox and AI files them automatically. Snap a photo of an appliance plate and we extract the model and serial. Permits, paint by room, contractor roster, maintenance log — everything lives in one searchable record that follows the property for life.

The BuildTrust Report — handed to the buyer at closing

When you list the house, the vault generates a BuildTrust Report — a buyer-facing summary of permits pulled, renovations completed, appliances with active warranties, maintenance history, and contractor track record on the property. Buyers see proof, not promises. Agents use it to support asking price during negotiation. And at closing, the live vault transfers to the new owner, giving them a 90-day free trial to take ownership of the record.

Sellers who hand over a real property record sell faster and concede less. Roughly 83% of buyers ask for price reductions after the inspection, averaging around $7,200 in concessions. A documented maintenance and renovation history is one of the strongest tools sellers have for pushing back.