# Permission To Use Pictures Of Homes You've Done.



## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Do you guys have any basic forms you have HOs sign granting you permission to use their house for advertising materials? I mean for things like posting on the internet to keep a portfolio of work you have done?

I want to start taking pictures of every job before and after and am trying to word a document that grants me permission but cant seem to find the right words.

Thanks.


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

I have a clause in my contract about yard signs and taking pictures.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

You don’t need permission unless you provide an address with the pictures.
I have already been down that road with a Ho & my lawyer


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## bert0168 (Jan 28, 2008)

festerized said:


> You don’t need permission unless you provide an address with the pictures.
> *I have already been down that road with a Ho & my lawyer*


Care to elaborate.....


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## Home Builders (Mar 21, 2010)

We usually just ask the HO alot of them are happy to think you want to take the photos. If they do object it may be best to consider their wishes. Currently I am in the process of resizing all our photos so they can be uploaded to our website. Check for photo size requirements with your website hosting company. Their are programs that will resize the photos for you as you download them from a digital camera. At residential homes we try to avoid getting adresses and/or license plates in the photos as well. Photos showing quality results produced by yourself and/or company are an excellent marketing tool. Before and After photos are great. I always find myself saying I wish I would have took a photo before we started, during this phase, or from a different angle...lol...

Ed Brown 
Chittenden Builders
Burlington, Vermont


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

ive been taking pictures since i started, at first for my apprenticeship portfolio as the school required us to have photos in our portfolio. since then its for "reference material" so i can look back at pics and remember how something looked in case i goto do something similar again

as for showing them off. my understanding is that its ok as long as there is no mention of job location and client info


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

JumboJack said:


> I have a clause in my contract about yard signs and taking pictures.


 
Yea, what he said.

Here's my clause:


24. JOB SITE IMAGES, PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO:
*____________* may, during any point during the term of this contract, take still photographs or video of the site for training, documentation, education or promotional purposes. *____________* will not release any personal information or personally identifiable images or video without written permission from the person/persons in the images or video.
Acceptance of this proposal will be considered a legal release by the owner/builder to allow *____________* to engage in this activity.


FWIW, I take a copious amount of images during the job process. I then burn them onto a CD and give them to the owner. They're usally tickled pink to know what is behind their walls and where it is.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

I would have to dig out the paper work to find out the exact legal mongo jumbo.
A few years back I took over a job from a contractor who split, tensions where high from the start.
I was referred by their neighbor who I built a deck a few years earlier.
 I completed my aspect of the contract and now they wanted me to finish the entire job for cost, LOL what else do you expect from a J..
Long story short I know why the contractor split, and so did i
I posted the pics of the job on my web site and the HO wanted them removed, so I called my lawyer, guess what the pics are still on my site.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

I think the actual question might be how to obtain permission to do a real "photo shoot" of your finished product.

I am currently working on my gallery and am not interested in having half eaten Cheerio bowls, purses, backpacks, coats, etc. laying on the counters for a gallery photo-even though it reflects real life.

I am curious also how you guys ask, and obtain permission to do a real photo shoot, with a good photographer complete with any necessary staging of your projects that are worthy of posting on a website.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

Home Builders said:


> We usually just ask the HO alot of them are happy to think you want to take the photos. If they do object it may be best to consider their wishes. Currently I am in the process of resizing all our photos so they can be uploaded to our website. Check for photo size requirements with your website hosting company. Their are programs that will resize the photos for you as you download them from a digital camera. At residential homes we try to avoid getting adresses and/or license plates in the photos as well. Photos showing quality results produced by yourself and/or company are an excellent marketing tool. Before and After photos are great. I always find myself saying I wish I would have took a photo before we started, during this phase, or from a different angle...lol...
> 
> 
> Ed Brown
> ...


I try to take pictures from the same spots over the course of the job.
It makes the comparison pictures that much better


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> I think the actual question might be how to obtain permission to do a real "photo shoot" of your finished product.
> 
> I am currently working on my gallery and am not interested in having half eaten Cheerio bowls, purses, backpacks, coats, etc. laying on the counters for a gallery photo-even though it reflects real life.
> 
> I am curious also how you guys ask, and obtain permission to do a real photo shoot, with a good photographer complete with any necessary staging of your projects that are worthy of posting on a website.


I don't think there's any real trick to it. Just be honest about it, and ask early on. Who knows... maybe you'll more than you bargained for. Three log homes I've wired have been featured in magazines.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

festerized said:


> I try to take pictures from the same spots over the course of the job.
> It makes the comparison pictures that much better


 
From a documentation aspect, so do I. I shoot every room in a pattern that I can easily repeat. Walk in, turn to the right and go the the corner... shoot opposite wall. Continue around room the same way.







 

I do this so I can find electrical boxes that get buried.

Now you see them:







 
Now you don't!









​Sure makes digging them out a lot easier!​


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

Sheet rockers bury boxes, that’s outlandish!!
LOL i too take picks of electrical boxes and HVAC vents, glad we are in the digital age. I still have rolls of 35mm in my junk drawer


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## PBDWI (Mar 23, 2010)

I live with my camera in my hand! To take the progress photos and also to document the jobsite in case the GC wants to do any charge backs against me.


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## RemodelerBuzz (Jul 1, 2010)

*Real estate*



JumboJack said:


> I have a clause in my contract about yard signs and taking pictures.


Not sure why more contractors don't do this.

Homeowners don't seem to mind (or have security concerns) when detailed photos of their homes are posted with their address for all the world to see when they're selling a home.

Of course their motivation, and the motivation of their agent, is clear in this case, and that's to quickly sell their home for the best price they can get.

In the case of a home remodel, the HO's motivation could be for a variety of reasons - you just have to ask!
1. purely for their ego - ie look at how much better my kitchen is than my neighbors
2. you did such a fantastic job, they want to help you get more business in the area
3. any of the above, plus maybe you've offered some form of compensation for referrals.

Anyone disagree?


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

I know two builders on the coast, who have built homes for big celebrities, under corporate entities, who sign privacy statements with the customer to prevent disclosure of their connection with the home.

Seems the word gets out anyway.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

aint that the truth lone...That would like working for tiger woods huge pad in jupiter florida and telling everyone its mailmans house right. But yes regardless of how much tape ya try it still gets out. I have worked for a large number of high profilers over the years. And alot of them are PGA golf pros.


I like to take pictures as I go for several reasons. CYA is a major one. Like a i did a bathroom a while back took pictures of the tub before I started and then when I was all don and thru the way of the job. it was fine perfect white nice tub. About two days later i get a call saying I had chipped thier tub. I was like no way I will bring the disk. I get there and it looks like a gorilla was playing smash the buzzer at the fair for a prize. HUGE chip. long story short the poictures saved me long. the HO husband was on a ladder and a hammer flew off it. So they tried to pin me with it.


I also ask everyone about taking pictures as I go. Noone seems to mind at all. And I am getting ready to do a website and will not post the owners name or location for privacy of the works in progress. That way noone knows who is who and what is what. except for framer he knows it all with his twin angus


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

opiethetileman said:


> except for framer he knows it all with his twin angus



:blink:


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

I was trying to be funny angus trying to make everyone laugh. and also seeing if you patrol the waters I guess ya do. ok i wont pick on ya no more today


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

I do patrol (most of the) waters. A lot of what I read though is...


words, words, words


but I do learn a lot about stuff I will never do :laughing:


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