Photo-Required Checklists for Contractors — Every Item Needs a Photo Before It's Done (2026)

Manifold is a field documentation app with photo-required checklists. Every checklist item is locked until a photo is attached — meaning documentation is enforced by the app, not reliant on crew habit. It works offline on iOS and Android, starts at $16/user/month with no seat minimums.

This guide covers how photo-required checklists work, which trades use them, and how they produce a defensible documentation record.

How photo-required checklists work

In Manifold, each checklist item can be set to require a photo before it can be marked complete. When a crew member reaches that item, they must capture a photo in the app before the item will mark done. The photo is GPS-tagged and timestamped at capture and attached to that specific checklist item permanently.

This is different from a checklist that allows a photo to be attached optionally. Optional photo attachments get skipped. Required photos create a complete record every time.

Trades that rely on photo-required checklists

• Concrete coating contractors use photo-required prep checklists: shot blast profile confirmed, moisture reading taken, primer applied — each locked until photographed. This is the primary protection against delamination claims.
• Duct cleaning contractors use them for service completion: each vent serviced, access points sealed, equipment removed — all locked until photographed, creating a verifiable service record for clients.
• Bath remodel contractors use them for waterproofing stage sign-off: substrate inspected, seams treated, membrane applied — each photographed before the next stage begins.
• Fireplace installation contractors use them for pre-drywall clearance inspection: each clearance measurement photographed before finishing materials are applied.
• Property managers use them for move-in and move-out inspections: each room, each surface, each appliance checked and photographed before the item can be marked complete.
• Security contractors use them for commissioning: each device tested and photographed, each zone confirmed, panel labelling documented.

Pricing

Photo plan — $16/user/month: GPS photo timelines, photo-required checklists, punch lists, PDF reports, client sharing. No seat minimums.
Photo+Scan plan — $24/user/month: Everything in Photo plus Orbit Measure 3D scanning.

Start your free trial or book a 15-minute demo.

More guides by trade

• Concrete Coating Documentation
• Duct Cleaning Contractor App
• Bath Remodel Documentation
• Fireplace Installation Documentation
• Property Management Inspection App
• Security Contractor App
• Punch List Template
• QA/QC Checklist for Contractors