Document Current State
Thorough documentation of your existing living room is essential for accurate bids, design work, and permit applications. Photograph everything, measure precisely, and note every electrical outlet, HVAC vent, and structural detail. This information saves hours of back-and-forth with your designer and contractor.
Time Required
3-5 hours
Cost
$0-$200 (laser measure)
Difficulty
Moderate (attention to detail)
Photography Checklist
Wide-angle room shots
Stand in each corner and photograph toward the opposite corner. Capture all four walls from multiple angles. Use your phone's wide-angle lens if available. These overview shots give designers and contractors the spatial context they need for initial planning.
Detail shots of systems
Photograph every electrical outlet, light switch, HVAC vent, thermostat, cable outlet, and phone jack. Include the electrical panel with the door open showing breaker labels. Document the existing lighting fixtures and their switch locations. These details affect bid accuracy.
Problem area documentation
Photograph cracks in walls or ceilings, water stains, uneven floors, damaged trim, peeling paint, or any existing damage. Close-up shots with a ruler for scale help contractors assess repair scope. These issues often reveal hidden problems that affect your remodel budget.
Adjacent space connections
Photograph doorways, pass-throughs, and the walls shared with other rooms. If you plan to open a wall, photograph both sides. Include shots looking from the living room into adjacent rooms and vice versa. These are critical for layout planning.
Measurement Guide
- Room dimensions: Measure length and width at floor level. Measure ceiling height in multiple spots as floors and ceilings are rarely perfectly level. Note any changes in ceiling height, soffits, or dropped areas. A laser distance measure ($30-$80) makes this work much faster and more accurate.
- Windows and doors: Measure width, height, and depth of each window including the frame. Measure door openings including casing width. Note the distance from each window and door to the nearest corner and to the floor. These measurements are essential for layout planning.
- Existing features: Measure the fireplace opening, mantel height, hearth depth, and surround dimensions. Measure built-in dimensions, column locations, and any architectural details. Include the height of existing chair rails, crown molding, and baseboards.
- Create a floor plan sketch: Draw a rough floor plan on graph paper with all measurements noted. Mark outlet locations, vent positions, light switch locations, and window placements. This sketch becomes the starting point for professional design work.
Structural Investigation
- Identify load-bearing walls: Walls running perpendicular to floor joists are typically load-bearing. Walls with a beam or double top plate visible from the attic are load-bearing. Never assume a wall is non-load-bearing without professional confirmation. Removing a load-bearing wall without proper support can cause catastrophic structural failure.
- Check the attic and basement: If accessible, photograph the attic above the living room showing framing direction, insulation type, and any mechanical runs. Do the same from the basement or crawlspace below showing floor joist direction, size, and spacing.
- Note the home's age and construction type: Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint. Homes built before 1990 may have asbestos in popcorn ceilings, floor tiles, or insulation. Document the construction type: platform frame, balloon frame, masonry, or other. This affects how walls can be modified.
- Locate the electrical panel: Note the panel size (100, 150, or 200 amp), number of available breaker slots, and distance from the living room. An undersized panel may need upgrading ($1,500-$3,000) to support a remodel's additional circuits.
Pro Tips
- •Shoot a video walkthrough: A slow, narrated video walk-through captures details photos miss. Describe each wall, note problem areas verbally, and pan slowly across features. Share this video with every contractor bidding on the project.
- •Get your original house plans: Check with your local building department, previous owners, or the original builder. Original blueprints show structural details, framing plans, and mechanical layouts that are invisible once walls are closed.
- •Use a stud finder systematically: Run a stud finder along each wall and mark stud locations with painter's tape. This reveals framing layout and helps identify potential load-bearing walls. Inconsistent stud spacing may indicate previous modifications.