A photo quote saves you from scheduling a visit just to find out what a repair involves. But the quote is only as good as the photos. A blurry close up with no sense of size can make a small dent look like a large hole, or hide the texture that has to be matched. The tips below take a few minutes with your phone and make it much easier to quote your repair accurately, without guessing.
What photos do I need for a drywall repair quote?
Plan on at least three: one wide shot of the whole wall or ceiling, one close up of the damage, and one close up with something next to it for scale. A fourth shot of the texture helps a lot.
Here is the full set:
- Wide shot. Stand back far enough to see the whole wall or ceiling, including corners, windows or doors nearby. This shows where the damage sits and how much surface may need paint.
- Close up. Fill most of the frame with the damage, straight on.
- Close up with scale. The same close up, with a tape measure, coin or other object of known size right next to the damage.
- Texture close up. A shot of undamaged wall or ceiling next to the damage, lit from the side so the texture shows.
If there is more than one damaged spot, take a set for each one. If the damage is on a ceiling, take the wide shot from a doorway so the whole ceiling is in view.
How do I show the size of the damage in a photo?
Hold a tape measure flat against the wall right beside the damage, with the numbers readable. If you do not have one, a coin, your phone or a water bottle works, because their size is known.
A few tips for scale shots:
- Keep it flat and close. The tape or object should sit on the same surface as the damage, not held out in front of it, or it will look bigger than it is.
- Shoot straight on. Hold the phone parallel to the wall. Angled shots stretch the damage and make size hard to read.
- Measure both ways. For a long crack or a large patch, run the tape along the longest side. A second shot across the other direction helps too.
- Show depth if it matters. For a dent or a crushed corner, a shot from the side shows how deep it goes.
What lighting works best for drywall photos?
Soft, even daylight is best for wide and close shots. For texture, a light held low and to the side shows the surface much better than overhead light.
Lighting makes a big difference in what can be seen:
- Open the blinds or turn on lamps for the wide shot so the whole wall is evenly lit.
- Turn off the flash for close ups. A direct flash flattens the surface and washes out small cracks and texture.
- Use side light for texture. Hold your phone flashlight, or a second phone's flashlight, low and to the side so the light skims across the wall. Orange peel, knockdown and smooth finishes look very different in this light. Our texture matching page explains why texture matters for the repair.
- Avoid harsh backlight. Do not shoot toward a bright window, which turns the wall into a dark shape.
Why does texture matter for a quote?
The texture decides how the patch gets finished so it blends in. A smooth wall, an orange peel wall and a knockdown wall each take a different approach, and a texture close up shows which one you have.
Seeing the texture next to the damage, in good side light, helps get the plan right before anyone shows up.
What else should I include with the photos?
A short note about what happened and anything above or behind the damage. If water caused it, say whether the leak has been fixed and the area is dry.
Helpful details to add:
- The cause, if you know it. A doorknob, a moving mishap, a leak, a plumber's access hole.
- Whether the leak is fixed. Water damage cannot be repaired until the source is stopped and the area is dry. Our guide to a water damaged ceiling explains why.
- The room and ceiling height. High ceilings and stairwells change how a repair is set up.
- Paint expectations. Say if you want only the patch area painted or the whole wall. Older paint often does not blend with a small touch up.
- Anything behind the wall. Outlets, switches or plumbing near the damage are worth pointing out.
What photo mistakes should I avoid?
The most common problems are blurry close ups, zoomed in shots with no context, and photos with filters or heavy editing. Those make the damage hard to measure or match.
Avoid these:
- Using digital zoom instead of stepping closer.
- Shooting only the damage with no wide shot.
- Cropping out the scale object.
- Using portrait mode or filters that blur or recolor the wall.
- Sending photos taken at night under a single overhead bulb.
Frequently asked questions
Can a drywall repair really be quoted from photos?
For most patch and repair jobs, yes, as long as the photos are clear and show scale and texture. If something cannot be seen well in the photos, we will ask before we quote.
What can I use for scale if I do not have a tape measure?
A coin, your phone or a standard water bottle works. Hold it flat on the wall right next to the damage so its size can be compared.
Do I need to send a photo of the texture?
It helps a lot. A close up of the texture next to the damage, lit from the side, shows how the patch needs to be finished to blend in.
Can I send photos for damage in Franklin or Nashville?
Yes. Photo quotes work for repairs across Nashville, Franklin and the other areas we serve.
Send your photos for a quote
Ready to try it? Take your wide shot, close up, scale shot and texture shot, then upload them through our instant photo quote, or call us at (615) 488-7859. We are licensed and insured, and we handle drywall repair, ceiling repair and water damaged drywall across the Nashville area.