Exempt building work: record what will disappear from view

Identify the moments you cannot recreate

Walk through the proposed sequence with the builder or relevant trade. Ask which parts will disappear behind linings, beneath finishes or inside an assembly. Then agree how those stages will be recorded safely, and who needs to see them before covering proceeds.

For a hypothetical repair already assessed as exempt, a close photograph of an exposed junction might be useful. But without a wider view, you may not know which corner of the house it shows. I would pair the detail with an overview and a marked location on a simple plan. Agree any necessary professional checks separately; taking a photograph does not replace them.

• Who takes the record?
• What needs to be visible?
• Who needs to check the work at that stage?
• Where will the photographs and any written findings go?

Make each record explain something

I would give photographs short captions: location, date, what is shown and who supplied the image. Keep the original files as well as any annotated copies. Where a measurement matters, ask the person doing the work to record it clearly rather than expecting a later reader to estimate it from a photograph.

Keep the relevant drawing revision, product details and written advice beside the record. If something changes on site, ask the responsible professional whether the change affects the exemption or design, then retain their response. Do not quietly replace the original drawing and lose the explanation.

Cameron Hine's published builder feedback discusses the clarity of our drawings and specifications. That is feedback about project documentation, not evidence that any particular exempt job complies. The practical point I would take into a small job is to make the information understandable to the next person using it.

• Describe what the image shows, without claiming more than it demonstrates.
• Record unresolved questions as unresolved.
• Ask for confirmation of what was actually installed.

Check the obligations for your exemption

MBIE explains that exempt building work must still meet the Building Code. Its guidance also distinguishes general exempt work from small standalone dwellings using the granny flats exemption, which have specific records and certificates to collect and submit. A personal photo folder should not be treated as the complete statutory package.

I would ask your adviser to identify the applicable record requirements before work starts, including who supplies each document and when it must be provided. Keep the explanation of why the work is exempt with the records of what was built.

File the work without overstating its status

MBIE recommends providing relevant drawings, specifications and photographs to your council for its property file. It also makes clear that lodging those documents does not mean the council has checked the work or plans. Ask your council about its current submission process and any fee.

Before closing the folder, choose one concealed detail and try to explain it using only the saved records. Can you locate it, identify the work and find the supporting information? If an answer still depends on somebody remembering a conversation, ask for that missing information now.

If you are planning changes to an existing home, bring the proposed scope and the records you already have to a conversation with Modal Architecture. We can discuss the architectural information and advice your project needs.