Using Condition Reports to Plan Renovations, Without Missing a Penny

A condition report is the best means of commencing a renovation without guesswork. Start with a clear reference point: what's tired, what's usable, and what will fail within two years if you don't attend to it. Property experts advise conducting a full condition survey prior to major works so that you can identify early on structural or system problems and plan accordingly.

Begin with a room-by-room baseline

  • Document fixed elements: walls, skirting, windows, doors, and fitted appliances.
  • Capture every elevation with time-dated photographs and add brief, dictated notes.
  • Label items by priority: urgent safety, working repairs, cosmetic.
Reports2Go app has on-site photo capability, audio dictation and transcription, and keeps media in the Portal so earlier reports can be compared directly, which makes it easy to catch incremental decline. Make those photos and notes your scope checklist when soliciting bids from contractors.

Pare down by cost, safety and tenant impact

Renovation costs balloon when finishes with low priority take centre stage. Divide work into three bands: safety (damp, gas, electrics), functional (plumbing, kitchen units) and cosmetic (flooring, decoration). A contingency of at least 10% to 15% should be added for unforeseen problems, industry guides advise this margin.

Convert reports into tender-grade scopes

An accurate Condition Report allows you to make line-item specs: "replace that buckled kitchen door - 600 x 800mm, white laminate" instead of waffly comments. Subbies quote tightly to fixed specs, and you're not getting open-ended quotes rising when work commences. Add photos, measurements and brief video notes where necessary, then demand fixed-price quotes on items instead of day-rate ballparks. Fixed scopes cut variation orders and allow you to compare value, not the lowest price.

Record pre- and post-works on claims and disputes

A condition report or inventory with quality images and dates is an adjudicator's initial point of reference in insurance or deposit disputes. Store the pre-works report, contractor invoices and post-works photos collectively in the Portal. This recorded chain minimises the risk of disputed charges later.

A rapid checklist prior to spending

  • Obtain a complete pre-works inventory
  • Take the itemised scope and dimensions
  • Obtain three quotes against an identical scope
  • Insert 10–15% contingency
  • Keep all invoices and media in one location
 Summing up

Utilise Reports2Go to generate and store concise pre-work records, then convert that information into tight scopes and realistic budgets. Begin in one room, pilot your contractor process and ramp from there, and repeat.

Are you ready to budget renovations with facts, not guesstimates? Give Reports2Go a free trial run and create your first pre-renovation report today. Sign up, build your first template and see contractor bids reconcile to a realistic, fact-based budget today.

Dan, 12 September 2025
Using Condition Reports to Plan Renovations, Without Missing a Penny

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