How do I prove a contractor did bad work?

Dated photos of the defective or unfinished work, the signed contract and quotes, and every message — kept together so the timeline is clear.

What should I document in a contractor dispute?

The contract and quotes, photos before/during/after, all payments, every message, and any verbal promises noted with the date you were told.

Can I take a contractor to small claims court?

Often yes, up to your state’s limit. A clear, dated record of the contract, the work, and the payments is what supports your claim.

When should I start documenting?

From the start of the job — and especially at the first sign of a problem. Early dated records are far stronger than reconstructed ones.

buildmyevidence Start your record →

buildmyevidence · contractor

Document the contractor dispute. Build your case.

The contract, photos of the work, every message and payment — captured, dated, and kept in one place. The proof you'll need if it goes to court.

Start your record See the free demo →

Case TimelineContractor Dispute17 ENTRIES · TIMESTAMPED

Contract signed & filedJan 15, 2026 · 9:00 AM · the agreed scope

Photo of defective workMar 4, 2026 · 3:45 PM · tiling not to spec

Payment record addedMar 6, 2026 · 10:15 AM · paid in full

Demand letter sentMar 18, 2026 · 2:30 PM · no response yet

Export complete case file → PDF

Is this you?

Is this happening to you?

You paid for a job that went wrong. If this is your situation:

Work that’s defective, unfinished, or not what you agreed
A contractor who’s stopped responding
Charges beyond the quote, with no explanation
Damage caused during the work
Promises made verbally that were never honored

A dispute comes down to the contract, the photos, and the dates. That's what this app helps you build.

How it works

Three simple steps.

Capture — Add the contract, photos of the work, payments, and every message. Timestamped instantly.
Build — Everything lands on one dated timeline, in order.
Export — One tap turns it into a complete record for your claim or your lawyer.

The demo

See the whole app for yourself.

No signup. No payment. Just open the free demo and see exactly how it works — about 60 seconds.

Try the free demo →

For construction lawyers & consumer advocates

A contractor case is only as strong as the contract and the photos.

Most clients arrive with a verbal agreement and a vague timeline. The ones who win show up with the contract, dated photos of the work, and every message in order. You can't document the job for them. But you can point them somewhere that does.

What usually walks in

“We agreed on it verbally”
Photos with no dates
No copy of the contract
Payments and messages scattered

What buildmyevidence brings

Contract and quotes in one place
Dated photos of the work
Every message and payment, logged
Exported as a clean record

They arrive ready

The contract and the proof, not “we agreed”. Stronger from day one.

Evidence isn’t lost

Recommend it at the first sign of trouble.

Costs you nothing

No admin. Just point them to it.

See what your client would bring you →

Opens the free demo · no signup

If it's not documented, it's just your word.

Start building your record today — or see the free demo first.

Start your record See the free demo →

Private to you · export your case file anytime

Questions

Documenting a contractor dispute

How do I prove a contractor did bad work?: Dated photos of the defective or unfinished work, the signed contract and quotes, and every message — kept together so the timeline is clear.
What should I document in a contractor dispute?: The contract and quotes, photos before/during/after, all payments, every message, and any verbal promises noted with the date you were told.
Can I take a contractor to small claims court?: Often yes, up to your state’s limit. A clear, dated record of the contract, the work, and the payments is what supports your claim.
When should I start documenting?: From the start of the job — and especially at the first sign of a problem. Early dated records are far stronger than reconstructed ones.

Other situations

Dealing with more than one thing?

buildmyevidence works for any situation you need to prove. A few others:

Security deposit /security-deposit HOA dispute /hoa-dispute Neighbor dispute /neighbor-dispute Consumer complaint /consumer-complaint

See all situations →