# Confidentiality



## goeswiththeflow (Feb 24, 2018)

Occasionally I'll run into a customer who doesn't want me to write their credit card number on the invoice. I understand why, and it's a reasonable concern, so I try to work with them as long as we are sure to get paid. The other day I ran into one who asked that I delete any photos that I took of the work. At first I agreed, but when I thought about it, I wasn't so crazy about the idea, since part of why I take pictures is to cover my a$$. I am all about being cautious, but this was just way overkill IMO. I often take after pictures to show what I've done, but there was a lot of hackery and a spider's web of water lines that were all tied together, so I took some before pictures this time too. It was a mobil home, so mostly Quest, so I wanted to show that as well, and to have a reference just in case I forgot what everything was supposed to tie back into.

There is absolutely no way that anything I took could identify the customer or where she lived, and nothing untoward or even dirty or in any way embarrassing for her even if it did get out that it was her closet. She never mentioned it when I was done, so I didn't either and I kept the photos for my own protection.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I spoke to a lawyer last year and when I said I took pictures she told me it was an awesome idea.

I take pictures and lots of them usually 3 of each pose because many are blurry or not the right angle. I do it to cover my butt and the last time a crazy woman filed a complaint I sent pictures to prove she talking smack, this might help me from going in front of the committee and wasting my time preparing for a defense and traveling to another city for a full day. It will also help me if they do bring me up on that nonsense charge I can decide to sue with my pictures as proof. No news of the outcome after a full year.

Also those picture will come in handy for lawyers, judges, insurance claim, the association etc. if someone sues me so I can show the hackery or diy and show I'm not responsible out of the scope of work.

You could also have it added to your work order that by signing you agree to have pictures taken of the job.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Slightly off topic, but I always send my LL’s what I find.


----------



## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

I take before and after pics of alot of/or most the jobs I do. Some I sent to inspectors, so they don’t have to come to the job site, some to cover my ass, so just so I know what is/has been done..
It doesn’t hurt to snap a few pics, esp in this day and age...


----------



## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

goeswiththeflow said:


> Occasionally I'll run into a customer who doesn't want me to write their credit card number on the invoice. I understand why, and it's a reasonable concern, so I try to work with them as long as we are sure to get paid. The other day I ran into one who asked that I delete any photos that I took of the work. At first I agreed, but when I thought about it, I wasn't so crazy about the idea, since part of why I take pictures is to cover my a$$. I am all about being cautious, but this was just way overkill IMO. I often take after pictures to show what I've done, but there was a lot of hackery and a spider's web of water lines that were all tied together, so I took some before pictures this time too. It was a mobil home, so mostly Quest, so I wanted to show that as well, and to have a reference just in case I forgot what everything was supposed to tie back into.
> 
> There is absolutely no way that anything I took could identify the customer or where she lived, and nothing untoward or even dirty or in any way embarrassing for her even if it did get out that it was her closet. She never mentioned it when I was done, so I didn't either and I kept the photos for my own protection.





Tango said:


> I spoke to a lawyer last year and when I said I took pictures she told me it was an awesome idea.
> 
> I take pictures and lots of them usually 3 of each pose because many are blurry or not the right angle. I do it to cover my butt and the last time a crazy woman filed a complaint I sent pictures to prove she talking smack, this might help me from going in front of the committee and wasting my time preparing for a defense and traveling to another city for a full day. It will also help me if they do bring me up on that nonsense charge I can decide to sue with my pictures as proof. No news of the outcome after a full year.
> 
> ...


Adding it to your work order/invoice is a good idea.!!!!


----------



## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Logtec said:


> I take before and after pics of alot of/or most the jobs I do. Some I sent to inspectors, so they don’t have to come to the job site, some to cover my ass, so just so I know what is/has been done..
> It doesn’t hurt to snap a few pics, esp in this day and age...


I used to that also when I first started my Company in L.A. :biggrin:


----------



## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> Logtec said:
> 
> 
> > I take before and after pics of alot of/or most the jobs I do. Some I sent to inspectors, so they don’t have to come to the job site, some to cover my ass, so just so I know what is/has been done..
> ...


It’s nice when you get to a point, when you can just send some pics to the inspector, to pass and have them sign off on the permit..


----------



## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

Logtec said:


> It’s nice when you get to a point, when you can just send some pics to the inspector, to pass and have them sign off on the permit..


That would be nice here, but I think the problem is the inspectors don't know what they're looking at 90% of the time. I relocated a water heater from a closet where there was no pan, and the relief piping was going vertical. I moved it to the garage and he went to inspect the water heater and he wouldn't sign it off because the drywall wasn't repaired yet.

My permit and contract is for the water heater install, I don't have control over the drywall repairs that they are going to do themselves. Can I just have them send a picture?

Nope, they don't accept pictures.

At least he didn't charge a re-inspect fee.


----------



## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

OpenSights said:


> Slightly off topic, but I always send my LL’s what I find.


 
This was the cause of a flood in one of the men's restrooms at one of my buildings.


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

you have the right to protect yourself, and taking pictures of your work is just fine, as long as it doesnt contain any pictures of identifying the owner or personal information, they have no say if you keep a record of your work..
you can tell the customer anything to make them happy but you still have the pictures, down load to a hard drive and take them off your phone for safe keeping...


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> I used to that also when I first started my Company in L.A. :biggrin:



With a polaroid right!
















.


----------



## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

ferguson takes a picture by me everytime they deliver. new company policy. only 1 pic required here. chicago needs 3 pics per delivery. it proves they delivered and boxes werent damaged.


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> ferguson takes a picture by me everytime they deliver. new company policy. only 1 pic required here. chicago needs 3 pics per delivery. it proves they delivered and boxes werent damaged.


amazon does that on some of my deliveries, the package on the stoop...


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I can’t tell you how many times I see something in someone’s new house, or work some hack did, I pull out my phone and tell them about the “winner’s” thread here. Most don’t care as long as we fix whatever.

I don’t do credit cards. For a short time I thought about tacking on the % to my bill, but I didn’t like telling my customers they have to pay more by their choice of payment.

I get lock box codes, garage codes and hide-a-keys all the time. I write them on post it’s and destroy them after every job.


----------



## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

skoronesa said:


> With a polaroid right!
> 
> 
> Paul Simon - Kodachrome (Official Audio) - YouTube
> ...


YES WITH A POLAROID :biggrin:


----------

