The 15 Photos Intrust Needs to Release Your Rehab Draw

A rehab draw should not feel like a scavenger hunt. But if your lender needs to understand completed work without standing inside the property, your photos need to tell the whole story.

Intrust Funding generally requests 10–15 clear progress photos for rehab draws. This practical 15 photos rehab draw checklist gives you a useful starting point for documenting completed work across a Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Bellingham, or other Washington renovation project.

The final photo count, supporting documents, timing, and approval requirements vary by transaction. Your signed loan documents and approved draw procedures control. Submitting exactly 15 photos does not automatically guarantee draw approval or release.

The 15-Photo Rehab Draw Checklist

Use the list below as a practical template. Not every project includes every category, so substitute photos that match the approved scope.

1. Exterior front elevation

Take a wide photo showing the front of the property and the overall condition of the current phase.

Include visible work such as siding, paint, windows, roofing, entry improvements, landscaping, or hardscape.

2. Address or identifiable location marker

Include a photo showing the property address, unit number, street sign, or another clear location marker.

This helps connect the submitted photos to the correct property, especially when an investor manages multiple projects.

3. Main living area

Take a wide shot of the primary living room, great room, or central interior space.

Capture the walls, ceiling, flooring, trim, doors, and general progress in one frame where possible.

4. Kitchen wide shot

Show the entire kitchen or the largest practical portion of it.

The photo should provide context for cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, appliances, walls, and nearby finishes.

5. Kitchen finish close-up

Take a closer photo of completed kitchen work, such as:

• Installed cabinets
• Countertops
• Backsplash
• Appliances
• Sink and plumbing fixtures
• Electrical fixtures
• Finish carpentry

A wide kitchen photo shows the room. This close-up supports the specific completed work.

6. Primary bathroom wide shot

Photograph the primary bathroom from an angle that shows the room layout and major completed elements.

Include the shower or tub, vanity, toilet, flooring, walls, lighting, and other relevant finishes.

7. Bathroom detail

Use a close-up to document tile, grout, fixtures, plumbing connections, vanity installation, or another important bathroom line item.

Details matter here. A bathroom photo from across the room may not clearly show whether the work is complete.

8. Bedroom or secondary living space

Photograph a completed bedroom, office, bonus room, basement area, or other living space included in the approved scope.

If several rooms received similar work, use the most representative photo and keep additional images for your records.

9. Flooring progress

Capture installed flooring across a completed area.

A useful photo shows both the flooring in context and a closer view of transitions, edges, patterns, or finish quality.

10. Walls, paint, trim, doors, or finish carpentry

Document visible finish work such as painted walls, baseboards, casing, interior doors, shelving, stair components, or other carpentry.

Choose a photo that clearly connects the finished work to the approved budget.

11. Electrical progress

Where applicable, photograph visible electrical improvements, fixtures, outlets, switches, lighting, or panel work.

Do not remove covers or expose unsafe components just to create a better photo. If electrical work is hidden, document it while visible and retain any required licensed-trade or inspection records.

12. Plumbing, HVAC, or mechanical progress

Show visible plumbing, HVAC equipment, registers, water heaters, manifolds, or other mechanical work included in the scope.

As with electrical work, photograph rough-ins before they are covered when appropriate and safe.

13. Exterior or site work

Depending on the project, this may include:

• Roofing
• Siding
• Windows
• Decks
• Drainage
• Landscaping
• Fencing
• Driveways
• Grading
• Exterior paint

Use this slot for the exterior improvement that best represents the completed phase.

14. Installed or stored materials with context

Photograph materials that support the current phase, but do not rely only on unopened deliveries.

Materials sitting in boxes do not always demonstrate completed work. Show them installed when possible. If materials are stored onsite, include enough context to identify what they are for and how they relate to the approved scope.

15. Final walkthrough or before-and-after comparison

Take a final walkthrough photo showing the completed phase.

Whenever possible, use the same angle as an earlier progress or “before” photo. Consistent angles make the transformation easier to understand.

Adjust the Checklist to Match the Project

Not every property has a finished kitchen, bathroom, or completed exterior phase during every draw.

For a framing project, substitute photos showing structural work. When it comes to an ADU, document the specific construction milestone. While you’re dealing with a commercial property, show the completed tenant improvements, mechanical systems, site work, or buildout areas tied to the approved scope.

Other useful substitutions may include:

• Framing
• Insulation
• Drywall
• Windows
• Structural repairs
• Roofing
• Foundation work
• ADU or DADU construction
• Commercial improvements
• Fire or life-safety systems

The goal is not to force every project into the same 15-photo pattern. The goal is to make every completed, approved line item easy to verify.

How to Prepare and Submit a Strong Draw Request

1. Review the approved scope and budget

Before taking photos, review the approved scope of work and budget.

Identify the line items completed during the current phase. Your photos should support the work you are asking the lender to recognize.

2. Finish a meaningful phase of work

Photograph completed work rather than random activity.

Materials delivered to the property, partially started tasks, and unrelated cleanup may not demonstrate meaningful progress. If the draw relates to completed flooring, show the installed flooring: not just the boxes.

3. Photograph consistently

Use similar angles throughout the project.

Take wide shots first, then detail shots. Photograph areas in a logical order so the reviewer can follow the project without guessing.

4. Organize and label files

Use file names such as:

Tacoma123_Draw02_KitchenCabinets.jpg

Tacoma123_Draw02_PrimaryBathTile.jpg

Tacoma123_Draw02_ExteriorSiding.jpg

A short note can also identify the room and scope line item. Organization saves time when questions arise.

5. Submit requested documents

Depending on the transaction, the lender may request:

• Contractor invoices
• Receipts
• Permit information
• Contractor updates
• Change-order documentation
• Additional photos
• Updated scope or budget information

Photos help document progress, but they may not be the only required evidence.

6. Respond promptly to questions

If the lender cannot identify a room, line item, or completed task, answer quickly and provide the requested clarification.

A clear response can prevent avoidable back-and-forth.

7. Retain your records

Keep original photos, invoices, receipts, permits, contractor communications, and draw submissions in a project folder.

Your records should cover the entire renovation: not just the photos submitted for the current draw.

Photo Best Practices That Make Review Easier

Use a clean phone lens and take photos in good lighting. Turn on lights when appropriate, open curtains, and avoid pointing directly into bright windows.

Keep these habits in place:

• Use landscape orientation when it provides better context.
• Take sharp, steady images.
• Include both wide shots and close-ups.
• Keep angles consistent between draws.
• Avoid blurry or dark photos.
• Do not submit 15 nearly identical images.
• Remove unrelated photos from the submission.
• Photograph hidden work before it is covered.
• Identify the room, phase, or scope line item.
• Show installed materials in their finished location.

A reviewer should be able to understand the project without needing a guided tour over the phone.

Common Reasons a Rehab Draw May Be Delayed

A photo-based process can reduce scheduling friction, but it still depends on complete documentation and approved work.

A draw may require additional review because of:

• Blurry or poorly lit photos
• Incomplete or unfinished scope
• Work outside the approved budget
• Materials purchased but not installed
• Hidden work that was not documented before being covered
• Missing invoices or receipts
• Unapproved change orders
• Permit or code questions
• Unsafe site conditions
• Contractor disputes
• Budget overruns
• Photos that do not show meaningful progress

If your project needs a significant change, communicate with the lender before spending against the revised plan. Surprises are easier to manage before they become a draw request.

Hypothetical Example: Tacoma Kitchen and Bath Renovation

This is a hypothetical example for educational purposes only. It is not an Intrust Funding approval, fee estimate, draw schedule, or guarantee.

Imagine a Tacoma investor completing the first major phase of a renovation. The approved scope includes kitchen cabinets, bathroom tile, flooring, interior paint, and electrical fixtures.

The investor submits a photo set that includes:

• The front exterior and address marker
• A wide kitchen photo
• Close-ups of installed cabinets and countertops
• A wide bathroom photo
• Close-ups of tile and fixtures
• Flooring across the living area
• Painted walls and trim
• Installed lighting
• A final walkthrough from the same angle as the original progress photo

The investor also organizes the files by draw number and provides requested invoices and contractor updates.

That submission gives the lender a clearer way to compare completed work against the approved scope. It still does not guarantee approval. The lender must review the documentation under the applicable loan documents and may request more information.

Photo Draws Help With Liquidity: But They Do Not Replace Oversight

Photo draws can help investors preserve liquidity and keep contractors moving by reducing the need to schedule a routine third-party inspection for every draw.

Intrust Funding generally uses clear progress photos for rehab draw requests. For qualified transactions, Intrust Rehab Loans can cover acquisition and approved renovation costs, with stated terms of 12% annual interest and 15–20% down.

Funding can happen in as little as 48 hours for qualified transactions. Intrust also uses in-house underwriting, does not require income verification, and does not require inspections or appraisals for its lender process.

Those financing features do not replace:

• Building permits
• Municipal inspections
• Licensed-trade requirements
• Code compliance
• Contractor supervision
• Independent inspections
• Engineering
• Construction-quality control

A lender’s draw review answers a financing question: What approved work appears to be completed?

It does not certify that every aspect of the construction is safe, compliant, or professionally executed.

For more detail on the process, read How Rehab Draws Work: Photo Draws vs. Traditional Inspections.

Plan Your Financing Before the First Draw

The draw process can affect how much cash remains tied up in the project. Before you make an offer, review the purchase price, renovation budget, expected timeline, reserves, and potential cost overruns.

If acquisition timing matters, read Speed Matters: Why a 48-Hour Close Is Your Best Weapon Against Seattle’s Rising Rates.

You can also review cash-equivalent offers for Washington investors and cash-reserve planning for a Washington fix and flip.

Have a property in mind? Submit it for a complimentary deal analysis and courtesy underwriting review. Include the property address, purchase price, estimated rehab, scope of work, timeline, and projected value so the team can review the numbers with you.

Final Takeaway

The best rehab draw photos do more than show a renovated room. They connect completed work to the property, the approved scope, and the amount being requested.

Use this 15-photo checklist as a starting point:

1. Front exterior
2. Address or location marker
3. Main living area
4. Kitchen wide shot
5. Kitchen detail
6. Primary bathroom wide shot
7. Bathroom detail
8. Bedroom or secondary living space
9. Flooring
10. Walls, paint, trim, or doors
11. Electrical progress
12. Plumbing, HVAC, or mechanical progress
13. Exterior or site work
14. Installed or stored materials
15. Final walkthrough or before-and-after comparison

The final list depends on the project. Your photos must clearly document completed, approved work, and additional records may be required.

Have a Washington Investment Property You’re Evaluating?

Before deciding which financing structure is right for your project, start with the deal itself.

Intrust Funding offers a complimentary deal analysis for Washington real estate investors.

Send us the property address, purchase price, estimated rehab budget, scope of work, expected timeline, and projected after-repair value, and our team can review the opportunity with you.

Submit Your Deal for a Complimentary Analysis →

If you already know you’re ready to move forward:

Apply for Funding →

Financing, construction, and legal disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only. Photo requirements, draw timing, eligible costs, supporting documents, fees, leverage, approval criteria, and loan terms vary by transaction. The signed loan documents and approved draw procedures control. Photos do not replace permits, municipal or licensed-trade inspections, code compliance, independent due diligence, contractor oversight, engineering, or construction-quality control. This article is not a loan offer, approval, commitment, construction opinion, legal opinion, tax advice, or guarantee of financing.