Move-Out Damage Walkthrough — Photos and Itemized Repair Estimate
The tenant is out, the unit is rough, and you have a deposit to account for and a turnover to plan. One walk, one set of photos, one itemized list of what it costs to fix each thing, from someone who fixes them.
A move out damage inspection by a contractor gives you a photo of every damaged item in the vacated unit and a written, itemized repair estimate for each one, from a licensed contractor rather than a guess. JMB Builders walks rental units across the Twin Cities metro after the tenant is out, photographs the damage room by room, separates it from ordinary wear, and sends the report the next business day. Priced per unit, and we can do the repairs.
- Priced per unit, report the next business day
- Photo of every item, itemized repair cost per item
- Damage listed separately from ordinary wear
- We can do the repairs, or you use the report with anyone
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
When a tenant moves out and the unit is damaged, you need two things fast: a record of what is wrong and a number for what it costs to fix each thing. The record supports what comes out of the deposit. The number becomes the turnover budget. Doing it with a phone and a guess at the cost is how deposit disputes start. Doing it with a contractor who prices the same repairs every week gives you a document that holds up.
JMB Builders does a move-out damage walkthrough per unit. We walk every room with a checklist: doors, jambs, trim, walls, floors, closets, cabinets, counters, fixtures, windows, screens, blinds, appliances, and the patio or balcony. Every damaged item gets a photo with a location, a short description of the damage, and an itemized repair cost as a line, priced the way we would quote the repair. We separate damage from ordinary wear as best a carpenter can, and say so where it is a judgment call, so the report is honest and useful. You get it as a PDF with the photos the next business day.
What you deduct from the deposit is between you, your lease and Minnesota's rules on deposits; we are a contractor, not a lawyer, and the report says what is damaged and what it costs to repair. If you want the repairs done, the report is the quote and we schedule the turnover from it. If you have your own people, use the report with them.
What you supply
- Unit access after the tenant is out, and before anything is cleaned or repaired
- The move-in condition report or photos if you have them, so we can compare
- The unit number and a contact, and whether you want the report split by room or by trade
- Anything you already know about: pets, smoking, a specific incident
What JMB supplies
- A room-by-room walk with a written checklist, including closets, the patio and the storage locker if there is one
- A photo of every damaged item, labeled with the room and the location
- A short description of each item and an itemized repair cost per line, priced as a real quote
- Damage listed separately from ordinary wear, with judgment calls marked as such
- Notes on anything that looks like a safety or code issue: a loose rail, a missing smoke detector, a damaged fire door
- The report as a PDF the next business day, with the photos
- A turnover schedule and a firm price for the repairs if you want us to do them
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Unit size: a studio walks faster than a three-bedroom with a basement
- How much damage there is, since every item gets a photo and a line
- A move-in report to compare against, which makes the wear-vs-damage call cleaner
- Several units in the same building on the same day
- Whether the repairs are done by us, in which case the walkthrough is credited against the work
- Same-day report when you need it for a deadline
Tell us the unit size and roughly how bad it is, and the walkthrough price is fixed before we come.
How long it takes
The walk: one to two hours per unit. The report with photos and itemized costs: the next business day. Repairs, if you want them, scheduled from the report.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Walkthrough and report only
You get the photos and the itemized estimate and use them for the deposit accounting and your own maintenance staff or contractor. The report is written so anyone can price from it.
Walkthrough plus repairs
The report is the quote. You approve the lines you want done, we schedule the turnover, and the walkthrough fee is credited against the repair invoice. One contractor from the first photo to the last coat of paint.
Compared against the move-in report
Send us the move-in condition report or photos and each item in our report notes whether it was there at move-in. It is the cleanest way to separate what the tenant did from what was already there.
Building-wide turnover walks
Several units on the same day at the end of a lease cycle, each with its own report, and a summary of what the building needs in total so you can order parts and schedule crews once.
Safety and code flags
While we are in the unit we note anything that is a hazard regardless of the deposit: a loose handrail, a missing detector, a damaged fire door closer, a window that will not latch. Those go at the top of the report.
Move-Out Damage Walkthrough — Photos and Itemized Repair Estimate: questions, answered
What does a move-out damage walkthrough from a contractor include?
A room-by-room inspection of the vacated unit against a checklist, a photo of every damaged item labeled by room and location, a description of the damage, and an itemized repair cost per item priced the way we would quote the repair. Damage is listed separately from ordinary wear. The report comes as a PDF with the photos the next business day.
Can I use a contractor's damage report for a security deposit deduction?
The report gives you a photo and a repair cost per item from a licensed contractor, which is the documentation most landlords want behind a deduction. What you deduct, and how the deposit is accounted for, is governed by your lease and Minnesota's deposit rules, and we are not lawyers. We describe what is damaged and what it costs to fix. You and your attorney decide the rest.
How do you tell tenant damage from normal wear and tear?
By what we see every week in turnovers. Worn carpet in a traffic path, small nail holes and faded paint are wear. A hole in a door, a kicked jamb, a burned counter, a chewed baseboard or a broken blind are damage. Some things sit in between, and where it is a judgment call the report says so rather than picking a side. A move-in report to compare against makes those calls much cleaner.
Do you fix the damage you find on the walkthrough?
If you want us to, yes. The report is written as an itemized quote, so you approve the lines you want done and we schedule the turnover from it. The walkthrough fee is credited against the repair work. If you have your own maintenance staff or another contractor, the report is theirs to work from and there is no obligation to us.
How fast can you do a move-out inspection and send the report?
The walk is one to two hours per unit, usually within a day or two of the call. The report with photos and itemized costs goes out the next business day. If you have a deadline for the deposit accounting, tell us and we can turn it around the same day.
Can you walk several units in a building at the end of the month?
Yes, and it is an efficient way to do it. Each unit gets its own report, and you get a summary of what the building needs in total, so parts can be ordered and crews scheduled once. Tell us the unit list and the day the tenants are out and we plan the walk floor by floor.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All property managers pages
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