Just wondering if you guys had any knowledge or expertise in this area... basically my dad is selling a house but is finishing up some work on it. He is currently in the closing process. He finished the roof yesterday and wants proof that it was done before he was supposed to have it done.

The only thing I could think of would be to have him take 3-4 photographs with my mom's camera clearly showing the new roof, take them to walmart or cvs to get them printed, then head to a notary and have each of the photos notarized.

Any ideas?

I'm pretty sure you can't get a picture notarized. Notarized just means you have a witness of an identified person signing something in their presence.

I'm pretty sure you can't get a picture notarized. Notarized just means you have a witness of an identified person signing something in their presence.

Hmmm... I was thinking that because of the raised stamp - you'd have the date on it...

actually, that might work. You wouldn't actually be getting the "picture" notarized, but if you write some stuff on the back of the photo, you could have that notorized like anything else.

Take a picture with a newspaper in it, because obviously you can't buy a paper from the future so that paper would serve as a date stamp.

Take a picture with a newspaper in it, because obviously you can't buy a paper from the future so that paper would serve as a date stamp.

Right but you can buy a newspaper from the past. :D Anybody can take a picture with a week old newspaper and say the pic is from last week :stickoutt

Yeah but you're trying to say it was done before a certain date, so the.........gotcha, wrong way i went on that. That's for saying something was done after a certain date.

lol yup... I feel like this shouldn't be this hard... like there is a general process to follow. Hm.

Usually Disposable cameras print the date in the corner of when the pict was taken.

Print the picture out and mail it to yourself, the postmark will indicate the date, dont open it until you need to

Usually when your are having some work done in your house, a contractor would issue a dated receipt, if you're doing that yourself, just keep the receipts for the materials you bought.
The picture mailed to yourself is a little bit tricky...If you fix the roof last year and took a picture at that time, I could just say that you mailed an old picture to yourself yesterday to have on the mail two days after.

Usually when your are having some work done in your house, a contractor would issue a dated receipt, if you're doing that yourself, just keep the receipts for the materials you bought.
The picture mailed to yourself is a little bit tricky...If you fix the roof last year and took a picture at that time, I could just say that you mailed an old picture to yourself yesterday to have on the mail two days after.

Yeah my dad is keeping the receipts plus notarizing the pictures... it's basically to cover his ass because the people who he's closing with are getting wishy washy and he doesn't want them to go to the realtor and back out citing the work being done as a reason... this way he can show them and the realtor that the work is done before it was supposed to be in the contract. Preventative measures.

Usually Disposable cameras print the date in the corner of when the pict was taken.

That's what I was thinking, also there's settings on digital cameras to show that as well, except someone could claim pshop was used.

if you have verizon just take a picture with your phone lit up in the background. it has the Day, mo, time, eveythinng... thats 100% proof of the time and date.

If you did a roof, you were suppose to pull a permit with the town and have it inspected by the building inspector. His release/final inspection will have a date on it. Selling a house that has undocumented and uninspected structural and or mechanical work done to it, can open you up for big liability suits.

If you did a roof, you were suppose to pull a permit with the town and have it inspected by the building inspector. His release/final inspection will have a date on it. Selling a house that has undocumented and uninspected structural and or mechanical work done to it, can open you up for big liability suits.

True. Sounds like the advice of someone in the know.


Not sure if it's applicable to this situation, but for future reference the exif metadata file for a digital photo should have date and time information along with a ton of other info (camera used, serial #, etc.).

If you did a roof, you were suppose to pull a permit with the town and have it inspected by the building inspector. His release/final inspection will have a date on it. Selling a house that has undocumented and uninspected structural and or mechanical work done to it, can open you up for big liability suits.

True, but I don't think that you need permits to replace your shingles. :D

True. Sounds like the advice of someone in the know.


Not sure if it's applicable to this situation, but for future reference the exif metadata file for a digital photo should have date and time information along with a ton of other info (camera used, serial #, etc.).

That's the first think I thought of, except it's wicked easy to spoof that data.

maybe take the picture with a digital camera and then email it to yourself. it will be just like in the mail but you can reference to it multiple times

In Massachusetts, you need a permit for just about everything, including demolition. Home owners can pull there own building permits, provided the structure is under 30,000 cubic feet, and is not more than a two family. Not square feet, cubic feet. Above that and you need a general contractors liscence. Home owners can pull some electrical permits and mechanical permits depending on the town and it's inspection department rules. Some towns will allow you to change light fixtures and stuff on your own. You are not allowed to go into your electrical panel. Homeowners are NOT allowed to pull ANY plumbing permits. A homeowner is allowed to clear a clogged drain or change washers and seats in a faucet. That's it. You are not even allowed to change out a faucet or install a new toilet. Those are the codes no matter what Home Depot wants you to believe. I will be the first one to tell you that the rules are rediculous, and I am a master plumber, and a contracter who was educated as an electrical engineer.

envelope and sealed with postage and what not at post office
then don't open it till judge needs to see it.

Print the pic and notorize it with a date is the only real/easy way (or the permit). Any other "proofs" won't stand up or too complicated to arrange...