Tracking renovation expenses: how not to lose receipts

Why expenses “don't add up”

There are usually three reasons:

• the receipt was thrown out with the packaging - and then it's needed for a warranty or a return;
• cash for the crew wasn't logged - an advance for a stage, “for materials”, extra for urgency;
• records are scattered - some in phone notes, some in the bank app, some in your head.

Tracking solves all three if you log straight away and in one place.

Step 1. Set a budget and a margin

The “Planning” stage of the route has the “Set the budget” item: the total renovation budget and a reserve for unexpected costs. Its hint: it's best to allow a margin of 10-15%.

In the app: the “Budget” tab → “Set the property budget”. After that, the “Total budget” card shows “Spent” and “Left”. How to work out the budget itself is in How to draw up a budget for an apartment renovation.

Step 2. Split expenses into categories

Budget categories answer the question “where did the money go”. The app has four built-in categories:

• “Construction work”;
• “Finishing work”;
• “Building systems”;
• “Design and furniture”.

To add your own: “Expense categories” → “+ Add category”, a name and an icon, for example “Windows and doors”. Built-in categories can be renamed: long-press → “Edit”. Only your own category can be deleted, and only when it has no expenses.

Don't split too finely: five to eight categories are usually enough to see where you're overspending. But do keep labour and materials apart if you want to know what the crew costs.

Step 3. Log on the day you buy

A till receipt

The “Budget” tab → “Scan receipt” → point the camera at the QR code at the bottom of the receipt. The amount and date fill in by themselves, and the receipt photo is saved in the budget. If you've bought from this store before, the app picks the category from the earlier receipt - check it and tap “Save”.

Also worth knowing:

• a receipt scanned twice is recognised and not added again;
• a refund receipt isn't added to the budget;
• the QR code won't scan - use “Photo from gallery” or “Enter manually”;
• receipts for the budget are recognised without limit on any plan.

An expense without a receipt

The “Budget” tab → “Add expense”: amount, category, date - “Today”, “Yesterday” or “📅 Other date” - and a comment. In the comment, write what it was for and who was paid: “Advance for the Electrical stage”, “Tile delivery”. Three months later, that's the only clue to what the payment was.

You can also log after the fact if you forgot - choose “📅 Other date”.

If you made a mistake

An expense can't be edited once entered: delete it and add it again. Long-press the expense in the “My expenses” list → “Delete expense?”.

Step 4. Payments to the crew

Money for the tradespeople is usually the largest part of the budget and most often has no receipt. How not to get lost:

• pay by stage and log each payment on the day you pay;
• in the comment, write the stage and what exactly was paid for: labour or materials;
• if the crew buys materials themselves, ask for receipts and scan them - that way you can see what was bought with your money;
• before the last payment, check how much has already been paid under the contract.

How to agree on paying by stage is in Paying a renovation crew by stage: how to agree and pay.

Step 5. Review once a month

The “Budget” tab has the “Expenses by month” chart. You can set a monthly limit on it: drag the dotted line - that shows which month cost more than planned. The overall budget is watched by the bell on Home: in “Important now” you'll see “Budget running low” when little is left, and “Over budget” when more has been spent than budgeted.

Once a month, look at:

• how much is left of the budget and of the margin;
• which category is growing faster than planned;
• whether all payments to the crew are logged;
• whether every large purchase has a receipt photo.

Who sees expenses

The owner and the designer see the budget, expenses, receipts and totals. Contractors and foremen don't: they have no “Budget” tab, and expenses don't reach their phones. So don't put amounts in tasks or the feed - everyone sees those. More in Who can see the budget: what contractors and designers see.

On a computer and offline

In the web version, expenses are a table with a “Find expense” search, and a receipt can be uploaded as a file: “Add expense” → “Upload receipt”, a JPG or PNG photo with the whole QR code.

Offline, expenses and receipts are saved on the phone and reach the server once you're back online. More in Working offline: what's saved.

What to do with receipts at the end of the renovation

• Export the budget to Excel: the “Excel” button at the top of the “Budget” tab collects the budget, the amount spent, the categories and the expenses by month.
• Keep the receipts for appliances and materials - you need them for warranty claims. The property passport PDF also includes receipt photos, up to 24.
• Paper receipts for large purchases are kept together with the warranty cards. How long to keep them is in Which documents to keep after a renovation.

Tracking checklist

• The budget is set, with a 10-15% margin.
• Categories are set up: labour separate from materials.
• Every receipt is scanned on the day of purchase.
• Cash and transfers are logged with a “what and to whom” comment.
• The monthly limit is set on the chart, and “Important now” shows no overspending.
• A review against the budget once a month.
• At the end - an Excel export, and the appliance receipts kept with the warranties.

Step by step through the buttons of the “Budget” tab - in Budget, expenses and receipts.