Customers cannot see your work until they have hired you, so they look for proof. A before-and-after gallery is one of the simplest and strongest ways to give it.
Why it works
A good before-and-after shows exactly what you did. It makes the problem real, then shows the fix. It answers “can they do this?” better than any sentence, and it shows the standard of your finish.
Take the photos as you go
You will not remember to do it afterwards. Get into the habit of taking a “before” photo when you arrive, a few as the job progresses and an “after” when you finish. Use your phone.
Make them comparable
Take the “after” from the same spot and angle as the “before”, so the change is clear. Keep the camera level, shoot in daylight if you can and make sure the area is tidy before the final photo.
Show the detail too
Include a few close-ups of fine detail, such as neat pointing, clean lead work or tidy cable runs. Tradespeople notice these, and so do careful customers.
Ask permission
Get the customer’s agreement before you publish photos of their home, and avoid anything that shows house numbers, faces or personal items. It protects them and you. See photos that win jobs.
Add a line of context
Under each set, say what the job was, where (the town is enough) and roughly how long it took. This helps local search and helps customers see themselves in the story.
Keep them fresh
Add new jobs regularly and remove tired or low-quality shots. A gallery with recent work shows you are busy. Make sure images are sized properly so the page stays fast. See website speed.
Put them where people will see them
Show your best few on the homepage and the relevant service pages, with the full gallery on its own page.
Photograph every job. Over a year you will build a library that sells for you.