Done By the Book
How to use Done By the Book

Homeowner guide

Describe your project in plain words, get a plan, and walk into every inspection ready. Three tabs: Home, My Jobs, and Get Help.

Tap any tab in the bar at the bottom of the screen to get started.

Feature 1

Home — What are you working on?

One question starts everything.

The Home tab opens with a single question: What are you working on? Describe your project in your own words — no forms, no jargon. You instantly get an answer card with permit guidance, your local inspection agency (with a booking link), and how many inspection points apply to your job.

How to use it

  1. 1Type your project in plain words, or tap an example chip like "Basement development".
  2. 2Read your instant answer card: does this need a permit, who inspects it in your city, and how many inspection points apply.
  3. 3Tap the booking link on the card to see your inspection agency's booking page.
  4. 4Tap Start this project — that one button opens your Project Workspace where everything for the job lives.

Example inputs that work

"Basement development""new bathroom in the basement""deck addition""kitchen renovation"

Home also has a Site Restrictions check — enter your postal code to flag flood, heritage, or soil contamination zones before you commit to a project.

Feature 2

The Project Workspace

Everything for your job in one place.

Starting a project opens its workspace. Everything lives in collapsible sections: your step-by-step plan, the inspection checklist, project questions, inspection fixes, and notes. The header shows the project name, status, and progress counts so you always know where you stand.

How to use it

  1. 1Tap Start this project from Home (or open a saved job from My Jobs).
  2. 2Tap any section header to expand or collapse it — plan, checklist, questions, fixes, and notes all live here.
  3. 3Optionally set a permit date in the header — answers then use the code edition that was in force on that date.
  4. 4Watch the progress counts in the header update as you complete steps and checklist items.
  5. 5Tap Share Report any time to export a full summary of the whole project.

Use the Project Notes section for anything you'd otherwise scribble on a scrap of wood — measurements, inspector comments, contractor phone numbers.

Feature 3

Step-by-Step Plan

Your whole renovation, from planning to final inspection.

The workspace generates a construction roadmap tailored to your project and city — every step from planning through rough-in to final inspection, with who does what (you vs. a licensed trade), when to book each inspection, and a materials list.

How to use it

  1. 1Open the Step-by-step plan section in your Project Workspace.
  2. 2Read through the steps in order — each one says who should do it and what it involves.
  3. 3Note the inspection booking steps — they tell you when to call before covering any work.
  4. 4Check the materials list before your first store run.
  5. 5Tap the circle on each step to mark it complete — your progress saves with the project.

Share the plan with your contractor before work starts — it sets clear expectations about scope and inspection timing.

Feature 4

Inspection Checklist

Everything ready before the inspector arrives.

Each project has its own code-referenced checklist of what the inspector will look for. Progress saves per project, so you can bounce between jobs without losing your place.

How to use it

  1. 1Open the Inspection checklist section in your Project Workspace.
  2. 2Work through the items and tap the checkbox as each one is done.
  3. 3Each item shows the code reference behind it, so you know it's not arbitrary.
  4. 4Your progress saves automatically with this project.
  5. 5When everything is checked, book your inspection through the agency link on your project card.

Do the checklist walk-through the day before the inspection, not the morning of — some fixes take longer than you think.

Feature 5

Ask Questions — In a Project or Anywhere

Plain-language answers that know your city and project.

Inside a project, the Ask about this project section answers code questions using your project's type and city automatically. For general questions without a project, use the Get Help tab. Answers show the codes in force for your city, and verified answers display green source citations from official sources.

How to use it

  1. 1Inside a project, open Ask about this project and type your question — it already knows your project type and city.
  2. 2Tap Save on any useful answer to keep it with the project.
  3. 3For general questions, use the Get Help tab in the bottom bar — no project needed.
  4. 4Look for green source citations and Verified badges — those answers are backed by official sources.
  5. 5If you see an amber caution instead, the answer isn't verified — confirm it with your local authority before relying on it.

Example inputs that work

"Do I need a permit to finish my basement?""What inspections are required for a new bathroom?""Can I do this work myself or do I need a contractor?"

The more specific your question, the better the answer — inside a project, the app fills in the project details for you.

Feature 6

Fix an Inspection Issue

Decode failed inspection notes and track the fixes.

Failed an inspection? Paste the inspector's note into the Fix an inspection issue section of your project. You get a plain-language explanation of what's wrong and how to fix it, and you can track each correction until re-inspection.

How to use it

  1. 1Get your inspection report or deficiency notice.
  2. 2In your Project Workspace, open Fix an inspection issue and paste the inspector's note.
  3. 3Read the plain-language explanation and the fix steps.
  4. 4Track each correction in the project as you complete it.
  5. 5Leave the failed work exposed — don't cover it before re-inspection.

Example inputs that work

"Provide adequate venting for bathroom fixture group""GFCI protection required within 1.5m of grade""Trap seal depth insufficient"

In a hurry? The "Decode an inspection note" quick tool on Home does the same thing without opening a project — and it accepts a photo of the notice.

Feature 7

Photo Tools

Point your camera at the problem.

Two quick tools on Home work from photos. "Decode an inspection note" reads a photo of the inspector's notice. "Scan your space with photos" looks at pictures of your actual space and builds a photo-based plan — which saves as a project.

How to use it

  1. 1On Home, tap Scan your space with photos.
  2. 2Take or upload a few photos of the space you're renovating.
  3. 3Review the photo-based plan the app builds from what it sees.
  4. 4Save it — it becomes a full project with a workspace, plan, and checklist.

Good lighting and a few wide shots work better than many close-ups.

Feature 8

My Jobs

Every project you've saved, in one tab.

The My Jobs tab holds all your saved projects. Search or filter to find one, tap to reopen it with everything restored — plan progress, checklist, saved answers, fixes, and notes. You can also create a project from here, and back everything up.

How to use it

  1. 1Open the My Jobs tab in the bottom bar.
  2. 2Search or filter to find a project, or tap + to create a new one.
  3. 3Tap any project to reopen its workspace exactly where you left off.
  4. 4Use Export to save a backup file (JSON), and Import or Merge to bring backups onto another device.

Export a backup before switching phones — your projects live on your device, not on a server.

Feature 9

Settings, Languages & Your Data

Make the app speak your language — literally.

The Homeowner/Pro toggle in the header adjusts how answers are written: homeowner mode uses plain language, Pro mode adds code references. The language picker supports 8 languages. Everything saves on your device, and the app installs to your home screen like a native app.

How to use it

  1. 1Tap the Homeowner/Pro toggle in the header to switch between plain language and code-referenced detail.
  2. 2Tap the globe icon to pick from 8 languages.
  3. 3Install the app: open your browser menu and choose Add to Home Screen.
  4. 4Everything saves on-device automatically — no account, no cloud, works offline once installed.

Because data stays on your device, use Export in My Jobs whenever you want a backup you control.

Found something confusing or broken?

Tap the feedback icon (speech bubble) in the bottom-right of any tab to send a report directly to the developer. Every report gets read and acted on.

Back to the App

Done By the Book — Beta Version · April 2026