They say every construction ultimately costs 20% more than the original plan. Often it's not because materials got more expensive, but because the builder lost track.

When you're building a house or renovating an apartment, hundreds of receipts pass through your hands. Small purchases at hardware stores, concrete invoices, advances to contractors. How do you keep it all in order?

Why the "shoe box" doesn't work

Many self-builders throw receipts into a box or folder thinking "I'll add it up sometime". That's the worst strategy.

Thermal paper fades: Shop receipts fade after a few months in the light. When you need them for a claim or the bank, there'll be nothing but blank space.
Loss of overview: You don't know how much money you have left. You feel "there's still enough", then discover there's nothing left for the kitchen.
Stress: Searching for a specific window invoice in a pile of papers is a nightmare.

Excel: A good servant, but a bad master

Excel is better than paper, but has one major drawback: You have to sit down at it.

Honestly – who feels like sitting at a computer after a full day on site and copying numbers from slips into cells? You usually put it off until so much has piled up that you give up.

Modern solution: Digitalization in your pocket

In 2026, you don't have to transcribe anything. The most effective way to track costs is to scan them right at the store.

With an app like Dovizor, the process is simple:

You buy materials.
Still in the car in the parking lot, you photograph the receipt with your phone.
Artificial intelligence (AI) reads the date, store, and amount.
You can throw away the paper receipt (or file it), but the data is already safe.

Categorize your expenses

Knowing you spent 2 million is useless. You need to know on what. We recommend dividing costs into stages:

Foundation slab
Rough construction (masonry, ceilings)
Roof
Windows and doors
Installations (electrical, plumbing)
Finishing work

This way, halfway through construction you'll see: "Ah, we saved on the rough build, so we can afford nicer tiles in the bathroom."

Final tip: Photograph the details too

When you buy materials, photograph them. It often happens that you have leftover insulation or a bag of adhesive. With a photo in the app including the product code, you can easily return it at the store or sell it.

Want to get your receipts in order? Try Dovizor – take a photo of the receipt and we'll take care of the rest.