You can also get your contractor to get you weekly updates with pictures that help. 

There are three main categories to consider:Confirm identityDo they pay their billsWill they maintain the propertyConfirming identity includes a government-issued ID with picture and knowing how to spot fakes.

It's kind of difficult to explain via text but I may have some pictures from a previous remodel I have done in the past.

Another option is to ask people that are in your market what was their initial quote for the repair cost, if they have before/after pictures, and what was the end price for everything.

A midst asking him attempting to login to his credit karma account to articulate his situation he sends me a picture of his social security card without me asking because he had forgotten his password — Funny enough, I told him never to do that again, especially to someone he barely knows.

I will try to give you a clear picture. 

Then once you own it, it's just between you, the contractor and the lender and the broker is out of the picture. 

The seller seemed like a honest older gentleman, he gave me a ton of good and bad about the home while I was taking pictures and looking the house over.

Took a picture to capture the agent's contact information so I can find out the status when we left (notice how I went from wanting to run away to being interested in two more units in a matter of seconds?!?  

I want to see pictures of the house, list of items that need to be rehabbed/updated, and the comps that were used to determine the ARV.