Restore old or damaged photos

I have a set of five scanned family prints with tears and creases that Sarah asked to have restored by Friday. Repair tears, remove creases, reconstruct missing edges where possible, and balance contrast so skin details return. Deliver both the restored TIFFs and a proof PDF showing before-and-after pairs for Sarah’s approval.

Before I deliver the restorations, make the fixes easy for Sarah to accept: highlight reconstructed areas with a subtle overlay in the proof PDF, note any irrecoverable detail (for example, a missing finger tip), and provide two tonal options — faithful and slightly softened — so she can choose the look without asking for another round.

The family portrait scan has a patch where the emulsion is missing over part of a sleeve and I don't know whether to reconstruct from surrounding fabric or to leave a subtle seam. I'm worried full reconstruction might look artificial and partial repair might be rejected. What's the best immediate approach to present two reasonable options to Sarah and which details should I call out so she can decide quickly?

On client restorations we consistently underbid time because scans hide extensive creasing and emulsion loss that only shows up in detailed repair. I want to change how I scope and price restorations so estimates match reality and avoid constant scope creep. What three habit changes — during intake, during scan review, and in client communication — will make my quotes accurate and reduce surprise extra hours?