Taking Photos for Xactimate Scopes

Excuse Me, Your Meter is Showing

Alright ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for some brutal honesty.  You take crappy pictures.

There, I said it.  And I won’t apologize.  The pictures you are taking are driving us nuts.

We’re your estimators and your adjusters.  We know what you’re trying to do.  You want to make sure that you document everything.  I understand, and it’s not actually your fault.  You’ve been conditioned to take unnecessary pictures.

Over the years you’ve taken the blame for NOT taking pictures of things that cost your company money.  Heck, Farmers won’t even pay for dump runs unless you supply us a picture of the full trash bags.  I get it.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense to us either.

But enough is enough.  The time has come to reel in the crazy resto-razzi photo shoots and bring some sensibility to the camera madness.  The first thing I want to bury wherever they put Hoffa is the pictures of your moisture meter.

When has anyone ever asked you to provide a picture of your moisture reading?  Really.  I’ll pause to let you think about it… Never. The answer is never.  I’ve not once, in my nearly twenty years of restoration, had an adjuster or TPA ask for a picture of a moisture meter.  They don’t care how pretty your Tramex is, and neither do I.

If the material is wet, tear it out. Don’t waste time with pictures.  If you want to dry the material, take your reading and mark it on your RDC along with your room sketch.  That’s it.  Leave your camera out of it.

I’m not sure where this habit came from, but I can tell you where I see it most.  I see it most from folks that are new to restoration or mitigation.  In their sincere desire to be the best and work the hardest, they end up taking pictures of things that don’t have much bearing in the end.  If that is you, take this as your opportunity to stop wasting effort on things that don’t matter.

Taking pictures of your moisture meter telegraphs to the adjuster that you might not be the most experienced cat in the sandbox.  So stop it.  Have I made my point?

Ok then, you may be asking, what should I be taking pictures of?  I’m glad you asked.  Before I answer, let me back up a scosh.

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