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.
Everything you do, no matter whether you’re a mitigation technician or a general manager, should be defined in a standard of operations. You should have a system for everything, including scoping losses and taking pictures.
Every loss scope has three main components: the photos (which we’ll cover now), the sketch and the scope (which I’ll cover in later articles). If done properly, and with enough attention to detail, a good estimator can create an Xactimate estimate using only two of the three main components. The reason we have all three is to create some redundancy in our overall scoping system.
I’ve even written full repair estimates using only the mitigation scope and pictures taken after demo. It’s not ideal, but it can be done.
I’ve developed a system called the 24HR TECH, which provides a framework for water damage technicians to learn and then perform their jobs at the highest levels of efficiency and profit. There are five separate sections that call for taking pictures of specific items. I’ll walk you through the Room Notes section now.
First, before you enter a room, you should have the Room Notes sheet in your hand. Some folks are trained to label each room with a piece of painter’s tape. That works well. When I’m working a high-rise loss, I like to take a picture of the unit placard. Either way, take a picture of the room name.
The reason is simple: it marks your camera “roll”. Even though we don’t use film anymore (yes kids, we used to have cameras that didn’t have phones attached), when your pictures are downloaded into the job folder, the room name pictures serves as a neat marker for which room the pictures were taken in. Everything after a room placard or label is part of that room, until we see the next room placard or label.
This also eliminates the need to label each picture in the field. (Please tell me you don’t do that still.)
Second, you take several room overview shots. The panorama function on most cameras – I mean – phones, does a nice job here. Pick a corner and take your pictures from left to right. Be sure to stick to less than 180-degrees if you use a panorama, otherwise things get weird. Then walk to the opposite corner and take another set from left to right.
Third, take pictures of the floor then ceiling. Take as many pictures as necessary to capture the unique properties of the room. Did you catch all the fixtures? Is there base shoe molding? Could I count the number of outlets to double check my scope notes?
Fourth and finally, take pictures of items of interest and pre-existing conditions. If you want to take note of a swollen window casing? First step back and take a picture of the window as it sits in the room, then take a close up picture of the damage. Always keep in mind to frame your shots for the person who will view them; that person will likely NOT be you. You have to telegraph context with your pictures.
That sounds like a lot of pictures, right? Yes, it is. A three room water loss should have at least 50 photos. And that’s completely OK. Be thankful that you don’t have to carry around files full of polaroid pictures./
And guess how many pictures there should be of your moisture meter… Zero, that’s how many. 11/28/16: after many rounds of social media debating, I must redact my last statement. Take pictures of your meter when drying the structure. Just make sure you take an “overall” picture, then a close up. That will help adjusters and PMs get an idea of what they’re looking at.
Great article! It’s my finger that gets in the way, not the moisture meter.
So true John, so true. 🙂
From someone who has been in the industry for 30+ years. I do not completely agree with you. I am definitely not new to the industry and I will include wet, dry standard and completion photos. Just not a million of them.
That’s fair enough Mark. If it’s part of your SOP and it serves a purpose, who am I to say different?
What I see more often, however, is pictures of wet readings with no follow up readings. Their taking pictures because they think they need to, not because it fits into their standard of care or normal procedures.
Can I ask you how many times you’ve been asked for your moisture readings pictures?
I too disagree with the suggestion that moisture meter photos serve no value. I’ve been doing this for 38 years and I HAVE been asked for evidence of the moisture meter readings. Furthermore, these photos have also been pivotal during my expert witness / deposition testimonies. I am aware of at least one preferred vendor program that stipulates the need for moisture meter photos. I have also seen how weak a position carried by contractors who do NOT have this photographic evidence.
Personally, I see the day when the best drying records will have comprehensive photos to prove the readings claimed by the documenter. In the absence of these photos… we all know what happens: technicians are inclined to make up fictitious numbers while sitting in the van. I think that’s called fraud, and that’s serious. THAT’s why photos of meters are of immense value to the file. My drying documentation has a photo of EVERY meter reading collected… Yes, HUNDREDS of them. Result?… I welcome drying record and drying strategy disputes! That conversation rarely lasts longer than 5 minutes and we justify the expenses.
Of course, if you don’t want to look at the pics… That’s your prerogative.
I have to disagree. I take photo of dry standard and the affected material mc. And then on each 24 hour monitoring visit, I take photo of drying progress. This is especially helpful when justifying extended dry time on specialty dry outs (hardwood floors). If you can’t justify extended dry time, sometimes you can’t get paid for it. All of that being said, all pictures are worthless if they aren’t taken properly and for the the right reasons.
I think the point here is that pictures serve to prove the verbal claims, just like policemen are now wearing videos cams. Photography is a skill, so choice of pictures is important
Andrew,
Sorry it took me this long to respond. For some reason I did not see it till this morning when I was reading Ken Larsen’s reply. Hello Ken, Mar Cornelius here. How have you been doing? Now back to your question for me Andrew. I use to get requests on a semi regular basses. I do not any more seeing how they are included in almost every project I work on. I have a good history in doing decent sized commercial claims. I feel it is easier to answer a question before it gets asked. The main thing is to make sure your photos tell a story, and every story has to have a beginning middle and an end. You also do not need to include 50 pages of photos on a 3 bedroom, living room, kitchen flood.
Thanks
Mark Cornelius
I couldn’t agree more Mark. Tell a story with your pictures.
Ken Larson is spot-on. Its all about justification…if I have proper photos of MC’s throughout drying, there is nothing to dispute.
Andrew, may I ask what happened to inspire you to write this article? Did you see bad documentation or something? Or do you really see it as being an industry problem? Just curious. Thanks
I’ll never disagree with documentation according to plan. The problems I am seeing is a file with LOTS of moisture meter pictures and little else. An estimator needs pre-photos, post-demo photos and pre-existing conditions. In order of importance, the moisture meter pic ranks fairly low in my opinion.
You sirs are true professionals with immense experience. I wish more techs and PMs out there had mentors like you.
Unfortunately I have to disagree. First of all, the number of pictures per room is subjective and based on multiple factors. I would definitely say there is a minimum, although it all depends on what you’re confronted with, type of damage, carrier you’re working with, is there a consultant being brought in and the list goes on and on. If I know a consultant is coming in then I would suggest documenting everything that may be a point of dispute.
On to the topic at hand. I’ll simply give you an example to point out why it IS important to document moisture readings. Many adjusters (Of which I have been on both sides of the fence as a NGA and a contractor), especially during CAT situations are short on time and will “run” through a project with an IR camera to see if the walls are “wet”. Many of them may not get on site for many days. This may mean that the wall (internally or even non-intrusively) is still well above the acceptable MC compared to the areas dry standard. If the adjuster and/or especially the consultant is doing a “drive by” with an IR camera you are more than likely going to have reached equilibrium and thus no reflectivity will be present on his/her IR camera. They will note that the area is dry. Even though you may put a meter on the wall and peg it out. Now it’s your word against his. If you don’t have visual documentation justifying the equipment you have running, you are asking for a battle that will ultimately lead to a reduction in your final billing. I could provide additional examples but I just wanted to put my 2 cents in for what it’s worth. The carrier won’t be taking your word for it, they’ll be relying on the “expert” they sent in to make sure they got that 10,20,30% reduction in the invoice they are ALWAYS attempting to achieve. I’ve sit in rooms with hundreds of adjusters around the world (as an adjuster) and as a contractor on the flip side debating why I should not have to modify my invoice and I can tell you that the adjusters and consultants are looking for any opportunity they can find to knock that bill down (either justifiably or simply because they are driven by ego).
I would suggest you do take pictures that are clearly visible and provide accurate detail of your location, i.e. when and where the pictures were taken. Have a nice day.
Andrew you wrote an opinion piece no need to apologize, I agree with your point which o think was ” random meter photos with little else is almost useless on an estimate” however i hope you now agree with Ken and Mark and I that well taken organized photos of readings( dry standard, wettest point in each room per material each day, and final day dry readings) are important.
Mitch Byrom IICRC instructor and Xactimate Certified Trainer
Absolutely Mitch, Ken and Mark are on the money. You’ve got to have a reason for everything you do.
I have to politely disagree as well; as an ex-field adjuster, ex restoration project manager and current file examiner at a major carrier in Florida, I can say that the moisture reading photos are somewhat useful in making the determination on whether or not the mitigation invoice is warranted, whether or not the job was monitored properly, extent of the saturation etc. With that said, we all know they are easily faked too, so there is always that element of “I dunno, maybe…..”
Andrew, although I agree with you and your premise that just shooting pictures of moisture meters is useless: nonetheless I have worked with a couple of TPA’s that actually DO require it. CodeBlue comes to mind as one in particular.
Regardless, this practice should never replace an SOP that requires a proper diagram, scope and recorded daily readings. I too have prepared estimates with just this documentation.
I love this thread! I say you can never take too many pictures, only not enough. Then those that need to be included to help tell the ‘story’ of the loss can be included by the estimator. At a previous employer I remember looking through old files and seeing all the unaffected readings as being the same. Wow! Everyone in GA must keep their house at the same temperature!!!
I hit the “send” button prematurely on my last post. I would like to add one more point in support of photographing the moisture meters:
ANSI IICRC S500-2015; page 62:
“15.3.3 Inventory, Packing, Transport and Storage
…
A photo inventory is recommended … Further, a list of photos can include, but is not limited to: … equipment placement, meter readings,…”
The practice is described in the industry’s blue pages of the Standard. I wouldn’t fault anyone who would practice this level of documentation diligence.
Ken L…
I wouldn’t fault them either Ken. I love that you guys are so hot on this subject.
We all benefit when we can teach to a standard, instead of making it up as we go every time.
Good information. I must admit I am guilty of taking pictures of my meter readings. Never again!
If it was a perfect world I would agree. But as a Independent Adjuster nowadays the trust factor is questioned and the photos helps save additional time spent on the claim. A extra email or phone call every other claim adds up.