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The window for capturing water damage evidence closes fast. Materials absorb, secondary damage develops, and the visible extent of a loss changes within hours of a leak or flood. The documentation you capture in the first visit determines what the adjuster can approve — and what ends up in dispute.
This guide covers exactly what to document, when to capture it, and how to produce a report that holds up through the claims process.
Insurance adjusters review claims remotely. They weren't on site. Everything they know about the loss comes from your documentation. A set of 200 untagged photos in a Dropbox folder is not documentation — it's a folder. Adjusters need photos that are GPS-tagged, timestamped, organised by location, and presented in a format they can navigate without a site visit.
The gap between a fast claim approval and a prolonged dispute is almost always a documentation quality problem, not an actual coverage question.
The most important documentation happens before you touch anything. This is your baseline record of the loss as it existed when your crew arrived.
Photograph every affected room from multiple angles. Document ceiling, walls, floor, and any visible moisture migration paths. Capture the water source and point of entry. Photograph adjacent rooms even if damage appears minor — hidden moisture spreads.
Document any damage that is clearly not related to the current loss event. Previous staining, old repairs, pre-existing mould. These photos protect against the homeowner later attributing existing damage to your job.
Every moisture meter reading needs to be photographed with the reading visible in the frame, at the location it was taken. This becomes your drying log baseline. Manifold lets you attach these photos to specific checklist items, so readings are tied to a location and timestamp, not floating loose in a folder.
A flat photo shows what damage looks like. A 3D model shows its spatial extent. For large-loss jobs, an Orbit Measure walkthrough of the primary affected area gives the adjuster a navigable spatial record they can measure from — without a site visit. Works on any iOS or Android phone, no LiDAR hardware required.
Once documentation is complete, Manifold generates a branded PDF report with a single tap — all photos organised by location and timestamp, moisture reading progression, and the completed checklist. The adjuster gets a structured document they can act on. The restoration company keeps a copy as a permanent record.
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Document pre-existing conditions before any treatment, affected areas from multiple angles with GPS-tagged timestamps, moisture meter readings photographed at each location, equipment placement, daily drying progress, material removal, any hidden damage discovered, and final readings confirming drying targets were met. Manifold organises all of this automatically by location and timestamp.
Manifold generates a structured PDF report with one tap — all photos organised by location and timestamp, moisture reading progression, completed checklists, and a shareable 3D walkthrough link if an Orbit Measure scan was captured. The report is designed for adjuster review without requiring a site visit.
Orbit Measure is a 3D scanning feature in Manifold that works on any iOS or Android phone without LiDAR. Walk a water-damaged space for 60 seconds to capture a measurable 3D model showing the spatial extent of damage — which determines scope and directly affects claim value. The model is shareable via a link.
The first visit is the most critical — conditions change fast as materials absorb moisture and secondary damage develops. Everything should be captured before anything is moved or treated, with GPS-tagged, timestamped photos organised by location. The baseline established at the first visit determines what the adjuster can approve.
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