Before an adjuster meeting, document the roof slope by slope with overview and close-up photos, record test squares with marked hits, photograph collateral damage on soft metals and elevations, note ventilation and flashing conditions, identify the existing shingle, capture interior evidence, and bring a measurement report with per-facet area, pitch, and linear quantities so every number you discuss has a source.
- →Photograph in a fixed order every time so nothing gets missed
- →Test squares with marked hits are the backbone of a hail file
- →Collateral damage on soft metals corroborates the roof
- →Bring measured geometry — do not debate quantities from memory
- →Document conditions, not conclusions; let the evidence make the argument
The adjuster meeting is decided before it starts. Whoever arrives with organized, complete documentation sets the frame; whoever arrives with a phone full of unsorted photos spends the meeting on defense. This checklist is the order we recommend running every inspection in, so the record comes out the same every time regardless of who performed it.
Before you leave the office
- Pull the measurement report for the address so you know facet count, pitch, and access before you arrive
- Confirm date of loss and check what weather was recorded for that location and date
- Review the carrier estimate if one already exists, and mark the items you expect to discuss
- Confirm the jurisdiction's adopted code so you know which code items are in play
- Charge everything; bring chalk, a tape, a pitch gauge, a ladder appropriate to the height, and fall protection
Exterior ground documentation
- Street view showing the house number
- All four elevations, full structure in frame
- Soft metal collateral: gutters, downspouts, fascia wraps, vents, AC condenser fins, mailbox, grills, garage door
- Window screens, wraps, and painted surfaces
- Fence and deck surfaces where present
- Landscape debris and any storm-related damage on the property
Soft-metal damage is the strongest supporting evidence for a hail file because it is easy to verify and hard to explain away. Photograph it with something in frame for scale.
On the roof: slope by slope
Work one slope at a time and finish it before moving. Mixing slopes is how photo sets become unusable.
- Overview photo of the slope with an orientation reference
- Chalk a test square and photograph it whole, with the slope direction identifiable
- Mark each hit inside the square and photograph the marked square
- Close-ups of representative hits, with a coin or gauge for scale
- Ridge and hip cap condition
- Valley condition and any open or closed valley detail
- Rake and eave edges, including drip edge presence or absence
- Every penetration: pipe boots, vents, exhaust, skylights, satellite mounts
- Flashing: step, counter, chimney, wall, and any kick-out
- Any prior repair, mismatched shingle, or evidence of earlier work
Measurements to take while you are up there
| Measurement | Why it matters | How to capture |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch by slope | Drives surface area, steep charges, and safety requirements | Pitch gauge photo on each distinct plane |
| One eave length | Spot-checks the report's geometry | Tape plus photo |
| Layer count | Tear-off line items | Edge or vent penetration photo showing layers |
| Decking type and spacing | Re-decking and code items | Photo from attic or during tear-off |
| Shingle identification | Like kind and quality specification | Manufacturer stamp, wrapper, or clear close-up |
| Ventilation type and count | Net free area and code compliance | Photos plus a count per slope |
Spot-check rather than re-measure. Bring the measurement report with you and verify one length and one pitch against it; if those agree, the facet table and linear quantities almost always do too, and you have a document to reference instead of a field tape number nobody can check later.
Interior and attic
- Ceiling stains, with a moisture reading where you have a meter
- Attic decking underside — daylight, staining, or wet sheathing
- Insulation condition beneath any suspected leak path
- Bath and kitchen exhaust termination — a common code and workmanship item
- Any evidence of prior leak repair
Organize before the meeting
An unsorted camera roll is not documentation. Build the packet the same day while your memory is fresh:
- Cover page: address, date of loss, claim number, inspection date, inspector
- Measurement report with diagrams
- Elevation and collateral section
- One section per slope, in a fixed order, with captions naming the slope
- Test square section with hit counts
- Flashing, ventilation, and penetration section
- Interior section
- Notes: conditions observed, ambiguities, and items you intend to discuss
How to conduct yourself at the meeting
- Show conditions, not conclusions — let the adjuster reach the finding from the same evidence you saw
- Keep the conversation on documented items; skip anything you did not photograph
- Have the measurement report open when quantities come up, not your memory
- Take notes on what is agreed and what is open, and confirm them in writing the same day
- Ask for declines in writing with a reason — a documented reason is usually answerable
- Be professional about the carrier and the adjuster; adversarial files move slower
After the meeting
Send a same-day written summary of what was discussed, what was agreed, and what remains open, with the packet attached. This single habit prevents most of the "that was never discussed" friction that shows up weeks later when a supplement is submitted, and it gives you a dated record if the file needs escalation.
Then compare the resulting estimate against your measured scope line by line. Anything missing, underscoped, or specified wrong becomes the supplement, and the documentation you just assembled is already most of the package.
Arrive with the numbers already sourced
Order a $10 measurement report before the inspection so facet areas, pitch, and linear quantities are in hand, review a full sample report to see what the adjuster will be looking at, and build the follow-up scope in the AI estimator.