Restoration GCs working insurance losses don't just need clean framing — they need a paper trail that survives the adjuster review and any downstream litigation. As a subcontractor, our job isn't only to remove soot; it's to leave behind documentation a claim file can absorb without friction.
What the standards require
IICRC S500 (water damage) and S520 (mold) both impose documentation requirements on every restoration step. Mechanical cleaning of structural materials is a regulated step: scope must be defined, work must be witnessed or photographed, and surfaces must be verified clean before the next phase begins. Soot removal under S500 inherits the same documentation discipline.
Per-area record
- Room or area ID matching the GC's site map
- Surface type (framing, masonry, joists, decking) and approximate square footage
- Start and end time of cleaning
- Operator initials and crew lead sign-off
- Before, during, and after photos at consistent angles
- Notes on adjacent salvage decisions or anomalies
Photo discipline
Three-angle minimum per area: wide context shot, mid-range showing the surface in question, and close-up showing the detail. Photos timestamped automatically by the camera or phone. We deliver a single PDF and a CSV index per job — both formats most claim-management systems can ingest directly.
Adjuster walks
We attend adjuster walks when requested and we don't speak on scope outside our line item. Our role on the walk is to confirm what was cleaned, when, and to what visual standard. Scope debate stays between the GC and the adjuster.
Chain of custody
For commercial losses with potential subrogation we maintain a chain-of-custody log on any waste material removed from the site. Most residential losses don't need it; commercial and industrial often do.