Property Checklist

Water damage document checklist

Photos, videos, moisture readings, receipts, mitigation records, policy questions, and repair proof to collect after water damage.

Best for: Owners, sellers, landlords, and tenants documenting pipe bursts, appliance leaks, roof leaks, HVAC drain overflows, wet ceilings, and wet flooring.

Use when: Use this before cleanup, demolition, equipment pickup, an adjuster visit, a restoration invoice dispute, or a sale disclosure conversation.

Do not enter unsafe areas. Sewage, floodwater, sagging ceilings, electrical risk, gas smell, unsafe air, or active water you cannot stop need qualified help.

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What proof should I save before cleanup changes things?

Use this to save photos, dates, receipts, readings, quotes, repair proof, and damaged-item notes.

Start here: Check the boxes you already have, then use the missing boxes as your question list.

Quote: The price and work list someone gave you.

Scope: What is included and what is not included.

Proof: Photos, receipts, readings, reports, and notes.

Deductible: The money you may pay before insurance helps.

Cleanup: Stop, dry, remove, clean, or make safe.

Rebuild: Put the home back together: walls, floors, cabinets, paint, and fixtures.

Starting proof

Water damage gets harder to prove after fans, demolition, disposal, or repairs change the room.

Date and time discovered

Core

Write the exact discovery time and the likely start time if known.

Before-cleanup photos and videos

Core

Capture wide room views, close source photos, waterline, ceiling, wall, floor, cabinets, contents, and exterior storm evidence when relevant.

Source note

Core

Record whether the source appears to be pipe, appliance, roof, HVAC drain, sewer, floodwater, storm opening, or unknown.

Receipts and emergency calls

Save plumber, roofer, HVAC, restoration, tarp, hotel, equipment, and supply receipts.

Drying and mitigation proof

A dry-out plan should be proven with readings and scope, not only equipment days.

Moisture readings

Core

Ask for initial and final readings by material and room.

Moisture map

Save a room-by-room map showing what was wet, what was monitored, and what was removed.

Equipment log

Record air movers, dehumidifiers, scrubbers, equipment days, and monitoring visits.

Dry standard or completion proof

Ask what readings prove the area was dry before equipment pickup.

Do not accept equipment pickup as proof by itself.

Money and rebuild proof

Cleanup, demolition, contents, and rebuild can become different payment and contractor decisions.

Mitigation authorization and invoice

Core

Keep what you signed, the line-item invoice, exclusions, and payment responsibility language.

Rebuild scope

Separate drywall, flooring, cabinets, paint, trim, insulation, electrical, HVAC, permits, and finish matching.

Policy documents

Collect declarations page, deductible, claim number, ACV/RCV language, water backup endorsement, flood policy, and insurer letters.

Contents inventory

Photograph damaged personal property before disposal and save receipts or replacement proof.

Before you act

Use the first-24-hours guide before cleanup changes evidence.
Run water cost, dry-out, claim-or-cash, and restoration bid checks before signing a vague scope.
Package photos, readings, receipts, policy questions, and rebuild gaps in the decision packet.

Decision packet prompt

Build a packet with source, photos, moisture readings, mitigation authorization, deductible, claim status, rebuild scope, contents inventory, and missing proof.

Open the decision packet

Use this before requesting or accepting an estimate

A checklist is useful before monetization: collect the evidence first, then use it to run the calculator, compare the bid, build the packet, or request a cleaner estimate. Do not send private claim documents through Kefiw unless a page explicitly explains how that information is handled.

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Checklist FAQ

Should I wait to use this checklist until the claim is open?

No. The checklist is useful before cleanup, before signing, before filing, before an adjuster visit, and before sale or rental documentation conversations.

Does this checklist decide coverage or contract terms?

No. It helps organize proof and questions. Verify policy, contract, safety, legal, and local-rule issues with qualified sources.

What should I do after completing it?

Run the related calculator, build the Property Decision Packet, compare the bid, or request an estimate only after the key proof and missing questions are visible.