Water damage jobs without turning your phone into a courtroom

You are not a claims adjuster. You are someone who tears out wet stuff and puts buildings back together. Still, the photos you take on day one often decide whether a carrier argues about what was “pre-existing.” So shoot like someone who will forget the smell by Thursday.

Practical sequence

Establish the room. Show the source if it is visible (supply line, failed pan, ice dam stain pattern). Capture materials affected—subfloor, base trim, cabinetry—toes of cabinets love to hide swelling. Meter readings in frame if you carry one. After tear-out, shoot framing and cavity air before it goes closed again.

Keep claims language out of your mouth in captions

Describe what you see (“staining 18” up drywall at north wall”) not legal conclusions. Let adjusters do their job; your job is a clear visual chain.

Not insurance or legal advice—just field habits.