Log template
- Area
- Floor 12 corridor
- Owner of area
- Building (common)
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
- Area
- Suite 1200
- Owner of area
- Tenant A
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
- Area
- Suite 1250
- Owner of area
- Tenant B
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
- Area
- Floor 11 restrooms
- Owner of area
- Building (common)
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
- Area
- Suite 1100
- Owner of area
- Tenant C
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
- Area
- Riser shaft, floors 10 to 12
- Owner of area
- Building (common)
- Date
- Condition and readings
- Work done
- Photo refs
Use one row per area per day. Keep photo file names matched to the row.
Why separate logs matter
Restoration invoices often arrive as one bill for the whole building. If the documentation behind it is not split by area, the owner's adjuster and each tenant's adjuster have to guess what belongs to whom. That slows payment and creates disputes. When moisture readings, photos, equipment counts and labor are tracked by area from the start, each carrier can review its share.
Many restoration contractors use estimating software, commonly Xactimate, and can structure an estimate by room or area. Ask for that on the first day. It is much harder to reconstruct afterward.
Contents add another layer. A tenant's furniture, equipment and inventory belong on that tenant's own inventory, with photos and, where possible, model numbers and purchase records.
What belongs in the loss file
- Source photos and the repair invoice for whatever failed.
- Daily moisture maps, by floor and area.
- Equipment logs showing what ran in each area and for how many days.
- Removal records: what materials were taken out of each suite and why.
- Contents inventories prepared by each tenant.
- Copies of every tenant notice sent.
- Correspondence with each insurer, dated.
- Final dry verification by area.
Questions to ask the restoration contractor on day one
- Can your estimate and invoice be split by suite and common area?
- Will your daily moisture logs list readings by location on a floor plan?
- How will you label photos so each one ties to an area and date?
- Who on your side keeps the documentation, and how will it be shared with the property manager?
- Will you meet each adjuster on site if asked?
Common questions
How many photos are enough?
More than seems necessary. For each area, take wide shots showing where it is in the building, medium shots of damaged materials, and close-ups of labels, model numbers and meter readings. Take the same views again after removal and at final dry verification.
Should the property manager keep a separate log from the contractor's?
Yes. A short daily note from the manager's side, covering who was on site, what was decided and what tenants reported, complements the contractor's technical logs and is useful if questions arise later.
What about losses that cross into a residential unit?
Treat the unit like another suite: its own row, its own photos and its own readings, labeled with the unit number so the association and the owner's insurer can follow it.
General information for Downtown Denver, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.