What a property survey records before the repair estimate starts

The first visit is where the file is won or lost. A property survey should record what was damaged, what was only affected by smoke or water, and what was already worn before the loss.

Measurements, photographs, and a simple sketch of the affected area keep the later estimate tied to the building, not to a verbal description. Cause and extent should be written separately so the repair figure does not have to carry both jobs.

Once those notes are in the file, the repair estimate can be checked against them. Items that were never seen on site should not appear in the final recommendation.