By Restoration Advertising · 10/06/2026
What a Restoration Job File Should Contain
A practical checklist for the records every restoration job should leave behind, built on the topics IICRC says its S500 water damage standard covers.
Why does the job file matter?
Customers, adjusters and your own crews all ask the same questions after a job: what was wrong, what you did, and how you know it was dry. A complete job file answers them without a phone call. It also helps you price the next job, defend a bill and train new technicians.
The industry's water damage standard, ANSI/IICRC S500, is titled the Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration. IICRC lists what it covers, including administrative procedures, project documentation and risk management; inspections, preliminary determinations and pre-restoration evaluations; psychrometry and drying technology; equipment, instruments and tools; and safety and health (IICRC: ANSI/IICRC S500, page undated). The full text is sold by IICRC, so read the current edition rather than relying on a summary, including this one.
This article is a practical checklist built around those headings. It is not the standard, and it does not replace it or your insurer's requirements.
What to put in every job file
Intake and scope
Who called, when, what they reported, the address, access arrangements and who has authority to approve work.
Inspection findings
What you found on arrival: the source, the affected areas, the materials involved and any preliminary determinations about the water and the building.
Safety notes
Hazards you identified, what you told the customer and what protective measures were used.
Daily readings
Moisture and environmental readings, where they were taken and when, so you can show drying progress.
Equipment log
What was placed, where, when it went in and when it came out.
Photos and sign-offs
Dated photos before, during and after, plus written approvals for changes in scope.
How do you keep it from becoming paperwork nobody does?
- Make it part of the visit, not an afterthought. The technician fills in readings and photos on site, before leaving.
- One format for every job. If records differ by technician, the file is useless when you need it.
- Decide who reviews it. A quick check by a manager before a job closes catches gaps while the memory is fresh.
- Keep it where the office can find it. A customer or insurer may ask months later.
Customers are being told to ask for these records. Our homeowner article on reading a restoration estimate before you sign advises asking for moisture readings and equipment logs at each visit. See also documenting your loss before the cleanup starts and water extraction and drying: what to expect.
For the wider picture of running intake and scheduling so jobs do not slip, see systems that let a restoration company take on more jobs. Want help with your own process? See for restoration companies.
Your checklist
- Intake notes with time, source and approver
- Inspection findings and safety notes recorded on site
- Readings logged with place and time
- Equipment placed and removed, with dates
- Dated photos at each stage
- Written approval for any change in scope
- A manager reviews the file before the job closes
FAQ
What is ANSI/IICRC S500?
IICRC titles it the Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration and lists topics that include project documentation, psychrometry and drying technology, and safety and health. The full text is sold by IICRC.
Does this article replace the standard?
No. It is a practical checklist built around the topics IICRC says the standard covers. Read the current edition and your insurer's requirements.
Who should keep the job file?
Your office should keep it in one place where it can be found later, and a manager should review it before each job closes.
Researched and drafted with AI, then reviewed and edited by the site's editors.