Building an estimate for a roofing restoration project can seem like a simple task for a contractor or an adjuster who has been in the game for a while. However, how accurate are those estimates? How defensible are the estimates? If the roofing project was an insurance claim, how quickly did the claim close? Was there an exorbitant amount of back and forth on who is right and what items should be covered by the policy? To ease your headache after thinking about the nuances of a roofing claim, we are here to give you 3 steps to a defensible estimate that you can try today. 

1. Get the jurisdiction right the first time.

Based on proprietary data, we have found that by using the zip code or city name alone to define jurisdiction for a property within the United States, one will be wrong 40-50% of the time. Wait, what?! Jurisdiction cannot be defined by using the US postal address for a property. Which can be very frustrating for a contractor or adjuster trying to find what should be simple information.  And, if you get the jurisdiction wrong, your estimate could be off by upwards of 25%! That means that you could be leaving thousands of dollars on every claim on the table. 

By using systems like OneClick Code, you will instantly see the correct jurisdiction for any given property address in the United States. We do the heavy lifting for you. OneClick Code uses patent-pending data to define jurisdiction for properties across the U.S. so that you don't have to guess anymore. Having the correct jurisdiction identified is the first step towards a defensible estimate. 

2. Prove Enforcement & Requirements for Building Codes

Building code enforcement is one of the topics that we hear about frequently in the industry surrounding insurance claims. The common comparison for code enforcement is whether or not the speed limit is enforced at all times for drivers on the roadways. At OneClick Code, we understand the importance of code compliance and therefore provide evidence for each property on whether or not the code is enforced and which items are required by law to be on the structure at that given time.  

Each code item adds another layer or defensibility for an estimate. Take Ice & Water Shield for instance. This one line item can be required for property A but not required for property B based on jurisdictional requirements. However, both of these properties could be right across the street from one another. This one line item can increase or decrease an estimate by over $1500! Having the correct information regarding code enforcement and knowing which codes are required for that property is the second step in creating a defensible estimate. 

3. Documentation, Documentation, Documentation

Ok, so we have jurisdiction and code enforcement and requirements down. Now what? Saying that a code is required or enforced is often not enough to provide a defensible estimate for a roofing project. What we need is solid proof about jurisdiction, code enforcement, and code requirements. 

Garrett Kurtt, the founder and CEO of OneClick Code knows this well. As an adjuster, roofer, and estimator, Garrett knew that he needed to provide documentation that could not be disputed. OneClick Code was created to do just that. We provide our users with comprehensive documents to back up all of the trusted information on our platform. These documents include a letter from participating municipalities stating if Ice & Water Shield is required, a full code detail PDF which provides all of the code language for each line item required or not required, and a detailed PDF displaying manufacturer requirements against required code for that property. We are adding more documents every day to help our users have the most solid proof for their estimates. 

You could spend your time creating spreadsheets, manually tracking down information, and writing letter after letter to build a defensible estimate. However, there are many tools out there that can help you succeed at the level that you deserve. OneClick Code was designed to be the first tool that contractors and adjusters turn to since jurisdiction and code requirements are the building blocks of a defensible estimate. Once you have a solid foundation in your estimate, the other stuff is easy.

We hope this helps you build a stronger estimate for your next project! Reach out to OneClick Code today if you have any questions or need some guidance on how to use OneClick Code to your advantage.