Here’s something most people learn the hard way: the drying doesn’t get you paid. The documentation does. I’ve run 5,000+ water jobs and served as a mold expert in attorney cases, and the contractor with clean records wins almost every time.

1. Photos before you touch anything

Walk in and photograph everything first: the source of the water, standing water, stains, damaged materials, and wide shots of every affected room. Once you move or remove something, you can’t go back and prove what it looked like.

2. Moisture readings from day one

Take readings on day one, every day during drying, and on the last day. Write down where each reading was taken. Those numbers prove the materials were wet, show the drying is working, and prove the job is done. A simple moisture map, a sketch of the room with your readings marked, shuts down a lot of questions before they’re asked.

3. A daily drying log

Each day, note what equipment is running and where, the readings, and what changed. It takes a few minutes, and it’s what turns your estimate from “trust me” into evidence.

4. Document what you remove

Before you cut drywall or pull baseboards, photograph it and note why it has to come out. If you find mold, stop, photograph it and note its size and location. If there’s ever a question about whether it was there before you arrived, your records answer it.

5. Get the agreement in writing

Before the first air mover goes down, get the scope, payment terms and timeline in writing. Most payment fights start because nobody wrote down what was agreed on day one.

Why this matters so much

Without documentation, estimates get cut, invoices sit unpaid, and disputes go against you. With it, adjusters approve faster, property managers trust you with the next job, and you’re protected if anything is ever questioned. It’s the difference between a business and a guy with fans.

Get the templates

Module 2 of the 6-Figure Launchpad covers inspection and documentation in detail, and Module 8 gives you plug-and-play templates for intake, dry logs and invoices, so you’re not building them from scratch.

Keep reading: Mold After Water Damage: What Every Water Tech Needs to Know · How Plumbers Can Make Six Figures With Water Damage Jobs