Satellite measurement

More estimating & workflow terms

• Roof decking

  The structural surface the roof covering is attached to, usually plywood or oriented strand board. It sits above the rafters and below the underlayment and shingles. When decking is soaked or delaminated it is often replaced in sections, and that work is a separate line item from the shingle repair.

• Roof pitch

  The steepness of a roof, expressed as a rise over run (e.g. 4/12 = 4 inches of rise per 12 inches of run). Pitch affects the installation method, safety, and steep/high charges.

• Scope agreement

  A written document confirming exactly what work was authorized and at what price, separate from the insurance estimate. It protects both sides when the carrier's approved scope and the contractor's work order differ. Sign it before starting, not after.

• Scope creep

  Work that grows beyond the approved estimate without a written change order or carrier approval. It is how contractors end up doing extra work they never get paid for. Every addition needs documentation and a signature before the work happens.

• Scope of work

  The detailed list of repairs and materials needed to restore the property, written either by the insurer's estimator or as the contractor's proposal. A thin scope of work means supplements later, which slows payment. Missing items are the most common source of dispute.

• Scope sheet

  The field document where an adjuster or contractor records what damage was found, what work is needed, and what materials it takes. It becomes the basis for the estimate the carrier writes. Compare it against your own measurements before you accept the number.

Common questions