By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Intake Forms for Roofing Contractors: Storm Damage, Insurance Claims, and Pre-Existing Condition Documentation

A roofing company in central Texas gets a call after a spring hailstorm. The homeowner says the roof is destroyed. The sales rep drives out, walks the roof, agrees there is hail damage, and signs a contingency agreement. Three weeks later the insurance adjuster shows up and approves a repair — not a replacement. The adjuster points to granule loss, cupped shingles, and moss growth that predates the storm by years. The homeowner insists all the damage is from the hail. The contractor is caught in the middle with a signed agreement for work the insurance will not pay for.

This story plays out thousands of times every storm season across the country. It is almost always preventable. The missing piece is not better salesmanship or faster claim filing. It is documentation — specifically, the documentation that happens during the very first contact with the homeowner, before anyone commits to anything.

A structured roofing intake form is the tool that captures that documentation. Not a generic service form with a notes field. Not a contract. A roofing-specific intake that records the condition of the property, the nature of the damage, the insurance situation, and the scope of what the homeowner actually needs — all before the first proposal is written.

Why Pre-Existing Condition Documentation Is the Most Important Section on the Form

In most trades, intake is about understanding what the customer wants. In roofing, intake is about understanding what already exists — because what already exists determines whether the job is profitable, whether the insurance claim gets approved, and whether you end up in a dispute six months after the shingles are nailed down.

Pre-existing conditions are the single largest source of roofing disputes. The homeowner believes everything wrong with the roof is storm damage. The insurance company believes everything wrong with the roof is wear and tear. The truth is usually somewhere in between, and the contractor who documented the roof’s condition before starting any work is the only one with evidence to support their position.

Your intake form should capture pre-existing conditions as a dedicated section, not as a footnote. The fields that matter most:

• Approximate age of the current roof — a 12-year-old architectural shingle with manufacturer-rated 30-year life is in a different position than a 25-year-old three-tab that was due for replacement before the storm ever arrived.
• Number of existing layers — most building codes allow a maximum of two layers. If there are already two layers up there, a tear-off is mandatory regardless of the scope. This field catches the surprise that turns a $9,000 overlay into a $14,000 tear-off-and-replace.
• Last replacement or major repair date — if the homeowner knows when the roof was last touched, it establishes a baseline the adjuster cannot argue with.
• Known leaks or moisture issues — location, severity, how long the leak has been active, and whether any interior damage exists. An active leak that predates the storm is not storm damage, and documenting it protects you from a claim denial that takes your scope with it.
• Previous patch repairs — sealant over cracked flashings, tar patches on flat sections, replaced shingles that do not match the field. These tell you the roof has a history, and that history matters to the adjuster.
• Ventilation condition — ridge vents, soffit vents, turbine vents, power vents, or no ventilation at all. Inadequate ventilation causes premature shingle failure and voids most manufacturer warranties. If you install a new roof on a poorly ventilated attic and the shingles fail in eight years, you own that problem.
• Decking condition (if known) — rotted or delaminated decking is a change-order waiting to happen. If the homeowner reports soft spots or sagging, note it now so the estimate accounts for decking replacement.
• Photo reference numbers — your intake form should have a field to log photo filenames or reference numbers tied to specific conditions. Photos without a paper trail linking them to specific observations lose most of their evidentiary value.

This section of the intake is your insurance policy against the insurance company. When the adjuster argues that the granule loss is age-related, you can point to your intake documentation showing exactly what the roof looked like before any storm damage was claimed. If you skip it, you are trusting the homeowner’s memory and the adjuster’s good faith — and neither of those is a reliable foundation for a five-figure job.

Storm Damage and Insurance Claim Intake: A Completely Different Workflow

Roughly half of all residential roofing work in storm-prone regions is insurance-driven. An insurance job is not a cash job with a third-party payer. It is a fundamentally different workflow with its own timeline, its own approval process, and its own documentation requirements. Your intake form needs to branch when the homeowner says “I want to file a claim” or “my adjuster already came out.”

For storm damage and insurance claims, capture:

• Date and type of storm event — hail, straight-line wind, tornado, fallen tree, hurricane. The date establishes the claim filing window, which varies by carrier and state. Miss it and the claim is dead regardless of how much damage exists.
• Insurance carrier and policy number — you will reference this on every communication with the adjuster, every supplement, and every piece of correspondence for the life of the claim.
• Claim number — if one has been filed. If not, document whether the homeowner wants you to assist with filing or handle it themselves.
• Adjuster assigned — name, phone, email. The adjuster controls whether your scope gets approved, and a good working relationship with the adjuster starts with knowing who they are before you submit your estimate.
• Has an adjuster inspection occurred? — if yes, request a copy of the scope sheet. If no, note that a joint inspection may be necessary. Some adjusters will not approve a scope they did not personally verify.
• Deductible amount — the homeowner’s out-of-pocket obligation. Confirm at intake that the homeowner understands they are responsible for this amount. Absorbing or waiving the deductible is illegal in most states, and the conversation about that needs to happen early.
• Mortgage company — for insurance claims above a threshold (often $10,000–$15,000), the insurance check is made payable to both the homeowner and the mortgage company. The mortgage company then controls disbursement, often requiring inspections at 50% and 100% completion. If you do not capture this at intake, you may complete the job and wait weeks for payment while the mortgage company processes their inspection.
• Public adjuster involvement — has the homeowner hired a public adjuster? If so, you are now dealing with a third party who has their own fee structure (typically 10–15% of the claim) and their own ideas about scope. Document this relationship at intake so your estimating process accounts for it.
• Supplement status — has a supplement been filed? Approved? Denied? Is additional documentation needed? A supplement is a request for additional scope beyond what the adjuster originally approved, and it can take weeks to resolve. Knowing where the supplement stands at intake prevents you from scheduling a crew for a scope that has not been approved.

For out-of-pocket jobs, these fields disappear and your intake shifts to budget range, financing options, and whether the homeowner has competing estimates. A homeowner who already has three bids is in a completely different buying mindset than one who found you on a yard sign.

Initial Assessment: What the Property Tells You

Before you can quote a job, you need to know what you are working with. These fields drive your crew size, equipment needs, material quantities, and safety plan:

• Property type — single-family residential, multi-family, commercial, mixed-use. This determines code requirements, insurance processes, and often whether you need a general contractor’s license or a specialty roofing license.
• Roof type and material — asphalt shingle (three-tab or architectural), metal (standing seam, corrugated, or stone-coated steel), tile (clay or concrete), slate, flat membrane (TPO, EPDM, or PVC), modified bitumen, wood shake. Each material has different tear-off requirements, disposal costs, and installation methods.
• Number of stories — a single-story ranch is a different safety and logistics profile than a three-story Victorian. Height affects ladder setup, material staging, and fall protection requirements.
• Roof pitch — a walkable 4/12 pitch is a fundamentally different job than a steep 12/12 that requires harnesses, toe boards, and specialized equipment. Pitch affects labor hours, safety costs, and which crews can work the job.
• Number of roof planes, valleys, and penetrations — complex geometry means more flashing, more cutting, more waste factor, and more labor. A simple gable roof is half the work of a hip roof with dormers, skylights, and multiple penetrations.
• Square footage or number of squares — your starting point for material calculation. If the homeowner has a prior estimate, capture the square count from that estimate as a reference.

If you also handle property inspections, some of these fields will already be familiar. The difference is that a roofing intake asks them in service of a specific scope, not a general condition report.

Scope of Work: Replacement, Repair, or Overlay

The scope decision happens early, and your intake form should capture both what the homeowner wants and what the roof actually needs, because those are not always the same thing.

• Full replacement vs. repair vs. overlay — each has different permit requirements, material needs, and warranty implications. An overlay (new shingles over existing) is cheaper but limited to roofs with one existing layer and sound decking.
• Tear-off required? — if yes, how many layers are coming off? Tear-off drives disposal costs and labor hours.
• Material selection — architectural shingles vs. three-tab, metal type and profile, color. Color selection affects lead time — some colors are special-order with 2–4 week lead times.
• Underlayment specification — synthetic vs. felt, self-adhering vs. mechanically fastened. Some manufacturers require specific underlayment for warranty coverage.
• Ice and water shield — required by code in cold climates (typically 24 inches past the interior wall line). In insurance work, this is an upgrade the adjuster may or may not approve.
• Flashing scope — step flashing, counter flashing, drip edge, valley flashing. Reusing existing flashing saves money but introduces warranty risk. Document the homeowner’s preference and your recommendation.
• Ventilation upgrades — adding ridge vent, replacing turbines with static vents, adding soffit ventilation. Many manufacturers require balanced intake-to-exhaust ventilation for warranty coverage.

This section prevents scope creep — the most expensive problem in roofing. When the homeowner calls mid-job asking for a different color or an additional skylight, you can point to the intake form showing exactly what was agreed to during the initial assessment. Without it, every conversation becomes a he-said-she-said negotiation on an active job site.

Permits and Code Compliance

Roofing permit requirements vary dramatically by jurisdiction. Some municipalities require permits for any roofing work. Others only require them for full replacements or structural changes. Skipping the permit is a gamble that puts your license and your customer’s property at risk.

• Permit jurisdiction — city, county, or township. Some areas have overlapping jurisdictions with different requirements.
• Permit responsibility — contractor-pulled or homeowner-pulled. In most jurisdictions, the licensed contractor is expected to pull the permit. Clarify this at intake to avoid the job stalling over a $150 permit nobody applied for.
• Current code requirements — International Residential Code (IRC) with local amendments. Wind uplift ratings matter in coastal and high-wind zones. Energy code compliance (cool roof requirements, reflective coatings) is increasingly common.
• HOA restrictions — color restrictions, material restrictions, style requirements, architectural review board approval. A homeowner who picks a standing-seam metal roof in a shingle-only HOA creates a problem you want to catch before ordering $15,000 in materials.
• Historic district status — historic preservation requirements can dictate materials, methods, and even the color of replacement shingles. Working in a historic district without proper approvals can result in forced removal of the new roof.

Material and Labor Warranty: Set Expectations at Intake

Warranty conversations belong at intake, not at the final invoice. What you promise and what the manufacturer covers are two different things, and the homeowner needs to understand both before signing anything.

• Manufacturer warranty level — standard (typically 25–30 year limited) vs. extended (50-year or lifetime). Extended warranties often require certified installer status, specific installation methods, and complete system products from a single manufacturer.
• Workmanship warranty terms — what your company covers and for how long. Two years? Five? Ten? What voids it? Document your terms at intake so they match the final contract exactly.
• What voids the warranty — improper ventilation, unauthorized repairs, failure to maintain. These exclusions need to be documented from the start so the homeowner cannot claim ignorance when a warranty claim is denied because they let moss grow for five years.
• Existing warranty status — is the current roof still under a manufacturer or contractor warranty? If so, a repair might be covered under the existing warranty, which could change the entire scope and payment structure.

Financing Documentation

A new roof is a $8,000–$25,000 purchase for most homeowners. Many cannot or will not pay that out of pocket. Your intake form should capture the financing situation early because it affects your timeline and your cash flow:

• Payment method — cash/check, credit card, in-house financing, third-party financing (GreenSky, Hearth, Service Finance), or insurance proceeds.
• Insurance proceeds assignment — in some states, the homeowner can assign insurance benefits directly to the contractor. In others, assignment of benefits (AOB) is restricted or banned. Know your state’s rules and document the arrangement at intake.
• Payment schedule — deposit amount, progress payment milestones, final payment terms. For insurance jobs, payment often follows the insurance company’s disbursement schedule, which you cannot control. Document the expected schedule so the homeowner is not surprised when you request payment before the insurance check has cleared.
• Credit application status — if financing is needed, has the homeowner been pre-approved? Pre-approval before material ordering prevents the situation where you have $12,000 in materials on your account and the homeowner’s financing falls through.

The Subcontractor Question

Many roofing companies use subcontracted crews for all or part of their installation work. This is standard practice, but it creates a documentation gap that your intake process needs to address.

If you use subcontractors, your intake form should include fields for:

• Will subcontracted labor be used? — yes or no. Transparency here builds trust and prevents disputes when the homeowner sees a crew they do not recognize.
• Subcontractor insurance verification — your form should note that subcontractor certificates of insurance are on file. If a subcontractor’s worker falls off the homeowner’s roof and the sub is uninsured, the homeowner’s homeowner’s insurance may be on the hook.
• Chain of responsibility — who does the homeowner call with questions or concerns? You, not the sub. Document this clearly so the homeowner does not try to direct the subcontractor’s crew independently.

This is not just good business practice. In many states, the general contractor or roofing contractor of record is liable for subcontractor work regardless of the contractual arrangement. Documenting the relationship at intake creates a clear record of the chain of responsibility.

Safety, Access, and Site Logistics

Roofing has site logistics that other trades simply do not deal with. Your intake form needs to capture all of it because showing up unprepared costs you a half day of labor:

• Property access — gate codes, locked gates, security systems, gated community guest procedures. If the delivery truck cannot get to the property at 6:30 AM on material delivery day, you have a problem.
• Dumpster placement — driveway, street, side yard. Does the municipality require a street permit for dumpster placement? Is the driveway long enough for a roll-off? Can a truck access the dumpster location for pickup?
• Material staging area — where will pallets of shingles go? Boom truck access for rooftop delivery vs. hand-carrying bundles up a ladder changes your labor estimate.
• Landscaping and structures to protect — flower beds, shrubs, outdoor furniture, pool, hot tub, deck, patio. Tar paper, shingle debris, and nails rain down during a tear-off. Anything below the roofline that is not protected will be damaged.
• Pets — dogs in the yard, cats that go outside. Nail cleanup is critical but not instantaneous. A dog stepping on a roofing nail is a liability and a relationship disaster.
• Power line proximity — overhead utility lines near the roof edge are a serious OSHA concern. Document their location at intake so you can plan ladder placement and contact the utility company if a temporary disconnect is needed.
• Parking — space for crew trucks, material delivery, and the dumpster. Tight residential streets create real problems on delivery day. Note whether street parking permits are needed.

Every one of these fields represents a situation where showing up without the information costs you money, time, or a customer relationship. Capturing them at intake is cheaper than dealing with them on site.

Emergency and Temporary Repair Intake

Not every roofing call is a planned replacement. Some are emergencies — a tree through the roof, a catastrophic leak during a rainstorm, storm damage that requires immediate tarping to prevent interior water damage. Emergency work has a completely different intake process because the scope, the authorization, and the timeline are all compressed.

For emergency and temporary repairs, your intake form should capture:

• Nature of the emergency — active leak, structural damage, tree impact, missing section of roof. This determines whether you are sending a tarp crew or a structural repair team.
• Temporary vs. permanent repair authorization — is the homeowner authorizing a tarp and temporary seal, or a permanent repair? This distinction matters for billing, warranty, and insurance purposes.
• Emergency service pricing acknowledgment — emergency rates differ from scheduled work. Document the pricing structure before dispatching a crew so there are no disputes when the invoice arrives.
• Insurance notification — has the homeowner notified their insurance carrier? Emergency mitigation (tarping, board-up) is typically covered even before the claim is fully processed, but only if it is documented properly.

Emergency intake is faster than planned-work intake, but it is not less important. A tarp job that is not documented becomes a liability when the permanent repair crew shows up and finds damage that may or may not have existed before the tarp was installed.

Why a Roofing-Specific Form Beats a Generic One

A generic contractor intake form does not have fields for claim numbers, deductible amounts, roof pitch, existing layers, ventilation type, or dumpster placement permits. You end up writing this information in margins, in text messages, on the back of business cards, or not capturing it at all. Then your estimator arrives on site missing critical details. Your office cannot answer the adjuster’s questions about pre-existing conditions. Your crew discovers two layers of shingles nobody mentioned. And the profit margin on a job that should have been straightforward disappears into change orders and callbacks.

The paperwork every contractor needs starts with a form built for their specific trade. For roofing, that means fields for insurance claims, pre-existing conditions, material specifications, permit requirements, and site logistics — all in one document that the sales rep fills out during the first site visit.

At $12.99 for a complete roofing intake and questionnaire set, it costs less than a single bundle of architectural shingles. And it prevents disputes that cost thousands.