What a scope of work is
A scope of work lists what a contractor will do, where, with what equipment and under what conditions. It is the document your insurer, your contractor and you can all point to when questions come up.
It is different from a price quote, although the two are often combined. The scope says what will happen, and the price says what it will cost.
The sections you should see
| Section | What it tells you | Ask about it if |
|---|---|---|
| Loss description | Source, date and type of water | It is vague or wrong. |
| Affected areas | Rooms, floors and square footage | A room you think is wet is missing. |
| Water category | Clean, gray or black | It is missing. |
| Tasks | Extraction, removal, drying, cleaning, repair | Any step is unclear. |
| Equipment | Air movers, dehumidifiers and days | No days or counts are given. |
| Materials removed | What leaves the house and why | Items are listed without reasons. |
| Exclusions | What is not included | There are none listed. |
| Change process | How added work is approved | It is not described. |
Terms you will see
Extraction is removing water, and demolition or tear out means removing damaged materials. Drying covers air movers, dehumidifiers and monitoring, and containment means sealing off an area, usually with plastic.
Antimicrobial application is a treatment applied to surfaces, and monitoring is the daily readings that show progress. Reconstruction or repair means putting back what was removed.
If a term is unfamiliar, ask for a plain description of what will physically happen.
Red flags in a scope
- A single lump sum with no tasks listed.
- Words like as needed without any limit or approval step.
- No mention of drying readings or documentation.
- Pressure to sign before you have time to read.
- A statement about what your insurer will pay.
A short example of how a line reads
A clear line item reads something like this: remove and dispose of wet carpet pad in the living room, about one hundred and twenty square feet, due to water from a supply line break. It names the task, the place, the size and the reason.
A vague line reads something like this: demo as needed. It tells you nothing about what will leave your house or why, so ask for it to be rewritten with specifics.
Keeping your scope useful over time
Store the scope, the change orders and the final invoice together. If a leak returns or a buyer asks about past repairs years later, the file tells the story.
Take a photo of each page, and email a copy to yourself so you are not relying on a paper copy that could get wet.
Where the published standard fits in a scope
The ANSI/IICRC S500 standard is the published reference many scopes are built on. When a scope lists water categories or loss classes, those terms come from that standard.
Knowing this helps you ask what category and class the company assigned and why. Citing the standard is not a claim that anyone holds a certificate.
Romulus note: why a written scope matters after storms
Romulus note: official facts
The National Weather Service storm report for July 28, 2025 lists 3.31 inches of rain measured in Romulus in about an hour and a half, with flooded roadways and stranded vehicles. When many homes are affected at once, a clear written scope keeps your job from being rushed or confused with someone else's.
Michigan DIFS advises policyholders to take pictures or video of damage and to keep damaged items until the insurer instructs otherwise. A written scope that matches those photos makes a claim easier to review.
Matching the scope to the damage
Walk through the house with the scope in hand. Check that each wet room is listed, that the demolition matches what you saw and that the drying plan covers the lower levels as well.
For examples of how scopes read for different causes, see our pages on basement cleanup and burst pipe cleanup. Homeowners in Inkster and Garden City can ask us to explain any line you do not understand.
Change orders and added work
Crews sometimes find more water than expected once walls are open. A good company stops, shows you photos and writes up the change before continuing.
Ask for every change in writing. Keep the original scope and each update together, since they tell the whole story of the job.
Before you sign
- Read every page and ask about words you do not know.
- Check the address, the date and the loss description.
- Confirm the drying plan includes daily readings.
- Ask what is excluded and who handles it.
- Keep a signed copy and a photo of the pages.
Common questions
No, but it is often attached to one. The signed work authorization is what binds you.
Usually yes, through a written change process. Ask how it works before you sign.
Yes. Air movers, dehumidifiers and expected days should be listed or described.
The National Weather Service logged 3.31 inches of rain in about an hour and a half, and many basements needed extraction and drying. A written scope keeps each job clear.
Ask the company to explain it and to show the readings or photos that support it. If you still disagree, ask for the item to be removed or priced separately.