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Most Common Items Restoration Contractors Leave Off Their Invoices

Many restoration contractors fail to include all of the items that they should on their invoices. This can lead to them missing out on revenue. At One Claim Solution, we see contractors leave off important line items from their invoices all the time. Here are some of the most common items contractors leave off of their invoices and how neglecting to include them can lead to restoration businesses missing out on revenue. 

Woman preparing a restoration invoiceCommon Items Restoration Contractors Leave Off Restoration Invoices

Stephen Smith, an Account Manager at OCS, works with restoration contractors everyday to improve their invoices. Here’s some of the most common line items he sees contractors leave off of their invoices:

  • Thermal imaging
  • Administrative labor
  • Supervisor labor
  • Emergency service calls
  • Decontamination
  • Protective equipment

Why Contractors Might Be Missing Billable Items On Their Restoration Invoices

When contractors leave items off of their invoices, it usually comes down to one of two things, according to Stephen–contractors don’t realize that they can bill for an item, or contractors don’t want to fight with adjusters over an item.

Some contractors may not realize everything that they can bill for because they are newer to restoration contracting. Others might have attempted to bill for certain items on invoices before and then taken adjusters at their word when they told them they couldn’t bill for those things. In reality, what you can and cannot bill for is far from set in stone, and there are ways to improve your odds when negotiating over more controversial line items. Keep reading to learn how.

The other main reason contractors leave off these commonly missed items is that they are dreading long fights with adjusters about them. If you’re not careful, the time costs of negotiations can outweigh the benefits of getting paid for additional line items, and many contractors understand this. Fortunately, there are things you can do as a contractor to cut down on the time you spend on the phone arguing with adjusters so that it’s worth your time. 

How to Defend Invoice Items to Adjusters

With the right strategy, you can be more successful during negotiations with adjusters.

Supporting Restoration Invoice Items With Documentation

A lot of defending the items you bill for comes down to documentation. “The more documentation, the better,” Stephen says. Taking lots of photos and keeping careful time logs can be a great way to back up your work and your invoices. “If an adjuster says, ‘You didn’t do that,’ you have a picture that says, ‘Yes, I did,’” Stephen explains. Using time logs to document things like when a supervisor was on-site can also be useful. There are a lot of different third-party apps and services to help you collect and organize documentation so that you’re in the best position possible when it comes time to negotiate with adjusters. Some of the most popular documentation software used by restoration contractors includes Encircle, Matterport, and DocuSketch.

Familiarize Yourself With Restoration Industry Standards

Familiarizing yourself with restoration industry standards like the IICRC S500 can go a long way when you’re defending items on your invoices. “If an adjuster says, ‘Hey, you can’t include that on your invoice,’ you can say, ‘I’m required to do it, so I need to bill for it,” Stephen points out.

How to Decide What’s Worth Billing For on Restoration Invoices

Ultimately, when you choose to not bill for certain items on your restoration work invoices, you’re incurring costs without recuperating them. “You’re leaving money on the table,” Stephen explains. Even if you only succeed in getting paid for those items half the time, it’s better than getting paid none of the time. The missed profits may seem small when you’re looking at an individual invoice, but over time, the money you missed out on adds up.

There’s no universal answer for when it’s worth it to invoice for and defend items that get a lot of pushback from insurance carriers. Restoration contractors have to look at their own situation and weigh the time cost of negotiations against the profit they will miss out on if they don’t bill for an item. Contractors who handle their own billing and insurance negotiations in-house might have a harder time justifying the time spent on the phone with adjusters. 

Simplifying Insurance Negotiations by Partnering with One Claim Solution

Restoration contractors that partner with One Claim Solution are in a stronger position when it comes to including items on invoices that might get pushback. OCS helps contractors fight for the payment they deserve through creating stronger invoices and negotiating on their behalf with insurance carriers.

If you’re interested in learning how OCS can help you increase your restoration company’s profit, request a consultation with us. For more expert advice on navigating the restoration industry, sign up for our newsletter.

Connor Trahan

Account Executive

Hi there! I’m Connor, the Account Executive for One Claim. My goal is to guide our contractors through the sales process, ensuring you’re equipped with all the information you need to make your decision and hit the ground running once aboard. We view ourselves as an extension of your business and I strive to make the process an enlightening and consultative one.
My career has primarily been focused in software sales over a few different industries but the last few years were spent helping general contractors solve similar problems to what we’re doing here at OCS! Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, cooking and boating during the summer months.

Nicole Liesenfelt

Director, Human Resources

Hello! I’m Nicole, and I’m here to champion for our employees, recruit for new talent, and impact culture at One Claim Solution. I find satisfaction in supporting a memorable employee experience and bring innovation, problem solving, and strategic view to the process. Nothing is more important than our people, and a healthy culture is my top priority! I have had the pleasure of building my career in various sectors, specializing in small to medium size firms focused on high-growth. My experience is centered around driving and implementing change, leading high-performing teams, and driving process improvements. I am excited to make an impact at One Claim. Outside of work, my family and I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible to explore beautiful Colorado!

Elizabeth McGlone

Demand Generation Manager

Great to meet you! I’m Elizabeth, and I’m the one behind all the emails and advertisements you’ve been seeing. As the Demand Generation Manager at One Claim Solution, my mission is to connect with contractors like you who need our services. I’m passionate about having an impact on others and I bring a wealth of experience in demand generation and marketing strategy to create moments of delight, curiosity, and education for you.

Prior to One Claim Solution, I had the privilege of building marketing departments from the ground up at companies in a variety of industries, including IT consulting, first protection, and healthcare. Personally, I love being outdoors, playing Dungeons and Dragons and board games, singing, and traveling.

Alisha Yartzoff

Director of Contractor Success

Welcome! I’m Alisha, and I’m here to champion your success as the Director of Contractor Success at One Claim. With a passion for helping contractors thrive, I bring a wealth of experience in onboarding, customer service, and account management to ensure your journey with us is nothing short of exceptional.

Prior to joining One Claim, I had the privilege of scaling SMB and Enterprise Customer Success teams at fast-growing SaaS startups. With over six years of experience at companies like Mavenlink, Teamwork, and ServiceTitan, I honed my expertise in building high-performing teams and fostering proactive, consultative relationships. This background has equipped me with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by businesses like yours, and I’m dedicated to helping you overcome them.

Eric Terry

CTO

Hi there, my name is Eric! I am the Chief Technology Officer here at OCS, spearheading our technical strategy. I have a background in computer science, graduating cum laude from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology.

Before coming to One Claim, I served as the Director of Engineering at Slingshot Technology, Inc., a company later acquired by WorkWave in 2021. My professional journey has spanned both emerging startups and established corporations, with a steadfast focus on cultivating high-trust, low bureaucracy teams and innovating technology using agile methodologies.

In my free time, you can find me flying drones, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with my family.

Cam Smith

COO

Hello, my name is Cam, I’m the COO of One Claim Solution! I come from a management consulting background (Bain & Company) and hold an MBA from the University of Michigan. I have worked at a wide variety of organizations, from Fortune 500 to small-cap, in an equally wide variety of industries. I have over 15 years of experience in operations and strategic growth, and I have spent much of my career focused on developing high-performing tech-enabled service organizations through early stage and high growth phases.

Outside of work, my wife Brittny and I have four kids, ages 13 to 6. As residents of Mesa, Arizona, we love to ski and explore the national parks of the southwest!

Dan Doud

CEO

Hello, my name is Dan, and I am the CEO of One Claim Solution. I am super excited by everything we are doing at OCS to be the market leading insurance billing specialist that advocates on behalf of our restoration contractors. 

My professional experiences are predominantly corporate in nature. My career started at General Electric in finance and accounting. Immediately prior to joining OCS, I spent time as an investor at Bondcliff Partners and management consultant with Bain & Company. I also hold an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and got my BS in finance and accounting from Northeastern University.

Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my wife, two young children, and our family dog, Whiskey. We live in Charleston, SC and take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending as much time as possible outside at the beach or adventuring around town

Josh Ehmke

Co-Founder and General Counsel

Hi, I’m Josh! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Jeremy Traasdahl, and I serve as General Counsel of One Claim Solution. Working in the restoration industry, Jeremy and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to see our company grow and to advocate for our clients as general counsel.

Outside of my passion for helping the restoration industry, I enjoy spending time outdoors, fly-fishing, hunting, skiing, and coaching my kids’ baseball teams. I’ve been married to my amazing wife for 20 years and we have a beautiful family of 5 children.

Jeremy Traasdahl

Co-Founder

Hey, I’m Jeremy! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Josh Ehmke. Working in the restoration industry, Josh and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to lead our amazing team.

Prior to One Claim Solution, I started my career as an inside sales rep for Avnet, then moved to Pepsico as a district sales manager. Outside of work, I love spending time with my wife and four children, two boys and two girls!