Paul Stromquist
New Forum User
Posts:10
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| 01 Jul 2008 01:08 AM |
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 Last week I inspected a loss in the Plymouth Minnesota area, it was an ugly measure, but i did it before I met the contractor who was standard late. I met the contractor who was bragging up the Eagle View Measurement deal. Having the roof measured, I had him send me the report to verify and it seemed really neat and a time saver. The picture I was sent was indeed a hard to measure hip roof but it wasn't the one I was on.
Here is how I know, living in Minnesota all of my life there is about three neighborhoods that have canals that hold houses this size(not one of them nowhere near a lake or river). Also there was a pool in the back yard. I wonder if they think we are working so fast or don't care that we won't notice.
Has anyone else ran across this?
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R .D. Hood
Founding Member
Member
Posts:232
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| 01 Jul 2008 01:27 AM |
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Yes, an adjuster friend in Texas, requested her home be viewed and measured. They did the wrong house, one three doors away.
Then after confrontation they did it again, and missed her home by 20% in volume and also 2 other roofs.
Would not touch this outfit with your ruler.
IYGMM
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| "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new... Albert Einstein" |
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Paul Stromquist
New Forum User
Posts:10
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| 01 Jul 2008 02:16 AM |
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The above said contractor states that some of the larger venders are accepting these as scope notes on roofs.  Could a lazier person take a few pictures and call it good? |
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Tom Toll
Life Member
Senior Member
Posts:1131
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| 01 Jul 2008 10:02 PM |
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You can go to Google Earth and print the layout of a roof for diagramming. It is difficult to identify the roof, so it does require a personal inspection to complete the roof measurements. I don't think the insurance industry is ready for eagle view. I personally would not pay $50.00 for their roof diagrams and measurement.
In Google Earth you can use the ruler to measure the slopes, ridges, etc., but on the roof measuring is required. Nor all aerial views are good. If they are good, you can help yourself with the roof diagram, just make sure it is the right house. |
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| Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. |
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Ray Hall
Veteran Member
Posts:923
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| 02 Aug 2008 07:44 PM |
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I have always thought this could be done. Could it be possible Eagle View is "running over the roofs too fast". If so, just slow down and photograph the right house and give the right measurements for the fee you charge. Some roof thumpers do the same thing.
"dont be a roof thumper" or a" muddler". |
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Ray Hall
Veteran Member
Posts:923
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| 03 Aug 2008 03:31 PM |
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Just got a reply from an adjuster trying to work daily claims from home. USAA vendors are requiring the IA to open an account with Eagle View and pay about $40.00 per file fot the report which is accepted as "gospel". Did not mention the ITEL report. With the xmate lease and free milage you should clear enought to pay for a "whopper lunch" |
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Brian Dear
New Forum User
Posts:3
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| 16 Aug 2008 04:51 AM |
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| Maybe it's my inexperience, but is it really THAT hard to measure the damned roof? I wonder if this Eagle View can measure pitches? Now THAT would be noteworthly. |
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Tim Johnson
Member
Posts:102
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| 16 Aug 2008 12:33 PM |
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| Travelers is letting their staff use this sytem on steep / high roofs. They do require the adjuster to go out and do a footprint measurement. |
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| Tim Johnson |
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Ray Hall
Veteran Member
Posts:923
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| 18 Aug 2008 09:40 PM |
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Home builders and some roofers have contented for 40 years of you have the foot print and the pitch factors that adding 15% will always work on a steep cut up roof. It has worked for me. I have never had a turn back that I can remember. |
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Ray Hall
Veteran Member
Posts:923
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| 18 Aug 2008 09:53 PM |
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Tim I will bet the health and welfare of their employees was the largest factor in this business decision. We were warned by our employers about the risk of very severe injury 50 years ago and was instructed to get as close as we could to it{roof}. |
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Edward Fako
Member
Posts:55
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| 27 Aug 2008 04:19 AM |
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I gave Eagle View a tryout on a very difficult job I did 5 years ago, just so I could compare their measurement capabilties and they photo measured a home about 3 blocks away.
It was a freebie test run, but they never did follow up to my comments to get the actual roof re-measured.
Also, it does include pitch measurements and all perimeter, valley, hip and ridge lengths that can be observed from an overhead view, but no obstructed sections, obviously.
A fellow in JLC Forums said I could obtain the measurements from SketchUp using their measuring tool.
I also tried, iPhotMeasure.com which is now available as an SAAS online usage and re-named uPhoto.com but it took too long to outline the complex roof I tested with it.
Both tools would be fantastic if they were verifiably accurate.
Ed
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Jim Gary
Member
Posts:273
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| 28 Aug 2008 01:33 AM |
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I had a chance to see a full report from Eagle view. A very large, cutup roof, with steep pitch. As long as the company agrees to it, looks like a usefull tool.
JWG |
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| I know the voices aren't real, but sometimes they're right! |
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Edward Fako
Member
Posts:55
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| 28 Aug 2008 02:32 AM |
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Was that a sample report from the EagleView Website, or an actual users view and measurement done for a real world job address?
Ed |
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Paul Stromquist
New Forum User
Posts:10
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| 28 Aug 2008 04:10 AM |
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Like I said when I started this conversation, wrong house wrong state!! If a cat adjuster is in too much of a hurry to measure the pitch of a roof and the perimiter measurements...............Xact sketch will fill in the blanks. If you don't use Xact, Integra when I used it had a pretty good system. If that doesn't work, resort to good old fashioned Geometry. Like I said at first, I thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread but now I've been offered it a few more times and don't want my name on anything I didn't measure. I can see a vendor or carrier buying into this but untill the technology can measure to the inch I personally am not a believer. |
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Ray Hall
Veteran Member
Posts:923
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| 28 Aug 2008 01:59 PM |
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New tec. will always try to replace a visit. This tool is probably being used now on hail storms by inside staff adjusters. Many years ago the adjusters located all the large hail in the zip codes and had all the policy pulled then inspected. I have arrived many times and my manager said I have you in this area as its hit hard, or this is very light out here but we will pay you $100.00 per roof and you can do 15-20 per day. I think its great when the factory geak says I will take over your puter and fix it for you. This is progress. |
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Roy Estes
Member
Posts:51
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| 12 Sep 2008 12:20 AM |
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Posted By Paul Stromquist on 06/30/2008 8:08 PM
Last week I inspected a loss in the Plymouth Minnesota area, it was an ugly measure, but i did it before I met the contractor who was standard late. I met the contractor who was bragging up the Eagle View Measurement deal. Having the roof measured, I had him send me the report to verify and it seemed really neat and a time saver. The picture I was sent was indeed a hard to measure hip roof but it wasn't the one I was on.
Here is how I know, living in Minnesota all of my life there is about three neighborhoods that have canals that hold houses this size(not one of them nowhere near a lake or river). Also there was a pool in the back yard. I wonder if they think we are working so fast or don't care that we won't notice.
Has anyone else ran across this?
Ha Ha, NEVER TRUST A CONTRACTORS ESTIMATE, Do your Own Estimating, I know of several Adjusters that utilize Contractors estimates. If we did Why Would we need Adjusters??
Reviewing Claims I see this all the time. Expecially with IA's (I never ever relied on a cg estimate or scope, unless I fast tracked the claim)
Good Job Paul ..... You tha Man! 
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| "Each of us as human beings has a responsibility to reach out to help our brothers and sisters affected by disasters. One day it may be us or our loved ones needing someone to reach out and help." |
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Edward Fako
Member
Posts:55
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| 12 Sep 2008 03:30 AM |
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Posted By Roy Estes on 09/11/2008 7:20 PM
Ha Ha, NEVER TRUST A CONTRACTORS ESTIMATE, Do your Own Estimating, I know of several Adjusters that utilize Contractors estimates. If we did Why Would we need Adjusters??
Reviewing Claims I see this all the time. Expecially with IA's (I never ever relied on a cg estimate or scope, unless I fast tracked the claim)
Good Job Paul ..... You tha Man!
I am always on time for any appointment with adjusters, probably because I do not actually do that many Storm Claims, but only by referral. What I do find, is that many Staff Adjusters or Independants show up 1/2 hour to 1 hour early, which seems like an intentional attempt to miss the scheduled appointment with a contractor. I even tell the Home Owner to give me a call if they show up more than 1/2 hour early, because I plan on being there early, just in case, but only by 1/2 hour.
No matter the pitch or difficulty of cut up sections, I always have my measurements done to the nearest inch from either a 100 foot or 35 foo tape measure.
I will gladly provide a copy of my measurments to any adjuster, regardless if they prefer to physically measure the job or not. I always tell them, that if they are going to use my job diagram, they should at least confirm any 2-3 measurements to build up faith in my accuracy.
I would tend to agree that most contractors estimates are counted tab guestimates instead though. It doesn't really matter though, because if you have 5 roofers measure the same job, no two will come up with the exact same square footage.
I could also see, where a Storm Contractor specialist, would intentionally provide an over-measurement for a larger scale of work square footage as an easy way to manipulate the numbers, especially during a major cat claim area with lots of houses being damaged all at the same time.
Rely on yourself for accuracy. So far, EagleView and the other one where they used to get their airiel shots from, called Pictometry, have room for dramatic improvement to be relied on continuosly and religiously.
Ed
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Paul Stromquist
New Forum User
Posts:10
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| 14 Sep 2008 08:54 PM |
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| Thank you Roy, the problem we are having now is that the contractors are sending suppliments directly to the carrier rather than going through the proper channels. Reviewing claims, does this happen often? The last I heard, the Minneapolis Metro area has 2500 "storm restoration companies" most of whom you can agree on scope with, then they wait untill they think you are gone and file a suppliment request. |
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Tom Toll
Life Member
Senior Member
Posts:1131
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| 15 Sep 2008 10:38 PM |
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Google Earth will do the same thing as Eagleview. It also has a measuring tool so you can measure the roof. I tried in California on total losses to determine roof configuration and size of home and it works well. Unfortunatley, it is difficult to determine if it is the right home, so you gotta be careful there. |
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| Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. |
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