Independent contractors, licensed in California
(805) 751-3283

This week

Contents Inventory in California

Photographing, tagging and listing everything before it moves. Done properly it is a documentation job more than a moving one, and it is what the settlement rests on.

Call (805) 751-3283 Do you need it?

Call about Contents Inventory

(805) 751-3283

No charge to you, and you are never committed to going ahead.

What happens when you call

  1. You describe the problem and where you are.
  2. We put you in touch with a licensed local company covering that area.
  3. They arrange the visit and agree the price with you directly.

Worth having ready

  • What the loss was — water, fire, smoke — and when
  • Roughly how much there is, and whether anything is irreplaceable
  • Whether a claim is open and who the adjuster is
  • Your ZIP code
  • Licensed & insured Every company we put you through to holds current licensing and insurance.
  • Know what to ask You are told what actually decides the price, so you can judge a quote.
  • Someone local You are put through to a technician who works your area, not a call center three states away.
  • Calls answered 7 days Someone picks up seven days a week, weekends included.

Is it urgent?

This week

Follows the loss rather than leading it, but it should happen before anything is moved or thrown away — including things that are obviously ruined.

Two things override everything on this page. Throw nothing away before it is inventoried, however obviously ruined — it still has to be listed to be paid for. And do not power up electronics that were exposed: testing a device with residue inside it is how a recoverable board becomes a dead one.

Signs to look for

  • An insurer asking for a contents list before settling
  • A property that has to be emptied for restoration work
  • Items damaged beyond saving that still need recording
  • A loss where you cannot remember what was in a room
  • A claim where the contents figure is being disputed

How the work is done

  1. Photograph and tag each item before anything is moved
  2. Record make, model and condition where value depends on it
  3. List non-salvageable items too, because they still form part of the claim
  4. Hand you a copy at the start rather than at the end

In California specifically

California's Mediterranean on the coast, hot and dry inland climate and its housing stock — stucco ranch and bungalow, tile or composition roofs, slab in the south and raised crawlspace through the Bay Area and the north — decide what is worth doing first. California is also the one state where duct leakage is routinely tested: Title 24 requires a HERS-verified duct test on most furnace or air-conditioner changeouts, so a duct problem here often surfaces as a failed test rather than as a complaint.

Before the technician arrives

Four things worth doing — and the first one is usually the thing people get wrong.

  1. Throw nothing away before the inventory, however obviously destroyed. It still has to be listed to be paid for.
  2. Separate anything you do not want packed out — documents, medication, keys, devices, anything irreplaceable you would rather keep with you.
  3. Point out high-value and sentimental items before anyone starts so they are photographed and listed first.
  4. Ask how the inventory is recorded and whether you get a copy. You should, and it should be itemised rather than "contents of bedroom 1".

What the work looks like

Photographs of contents inventory being carried out, so you know what to expect on the day.

How it works

Three steps, and you decide at the end of them.

  1. 1

    You call and describe the problem

    Tell us what you have noticed and where — the room, the smell, the noise, how long it has been going on. Give us your ZIP code and we will match you to a licensed company covering your area. There is no form to fill in.

  2. 2

    A local company takes it from there

    They discuss the problem with you directly, arrange a time to inspect, and agree the work and the price with you before anything starts. That conversation is between you and them.

  3. 3

    You decide whether to go ahead

    You are under no obligation. If the quote or the approach is not what you wanted, you are free to say no and call someone else.

Contents Inventory — FAQs

Do I actually need Contents Inventory done?

Follows the loss rather than leading it, but it should happen before anything is moved or thrown away — including things that are obviously ruined.

What does Contents Inventory involve?

Photographing, tagging and listing everything before it moves. Done properly it is a documentation job more than a moving one, and it is what the settlement rests on.

What makes this different in California?

California's Mediterranean on the coast, hot and dry inland climate and its housing stock — stucco ranch and bungalow, tile or composition roofs, slab in the south and raised crawlspace through the Bay Area and the north — decide what is worth doing first. California is also the one state where duct leakage is routinely tested: Title 24 requires a HERS-verified duct test on most furnace or air-conditioner changeouts, so a duct problem here often surfaces as a failed test rather than as a complaint.

Are the companies licensed and insured?

Yes. We only pass calls to licensed, insured operators working in California, and you are welcome to ask to see a license number on arrival.

What does Contents Inventory cost?

It depends on the property, the size of the system and what the inspection finds, so we do not publish a price — a figure quoted on a web page is not one the attending company has agreed to. You get a price before any work starts.

Contents Inventory near you

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