Your CAT-readiness checklist: what to have ready before the next event
The documents, equipment lists and field routines a restoration or roofing contractor should have in order before a catastrophe, not after.
When a named storm makes landfall, every property manager in its path is trying to reach the same contractors at the same time. The vendors who get the first calls are rarely the ones with the best pitch. They are the ones whose paperwork was already in order.
This checklist covers what to have ready before the next event, so that when activation comes, the only question is how fast you can mobilize.
1. Company documents
Keep these current and in one place, as PDFs you can send in minutes:
- your business registration and federal tax ID (EIN);
- a current W-9;
- the names and roles of your company's principals;
- your permanent office locations, and the markets you actually serve.
If a document has an expiration date, put that date in your calendar now, with a reminder a month ahead.
2. Licenses and certifications
List every license your company holds, with the issuing authority, the license number and the expiration date. Do the same for certifications, such as IICRC firm certification for mitigation and restoration work.
Requirements vary by state, by county and by the kind of work, so check what applies in each market you plan to serve. A license that is valid in one state does not carry over to the next.
3. Insurance
Ask your agent for a current certificate of insurance (COI), and know your limits without looking them up. Typical coverages include general liability, commercial auto, workers' compensation and an umbrella policy. Carry what your contracts and the jurisdictions you work in actually require.
Two things slow vendors down more than anything else here:
- a COI with an expired policy period;
- an agent who can't issue a new certificate quickly during an event.
Have your agent's direct contact details ready, and ask them now how fast they can turn a certificate around.
4. Equipment you own
Write down what you own, not what you could rent:
- drying equipment: dehumidifiers, air movers, air scrubbers;
- heavy equipment;
- vehicles and trailers;
- generators and power distribution.
Include quantities. When a program asks how many dehumidifiers you can deploy, "a lot" is not an answer that gets you activated.
5. Your mobilization plan
Decide now, not during the event:
- how many crews you can send, and how far;
- where they will stay, and how they will be fed and fueled;
- which subcontractors you trust, and whether their insurance is current too;
- who in your office answers the phone when activation comes.
6. Your documentation routine
The work is only half of getting paid. Agree on a daily routine for every crew before you need it:
- photos before, during and after, tied to a room or area;
- moisture readings at the same points every day;
- a daily time-and-materials sheet for labor, equipment and materials.
Our post on T&M records that get you paid goes into the daily routine in more detail.
7. References
Keep a short list of completed commercial projects, with a contact at each who has agreed to speak for your work. Large losses at associations and managed properties are the most relevant.
Put it to work
Every item on this list maps to a section of the QVRN vendor application: company profile, vendor classification, licensing and certifications, equipment, insurance and financial capacity, experience and references. If you have the checklist done, most of the application is already in front of you.
Get qualified now, so you're on the roster when the next event hits.