Your TPM Line Item Is Also a Scope Document — Treat It That Way
The Flat-Fee Trap
Most TPM line items in residential wind claims look like this: one line, one unit, a flat fee pulled from Xactimate's default. That entry tells the file almost nothing. It doesn't say how much roof was tarped, how the tarp was attached, what the substrate looked like beneath it, or when it was installed. That's a problem — not just for the TPM cost, but for everything downstream.
Why TPM Documentation Drives Scope Quality
When a tarp is installed properly and documented well, it creates a timestamp. You know the condition of the roof at a specific date. If decking is visibly intact in a day-one photo and damaged by the time the contractor lifts the tarp three weeks later, you have a clear record of what changed — and why. That record either supports the insured's claim or limits it. Either way, it's useful.
Without it, you're arguing over what was there before versus after, which is exactly the dispute that drives supplements, appraisals, and reopened files.
What Good TPM Documentation Looks Like
- Square footage covered — not tarp count. One large tarp and three small ones cover very different areas.
- Attachment method — nailed battens, sandbags, or ballast changes both the TPM cost and the potential for additional damage if the tarp fails.
- Substrate condition at time of install — any notes or photos showing exposed decking, punctures, or lifted shingles before the tarp went on.
- Install date and expected duration — a tarp installed for 10 days has a different cost and risk profile than one sitting for 45.
The Scope Connection
Here's the practical payoff: a well-documented TPM entry forces you to count the roof planes, estimate the coverage area, and think about what's under the tarp before you scope the repair. Adjusters who write good TPM entries almost always write tighter initial scopes. The documentation habit and the scoping habit reinforce each other.
Write the TPM line like it's going to be read by a mediator. Because sometimes it is.