Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the backbone of a well-organized restoration company. These documents provide structured guidelines for routine tasks, to help streamline operations, reduce errors, enhance customer satisfaction, and ensure compliance with industry regulations. This article identifies the best way to create SOPs, and explains three categories of SOPs that companies should consider implementing: Restoration Workflow Procedures, Office/Warehouse Procedures, and Human Resource Procedures.
Tip: Use a restoration contractor software app that’s designed to make document creation both efficient and effective. For example, the magicplan floor plan app has a ‘Custom Forms’ function that can help business administrators develop SOPs in a clear, consistent fashion. And the completed SOPs can be easily exported and shared as well, so all employees can have access to these critical documents.
What are those exactly? Well, let’s look at the types of SOPs that can be invaluable to a restoration business.
1. Restoration Workflow Procedures
Work Documentation and Reporting SOP
Water Extraction and Drying SOP
Incident Analysis and Reporting SOP
Job Completion and Follow-Up SOP
2. Office/Warehouse Procedures
Recordkeeping and Data security SOP
3. Human Resource Procedures
Performance Management & Appraisals SOP
Some examples are listed below.
This reference document will ensure that all relevant project information is collected systematically. It should describe how to:
Once a project is initiated, accurate documentation is crucial for regulation compliance, insurance claims, and quality control. This SOP should outline procedures for:
This important guide stipulates how team members must adhere to safety protocols and compliance requirements. The content may cover topics such as:
Storm damage can range from minor problems to major flooding and structural destruction. This SOP should detail:
This document should describe detailed steps for professional water extraction, drying, dehumidifying, and monitoring of moisture levels. The content ought to include instructions on the proper setup and use of equipment, such as air movers, dehumidifiers, and air scrubbers.
A detailed SOP for water damage restoration will help ensure that restorative work is conducted methodically and successfully. It also will provide guidelines for the safe removal, cleaning and storage of affected contents, such as furniture, documents and personal belongings.
Learn more: How to Build Effective SOPs for Any Water Damage Restoration Job
Restoring a property after a fire requires specialized knowledge and equipment. This type of SOP can cover multiple topics, including:
Mold remediation is a critical task that requires careful handling. An effective mold remediation process SOP outlines the steps for safe, effective mold removal, including:
Learn more: Best Practices for Documenting Mold Presence in Residential Restoration
The wording in this document should specify systematic checks at various stages of the restoration process to ensure that all work meets the company's standards and industry guidelines.
This type of SOP typically details how to document adverse incidents, analyze them for root causes, implement lessons learned to prevent future occurrences, and submit reports to regulatory bodies, if required.
The content here should list steps to ensure all aspects of every job are completed. For example, the SOP may specify how to conduct a final walkthrough, how to address any remaining client concerns, and how to conduct follow-up calls to ensure satisfaction.
Here are three examples of SOPs that fall into this category:
This document should describe how to manage company records and data, including confidential employee and client information, business financials, and field report PDFs.
Proper management of equipment and tools is crucial for operational efficiency. A well-written SOP pertaining to this topic will help ensure that all water extractors, air movers, dehumidifiers, and other machines are well-organized, regularly inspected, and in optimal working condition. It should also spell out how to check, clean, prepare and store all hand tools, power tools, and digital meters, so those are also ready to use at a moment’s notice.
Learn more: Documenting Equipment Use in Water Damage Restoration
This document will explain how to maintain a current inventory of all equipment, tools and supplies, ensuring that necessary items are always in stock. It also will describe protocols for conducting inventory checks, keeping detailed records of inventory levels, and ordering replacement items.
These documents will help managers attract and maintain a viable workforce.
This document should identify the right measures for recruiting and hiring new employees. These measures will ensure that the process is consistently effective, so that open positions can be filled quickly with the best available talent.
This document will clarify how to:
Ongoing training and development efforts are necessary to keep employees updated on the latest industry standards, practices, technologies, and safety regulations. That’s why this SOP should outline the framework for employee education and skill enhancement (training workshops, certification courses, etc.).
Ensuring the health and safety of employees and clients is an essential aspect of a restoration business. So, this SOP needs to encompass anything related to physical wellbeing, including:
Learn more: How to Build a Resilient Restoration Business Based on IICRC and OSHA Guidelines
This document may cover topics such as:
Every restoration business can benefit from using SOPs for restoration, office/warehouse and human resource endeavors. And the best way to create those documents is with a professional, multi-function floor plan app. Plus, this type of app can also be used to:
- speed up estimating
- create checklists (e.g., a water damage restoration checklist)
- serve as an all-in-one field documentation tool
- enhance communication among team members
Bottom line: Choosing the right app can be a smart business decision!
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Discover How to Build Effective SOPs with a Floor Plan App