Contractor Estimate for Window Insurance Claim, Line by Line
The adjuster is coming Thursday and you want something on paper that lists every window and door the storm hit. This is what that estimate should look like and what goes in it.
A contractor estimate for a window insurance claim from JMB Builders is a photo-documented, line-item scope of every damaged window and door: each opening numbered, photographed with a scale reference, and broken out as unit, glass, sash, screen and interior trim, with the install items written in. You file the claim; we meet your adjuster and walk the damage. Twin Cities metro, priced per project.
- Every opening numbered and photographed
- Unit, glass, sash, screen and trim lines
- We meet your adjuster and walk the damage
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Adjusters work fast and see a lot of houses in a week. An estimate that says 'replace damaged windows' leaves them to count and guess. An estimate that numbers every opening on a sketch of the house, shows a photo of each hit with a tape next to it, and lists each item the way their software lists it — unit, glass, sash, screen, trim — lets them check it line by line and approve what is there.
That is what we write. Every window and door gets a number by side of the house. Each one gets its size, type, frame material and glass makeup, what is damaged, and the repair: glass only, new sash, new screen or full unit. The install items are written in too, because those are what get left off: removal and disposal, sill pan and flashing, foam and sealant, interior stops, casing or stool the work disturbs, and access for second-story openings. Painting is its own line.
You file the claim and deal with your insurer. We give you the estimate and the photo set to send in, meet your adjuster and walk the damage opening by opening, and do the repair once it is approved. We do not negotiate the claim for you; Minnesota law restricts that to licensed public adjusters. And Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying your deductible, and we do not.
What you supply
- The date of the storm or event and your claim number if you have filed
- Any photos you took the day it happened
- Access around the house and to each damaged window and door inside
- The adjuster's visit date, so the estimate is in your hands before then
- Window and door labels or paperwork if you have them
What JMB supplies
- A sketch of the house with every window and door numbered by side
- Close-up and context photos of each damaged opening with a scale reference
- Per opening: size, type, frame material, glass makeup, damage, and repair
- Separate lines for unit, glass, sash, screen and interior trim
- Install lines: removal, disposal, sill pan, flashing, foam, sealant, access
- Painting as its own line when trim or doors are replaced
- Meeting your adjuster to walk the damage opening by opening
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many windows and doors are damaged and on how many sides of the house
- Second-story openings that need ladders or staging to photograph and repair
- Mixed repairs: some glass-only, some sashes, some full units
- Patio doors, entry doors and storm doors on the same claim
- A return visit to meet the adjuster or for a re-inspection
Send a few photos of the worst damage and the storm date. We tell you whether it looks like a claim before anything is written up.
How long it takes
Photos and walk-around: one visit, usually an hour or two for a typical house. The written estimate follows within a few business days; the adjuster meeting is on the insurer's schedule.
How your project works
- 1
Photos from you
Send the storm date and a few photos of the worst of it. We tell you what it looks like and whether it is worth a claim before anyone writes anything up.
- 2
Walk-around
Every window and door on the house is checked, numbered and photographed with a scale reference: glass, sash, frame, screen, and the trim around it.
- 3
Line-item estimate
Each opening is listed with its size, makeup, damage and repair, plus the install lines that usually get left off. You get the estimate and the photo set to send in.
- 4
Adjuster meeting
We meet your adjuster and walk the damage with the same numbers and photos. You file and talk to your insurer; we explain the damage and the repair.
- 5
The repair
Once the scope is approved, glass, sashes, screens and units are ordered and installed to it, with finished photos in your job folder.
Contractor Estimate for Window Insurance Claim, Line by Line: questions, answered
What should a contractor's estimate for a window insurance claim include?
Every damaged window and door numbered by side of the house, with a close-up and a context photo of each and a scale reference in the shot. Each opening should list size, type, frame material, glass makeup, what is damaged and the repair: glass, sash, screen or full unit. It should also list the install items adjusters leave off: removal, disposal, sill pan, flashing, foam, sealant, interior trim and second-story access.
Do I need a contractor's estimate before the adjuster comes?
You do not have to have one, but it helps. An adjuster with your own photo set and line items in hand checks what is on the list instead of counting from scratch, and fewer items get missed. Having the contractor there to walk it with them helps more.
Will you negotiate with my insurance company for me?
No. The claim is between you and your insurer, and Minnesota law restricts negotiating a claim on a homeowner's behalf to licensed public adjusters. We write the estimate, meet your adjuster, walk the damage and explain each line. If the approved scope leaves something off, you ask your insurer to add it, with our photos and line items.
What if the adjuster's estimate is different from the contractor's?
Put the two side by side, line by line. Differences are usually items missing from one list, or a repair written as glass-only where the sash or frame is cracked. You send the insurer the photos and the lines in question and ask them to review or re-inspect. We come back out for a re-inspection when you want us there.
Do I have to use the contractor my insurance company recommends?
No. You choose who works on your house. The insurer approves the scope and pays the claim under your policy; the repair can be done by any licensed contractor you pick, working to that scope.
Can a contractor pay my deductible on a window claim?
No. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying any part of your insurance deductible, and JMB Builders does not. The deductible is your share of the repair and is paid as part of the job.
Do you send a final invoice so I can collect recoverable depreciation on my window claim?
Yes. Many policies pay the actual cash value first and hold back recoverable depreciation until the work is done. When the windows are finished we send a final invoice that matches the approved scope line by line, with completion photos, so you can send it to your insurer. How and when your policy releases the holdback is between you and your insurer.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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