Order Types Guide · Narqix Academy

For Processors, Photo QC Specialists, Bid Writers and Coordinators. After this page you will know what each common order type means, what the crew must do, which photos prove it, which measurements to capture, and why each type gets rejected.

Track: Property Preservation · Role: All Work Order Desk roles · Time to complete: 45 min

How to use this guide

Every order type has the same five parts:

What it is: the purpose of the job in plain words.
What the crew does: the field steps.
Photo set: the minimum photos the desk must receive. Clients may ask for more, never fewer.
Measurements and data: numbers the update or bid will need.
Common rejections: what reviewers send back most often.

Open the toggle for the order type you are working. Keep this page open in a tab during your shift.

Rules, photo lists, heights, time limits and prices change by investor and by client. This page teaches the common standard. The work order instructions and the client's current guideline always win. When they differ from this page, follow the client and tell your Team Lead.

The universal photo set (every order)

These come first on every single order, before any task photos:

#	Photo	Why
1	Front of the house from the street, whole house in frame	Proves the property and its condition on arrival
2	House number, close enough to read	Proves the address
3	Street sign at the nearest corner	Proves the location

Most clients also want all elevations (front, both sides, rear) and any outbuildings. For interior orders, one photo per room is the normal minimum.

Quick reference table

Order type	Typical photo count	Key proof item	Number one rejection
Inspection	8 to 20	Address, all sides, occupancy signs	Answers do not match photos
Initial secure	40 to 100 or more	Lock change, lockbox, every room	Missing rooms or missing lock steps
Lock change or rekey	About 6 per door	New lock with key in it, lockbox code	Missing "hole after removal" photo
Winterization	25 to 50 for a small house	Antifreeze in every trap, gauge, tags	Antifreeze not visible, tag missing
Grass cut	12 to 20	Yardstick in before photos	Before and after not from same angle
Debris removal	Varies with volume	Numbered loads, tape measure, receipt	Volume not proven
Board-up	3 or more per opening	Tape measure across both dimensions	No measurement photo
Maid service	One per room before and after	Clean floors, appliances, fixtures	Missed areas (inside appliances, closets)
Repairs	Depends on scope	Before, during, after of the exact area	Work done without an approved bid

Inspections

Occupancy and vacancy inspections

What it is: a visit to confirm whether anyone lives in the house and what condition it is in. Often monthly. The answer decides what happens next: an occupied house gets left alone; a vacant one starts the preservation clock.

What the crew does:

Drives to the address and confirms it.
Looks for signs of occupancy from outside: cars, furniture through windows, curtains, fresh trash, mail removed, lights or utilities in use, people.
Photographs the exterior and any notices posted.
Does not enter unless the order allows it.

Photo set:

Universal three (front, number, street sign)
All elevations if accessible
Occupancy indicators (cars, furniture, utility meters, mail pile)
Any posted notices on the door
Visible damage

Data to capture: occupancy status (occupied, vacant, unknown), how determined, utility status if visible, exterior condition, any code violations posted, damage.

Common rejections:

"Vacant" answered but furniture visible through the window
Missing street sign or house number photo
Photos taken from a moving vehicle (blurred, partial)
Condition answers left blank

Coach's note: never write "vacant" because the house "looks empty". Write what you can prove: "No vehicles, overflowing mailbox, no window coverings, utilities appear off." The reviewer decides with your evidence.

Property condition and interior inspections

What it is: a detailed look at the condition of a vacant house, inside and out, often reported on a structured condition form.

What the crew does: walks every room and every side, notes damage, checks utilities, mechanicals and hazards.

Photo set:

Universal three plus all elevations, roof line, outbuildings
One photo per room (floor, walls, ceiling, windows visible), basement included
Mechanicals: water heater, furnace or boiler, electrical panel, water meter
Every damage item with a wide shot and a close shot

Data to capture: room count, damage list, utilities status, roof condition, signs of leaks or discoloration (suspected mould), hazards, debris estimate.

Common rejections: rooms skipped, damage noted in comments but not photographed, damage photographed but not described.

Securing orders

Initial secure (initial services)

What it is: the first full visit after a house is confirmed vacant. It makes the house safe and secure and records its condition on day one. It is usually the biggest and most-checked order a vendor gets.

What the crew usually does (the order lists the exact tasks):

Address verification and full exterior photos
Interior walk-through with one photo per room
Change or rekey a lock on the agreed door (often a rear or secondary door)
Install a lockbox with the client's code
Secure open windows and doors; board or clear-board broken openings if ordered
Check utilities; test the sump pump if power is on
Winterize if required by season and region
Initial grass cut if in season
Note debris and personal property; estimate cubic yards
Note every damage and prepare bids

Photo set: universal three, all elevations, every room, every task's before, during and after, lockbox and code, utilities and meters, damage, debris piles, personal property.

Data to capture: occupancy confirmation, utility status, lock and lockbox details, key code used, damage list with sizes, debris volume estimate, personal property description, hazards.

Common rejections:

Rooms missing from the interior set
Lock change steps incomplete
Damage found but no bid
Personal property treated as debris without instruction
Conflicting answers (for example "no damage" with a broken window in the photos)

Coach's note: everything you do not record on the initial secure becomes the vendor's problem later. If a window is broken on day one and nobody photographs it, a reviewer may decide later that the vendor caused it. Document everything, even items outside the order.

Never do this: never let an initial secure go out without second-person QC. It is the order with the most photos, the most questions and the most money at stake.

Lock change and rekey

What it is: controlling who can enter. A rekey changes the pins inside the existing lock so a new key works. A lock change replaces the whole lock. Many investors prefer rekeying a single secondary door and using the client's standard key code, so agents and contractors can enter with a known key.

What the crew does: removes or rekeys the lock on the door named in the order, installs the new lock or cylinder to the client's key code, installs a lockbox if ordered, and leaves removed locksets where the client says (often a kitchen drawer).

Photo set (per door):

Old lock before removal
Empty hole after removal
New lock installed
New key in the new lock
Lockbox installed, with its location visible
Lockbox code showing, and key inside the lockbox

Data to capture: which door, key code used, lockbox code, lockbox location, where old locksets were left.

Common rejections: missing the "hole after removal" photo, wrong key code, lockbox code not shown, more locks changed than allowed.

Never do this: never write a lockbox code or key code anywhere except the client's portal and the campaign's secure tracker. Never send codes in a public group or a casual text to someone outside the crew.

Board-up and clear-board

What it is: covering a broken window or door to stop entry and weather. Traditional boarding uses plywood. Many investors now prefer clear boarding (a clear polycarbonate panel) because the house looks cared for and sells better. Some do not allow plywood at all unless approved.

What the crew does: measures the opening, cuts and fits the board, fixes it securely from the correct side, and photographs inside and out.

Photo set (per opening):

Before, with a tape measure across the width
Before, with a tape measure across the height
During installation
After, exterior
After, interior

Measurement: united inches (UI) = width plus height of the opening, in inches. A window 36 inches wide and 48 inches high is 84 UI. See Bids and Estimating.

Common rejections: no tape measure photo, plywood used where clear-board was required, only one dimension shown, board not covering the full opening.

Pool and hot tub securing

What it is: preventing drowning and mosquito problems. Usually a safety cover anchored to the deck, mosquito treatment, and a locked fence or gate. Rules on draining differ: many guidelines say do not drain an in-ground pool (it can crack or lift), but drain hot tubs. Always check.

Photo set: pool before (water level and condition), cover being installed, cover installed with anchors visible, mosquito treatment, gate and lock, fence height.

Common rejections: cover weighted with blocks instead of anchored, gate not locked, no photo of treatment.

Winter orders

Winterization (dry, wet, steam, radiant)

What it is: protecting the plumbing from freezing in an empty, unheated house. Burst pipes cause huge damage, and freeze damage that was not documented early often becomes the servicer's or vendor's cost.

Types:

Dry winterization: for a normal water system. Shut off water, drain lines, blow air through them, put antifreeze in every trap.
Wet or steam winterization: for a boiler with steam or hot water heating. Adds draining or treating the heating system.
Radiant winterization: for in-floor or radiant heat. Adds filling the heating loop with glycol antifreeze. The most complex and most expensive type.

What the crew does (dry type, typical):

Shuts off water at the street and at the main inside
Turns off power to the water heater, attaches a hose and drains it
Opens all faucets and drains the system
Blows out the lines with air
Runs a pressure test and records gauge readings before and after
Pours antifreeze into every toilet bowl and tank, every sink, tub and shower drain, and dishwasher
Places a "winterized, do not turn on water" tag on fixtures, the water heater and the panel

Photo set (typical):

Water shut off at the street and the inside main
Water heater power off, hose attached, water draining
Pressure gauge reading before and after
Before and after antifreeze for every toilet, sink, tub, shower and dishwasher
Tags posted on fixtures, water heater and panel
Any existing freeze damage

A small one or two bathroom house often needs 25 to 50 photos.

Common rejections:

Antifreeze not visible in the after photo (the pink or blue colour must show in the bowl or drain)
One fixture skipped
No gauge reading, or reading not readable
Tags not shown
Existing damage not recorded

Coach's note: count the fixtures in the interior photos first, then count the antifreeze photo pairs. If the house has 2 toilets, 3 sinks and a tub, you need 6 before-and-after pairs. Numbers do not lie and they catch most winterization rejections in under a minute.

Re-winterization and dewinterization

Re-winterization: repeating the winterization because the first one was broken (for example, someone turned on the water for an inspection). Needs the same proof as the original, plus evidence of why it was needed.

Dewinterization: reversing it so the plumbing works again for a sale, appraisal or inspection. Restore water, remove tags, flush antifreeze, check for leaks.

Photo set: water restored at the main, fixtures running, tags removed, no leaks visible, any leak found.

Common rejections: leaks not reported, tags still on fixtures, house not re-winterized after the inspection when the order required it.

Snow removal

What it is: clearing snow and ice from walkways, steps and driveways so the property is safe and accessible. Usually triggered when snow reaches a set depth in the client's guideline (often a few inches).

Photo set: yardstick in snow showing depth (before), during, after for each area cleared, salt or ice melt applied if ordered.

Common rejections: no depth proof, after photo from a different angle, area left uncleared.

Yard and exterior

Grass cut: initial cut and re-cut

What it is: keeping the lawn short and neat so the house does not look abandoned and does not break local code. The initial cut is the first one (grass is often long). A re-cut is a repeat on the client's cycle, often every two to three weeks in season.

What the crew does: cuts all grass to the guideline height, trims edges along walks and driveways, trims around fences and the house, removes clippings from hard surfaces, and records lot size.

Photo set (typical 12 to 20):

Universal three
Before, front yard, with yardstick showing grass height
Before, each side and rear, with yardstick
During, at least one per area
After, front, sides and rear, same angle as the before
Edging along walk and driveway, after
Hard surfaces clear of clippings

Data to capture: lot size (square feet or dimensions), grass height before, areas cut.

Common rejections:

Before and after not from the same position
Yardstick missing or not readable
Edges not trimmed, clippings left on concrete
Back yard missing
Photos that look like a previous cycle

Never do this: never submit grass photos from a previous cut, even for the same house in the same week. Reviewers compare photo sets across cycles. A reused grass photo can end the vendor's relationship with the client immediately.

Shrubs, vines and tree work

What it is: trimming bushes away from the house, windows and walkways, removing vines from walls, and removing dead or dangerous trees or limbs. Tree removal often needs a bid, and sometimes two bids.

Photo set: before and after from the same angle, tape measure or reference for size, the danger (limb on roof, branch on power line).

Common rejections: cosmetic trimming billed as safety work, tree removed without approval.

Clean-out and cleaning

Debris removal (trash-out)

What it is: removing trash and abandoned items from the house, garage and yard. Measured in cubic yards (CYD) by volume, not by weight.

Personal property versus debris: this is the most sensitive call in the industry. Personal property is anything that may have value to the former occupant (furniture in good condition, photos, documents, tools, jewellery, vehicles). Debris is trash. Personal property usually must be recorded and handled according to the client's guideline and state law, which may include notice and storage periods. The crew and desk never decide this alone.

What the crew does:

Photographs every pile and room before
Measures the pile or the trailer
Loads and numbers each load (a whiteboard or sign showing "Load 1", "Load 2")
Photographs the empty trailer and the full trailer with a tape measure
Hauls to a disposal site and keeps the receipt
Photographs every area after

Photo set: before of every room and pile, tape measure on the pile or trailer (length, width, height), numbered loads, empty and full trailer, haul-away, disposal receipt, after of every area from the same angles.

Data to capture: cubic yards per area and total, number of loads, personal property found, hazardous items found (paint, chemicals, tyres), disposal receipt total.

Common rejections:

Cubic yards claimed but not proven by measurement photos
After photos missing for some rooms
No disposal receipt
Personal property removed without instruction
Volume over the client's limit without approval

Coach's note: many clients allow a small overage to be completed and bid after, but require a bid first above a higher threshold. Learn your client's two numbers (complete-and-bid-after limit and stop-and-bid-first limit) and put them on your desk cheat sheet.

Maid service and sales clean

What it is: cleaning the house so it can be listed and shown. The goal is often described as "broom swept" for basic cleaning or "marketable condition" for a full sales clean.

What the crew does: sweeps and mops floors, vacuums carpets, cleans kitchen and bathrooms, cleans inside and outside of appliances, wipes counters and cabinets, cleans windows if ordered, removes small debris.

Photo set: before and after for every room, same angle. Inside of refrigerator, oven, microwave and dishwasher before and after. Bathrooms: toilet, tub, sink, mirror.

Common rejections: inside of appliances not shown, closets skipped, bathrooms clean but floor not mopped, after photos too dark.

Repairs and hazards

Roof tarp and roof patch

What it is: stopping water from entering through a damaged roof. A tarp is temporary, and many guidelines limit how long it may stay. A patch is a small permanent repair. A full roof replacement nearly always needs bids and prior approval.

Photo set: exterior damage before, interior ceiling damage, tarp or patch during, after with the full area covered and secured, measurement of the area.

Measurement: square feet of the damaged area; replacement bids may use "squares" (one square equals 100 square feet).

Common rejections: no before photo (tarp already on), interior damage not shown, tarp too small for the area, tarp left longer than allowed with no repair bid.

General repairs (hazard, safety, conveyance and insurance repairs)

What it is: fixing items that threaten safety, the structure, or the investor's ability to sell or hand over the property. Examples: broken stair rails, missing handrails, exposed wiring covers, broken doors, water leaks.

Rule: repairs almost always need an approved bid first. Repairs should prevent damage or keep the house safe. Cosmetic upgrades are rarely approved.

Photo set: before (wide and close, with measurement), during, after, receipts for materials.

Common rejections: work done before approval, after photo of a different area, receipts missing, scope larger than approved.

Discoloration (suspected mould) treatment

What it is: the industry often says "discoloration" instead of "mould" because a crew cannot confirm mould without testing. Treatment may need a licensed contractor and a separate bid.

Photo set: each affected area with measurement, the likely cause (leak, humidity), during and after treatment.

Common rejections: area size not measured, cause not identified, wrong wording ("mould" stated as fact without testing, if the client requires the term "discoloration").

Sump pump, utilities and other checks

Sump pump: a pump in the basement that removes groundwater. Many initial secure orders ask the crew to test it if power is on. Photo: pump, pump running (or water moving), discharge line.

Utilities: the order may ask whether water, gas and electricity are on, and the meter readings. Photo: each meter, close enough to read.

Common rejections: "tested" with no proof photo, meter photos unreadable.

Bid-only orders

What it is: the client wants a price, not the work. The crew visits, measures and photographs, then the desk writes the bid.

Photo set: full damage area, multiple angles, measurement visible in the photo. Many investors reject bid photos older than about 30 days, so date matters.

Common rejections: missing dimensions, cause of damage not stated, photos too old, line items bundled together with one price.

Not completed: how to report it

Sometimes a task cannot be done. That is acceptable when it is reported correctly. It is not acceptable to stay silent or mark it complete.

Report every not-completed task with:

The task name
The reason in one clear sentence
Proof photos (locked gate, occupied signs, hazard, weather)
What is needed next (access, approval, a return date)

Example comment: "Grass cut not completed. Rear yard gate locked with owner's padlock, no access. Photos of locked gate and posted address attached. Front and side yards completed. Please advise if access can be arranged."

Check yourself

1. A house has 2 toilets, 2 bathroom sinks, 1 kitchen sink, 1 tub and 1 dishwasher. How many antifreeze before and after photo pairs do you expect?

Seven pairs (14 photos), one pair for each fixture with a trap.

2. What is the difference between a rekey and a lock change?

A rekey changes the pins inside the existing lock so a new key works. A lock change replaces the lock itself.

3. The crew found a sofa in good condition, family photos and a pile of broken furniture. What do you tell them?

Photograph and record everything. The broken furniture is likely debris. The good sofa and the family photos may be personal property. Do not remove anything that may be personal property until the client's instructions are confirmed.

4. Why do many investors prefer clear-board over plywood?

The house looks cared for instead of abandoned, which helps it sell, while still securing the opening.

5. The crew forgot the yardstick in the before photos of a grass cut. What happens next?

The before height cannot be proven. Report it to your Team Lead and follow the client's rule. Do not fake it, and train the crew with the packet so it does not happen again.