If you’ve used a map software like Google Earth in the last couple of years, you know that they’re not always up to date. When you’re trying to scout a job site or measure a roof remotely, you’re relying on your imagery source to reflect the site’s current conditions. Stale images can leave you with inaccurate measurements, or none at all. Luckily, RoofSnap’s high-definition imagery is sourced from partners who provide both frequent updates and quality images to ensure you always have the latest data for your work. In this week’s blog, we’ll talk about where our imagery comes from, why you need it, and how to use it effectively.
Where Our Imagery Comes From
A common question we get during our demos is: “where does this amazing imagery come from?” RoofSnap sources its imagery from many different providers depending on what it’s use is, but our measurement imagery always stands out. We partner with our friends at Nearmap to offer the 6 most recent captures of any address in their system. And since they update their imagery as often as 3 times a year in certain locations, that means your measurements take into account the latest conditions of the property.
While Nearmap’s imagery covers more than 71% of the US population and more than 64% of Canada’s population, it’s not available everywhere. To fill in those unavailable areas, we partner with Hexagon, who supplies us with satellite imagery that they update and expand yearly. This means that even if the job-site is outside of a city center, you’ll still be able to create measurements without flying a drone or breaking out a tape measure.
Why High Definition is Useful
The reason we tout our high definition imagery is because of the accuracy it brings to your measurements. RoofSnap’s goal has always been to get you the tightest measurements so you can confidently build material orders and estimates without fear of misordering your materials and eating into your margins. But there are more uses too!
We’re known to describe our HD imagery quality as “clear enough to count the pipe boots,” and while we always suggest that you conduct a thorough inspection of the job site, our imagery does give you a clear view of the roof’s conditions. That’s especially useful for initially scoping a job-site and getting a feel for the plumbing and venting already present on the roof.
How You Use Our HD Imagery
Using our HD imagery is easy; in fact, selecting an image for your project is the first step in your RoofSnap workflow! After entering the address of your site, you’ll see all the imagery available for that address. Then, you can choose the one that works best for your needs! For instance, if you’re operating in an area with heavy tree coverage, you might want to select an image with an autumn or winter flyover date to get measurements without obscuring foliage.
We make sure that the imagery plays a role in the inspection and sales process as well. An image of the site is the first page of your Sketch Report that you can hand off to homeowners or insurance adjusters. You’ll also find your site image on the last page of the report where you can pin notes and additional photos from your inspection! But we don’t limit you to only using our reports. The images in your RoofSnap project, from the aerial imagery to the diagrams displayed in your measurement report, are available for download and use in whatever manner you see fit.
If you’re tired of seeing outdated, low-quality images when you try to measure your roofing projects, let our team show you how RoofSnap’s high-definition imagery is different! You can schedule a demo and see how our imagery improves the accuracy of your measurements and the quality of your reports and documents.
Thanks for reading and as always,
Happy Snapping!