06/02/2026
Measurements are one of the first tell-tale signs in a disputed property file — and one of the most common issues we see, especially in subrogation files and appraisals where multiple parties have submitted estimates.
A scope often gets built on whatever document showed up first: a carrier sketch, a contractor takeoff, an old building plan that has been through multiple renovations, or a Google Earth underlayment that was never properly traced. Whatever error sits in that source carries through to every line item built on top of it.
One of the first things we check is what we have to work with — and which party has the better sketch. Usually, it becomes obvious pretty quickly which file was written with more detail and accuracy. I call it the smell test.
That's why every GES sketch is built with the details captured accurately from the start. The value of that discipline shows up in more ways than fit in a single post.
When we're on-site, we take our own measurements — laser, tape, drone, LiDAR — and cross-reference them against the existing documentation.
Opposing parties consistently adopt the GES sketch — measurements and layout — as the working file. They usually thank us for the detail and clarity.
Same standard, regardless of who hired us.
— GES
