Pre-inspection forms and work orders, signed before the wand comes in
Carpet cleaning complaints usually begin after you've left: the pet stain that came back, the wool rug that bled, the recliner that wasn't moved. The answer is a pre-inspection the customer initials before you start, plus a work order that says what you'll clean and how. SignMaster puts both on the phone in your hand and keeps the signed copy, so the conversation a week later starts from the record.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 4 min read
On this page
What a carpet cleaner gets signed
- Work orderRooms and stairs, the method (hot water extraction or low-moisture), pre-spray, pet treatment, protector and the price. The work order form has a not-to-exceed amount for upsells on site.
- Pre-inspection checklistPermanent stains, traffic-lane wear, sun fading, seam problems, delamination, and spots that may wick back as the carpet dries. The customer initials each one before you begin.
- Furniture moving releaseWhat you will and won't move: pianos, china cabinets, electronics and beds usually stay put. Note the tabs or blocks you leave under the legs and when they can come out.
- Area rug pickup ticketSize, fiber, fringe condition, existing stains, the risk of dye bleeding on wool or silk, the return date, and what happens to a rug nobody collects.
- Upholstery cleaning acknowledgmentThe cleaning code on the tag (W, S, WS or X), and that some fabrics shrink, brown or lose their nap. If the tag is missing, say how you'll test first.
- Water damage work authorizationPermission to start extraction and drying, the equipment you'll leave running, daily moisture checks, and who's paying if an insurance claim is open.
The pre-inspection, done properly
The best time to talk about the stain that won't come out is before you treat it. Walk the rooms with the customer, mark what you see, and get each condition initialed while they're looking at it. A signed checklist turns a later complaint into a short conversation: here's what we saw, here's your initial beside it.
- 1
Open the work order on your phone
Your template lists the rooms with a number field for each. A calculated field multiplies by your room price and adds stairs, pet treatment and protector, so the customer sees the total before anything gets wet.
- 2
Tick what you found
A checkbox group lists the common conditions, and the customer ticks them with you. An initials field appears only when Pet urine is ticked, beside a line saying odor treatment may need a second visit.
- 3
Picture the worst spot
A Photo field opens the camera during signing, and the picture prints inside the signed PDF. Use it for the bleach spot by the sink or the loose seam in the hall.
- 4
Sign in person
Choose Sign in person and hand over the phone. The customer accepts the e-signature consent, initials and signs. In the iPhone and iPad app, your Face ID or passcode ends signing mode.
When everyone has signed, the customer and your office get the sealed PDF with a certificate of completion showing who signed, when and from which IP address. Each send is an envelope, SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers.
Rugs, water jobs and commercial accounts
Rugs at the plant. Fill the pickup ticket at the door with the rug's size and condition, take a photo of any damaged fringe, and let the customer sign. When the rug comes back, send a short return receipt by link or sign it in person at delivery.
Water damage calls. If you also do extraction, the work authorization often gets signed in the middle of the night. It works the same way on your phone, and an adjuster or a landlord who isn't there can sign from a link the next morning. The IICRC S500 is the industry's water damage standard; follow it for the work, and let your lawyer write the authorization. See restoration contractors for the full claim paperwork.
Offices and property managers. A commercial maintenance agreement goes by link with a signing order, the facility manager first, then the person who approves the spend. For the yearly reminder to residential customers, bulk send a re-booking agreement from a CSV of last year's jobs.
What it costs
Try it on Free, with 3 envelopes a month. An owner-operator with one van fits Solo at $15 a month, and a shop with several trucks and an office fits Crew at $49 a month for 5 people. Solo, Crew and Company have no envelope limit, so a busy Saturday never costs extra. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. Compare plans.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't book appointments, route vans or track your rug plant inventory.
- It doesn't take payments or deposits.
- It doesn't write your terms. Use your own work order, or start from a library template and have it checked.
- It sends signing links by email. You can copy a link and text it yourself.
Questions? Answers.
Should carpet cleaners use a pre-inspection form?
Yes. A pre-inspection checklist the customer initials records the stains, wear and damage that were there before you started, so a later complaint about a spot that came back has a signed answer.
Can customers sign the work order on my phone?
Yes. Fill the template, choose Sign in person and hand over the phone. The customer doesn't need an account, and both of you get the signed PDF by email.
Can I add photos of stains to the signed form?
Yes. Add a Photo field to the template. It opens the camera during signing and prints the picture inside the signed PDF, next to the customer's initials.
Can an insurance adjuster or landlord sign a water damage authorization remotely?
Yes. Add them as a signer and they get a link by email. They sign on any phone or computer without an account, before or after the homeowner, in the order you set.