The cutoff, converted
The cutoff itself does not move. It is fixed at 6 PM Eastern regardless of daylight saving status, because every US time zone shifts its clock on the same schedule, so the gap between zones stays constant. What changes is what that reads as on your local clock.
| Time zone | Local cutoff | Offset from Eastern |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 6:00 PM | 0 hours |
| Central (CT) | 5:00 PM | -1 hour |
| Mountain (MT) | 4:00 PM | -2 hours |
| Pacific (PT) | 3:00 PM | -3 hours |
These offsets hold year round because the US zones observe the same daylight saving transitions on the same dates; the gap between them does not change.
Why this trips up desks outside the Eastern zone
A Pacific-time desk that reads '6 PM cutoff' and assumes it means 6 PM Pacific will miss it by three hours on any afternoon that runs long. The order still processes and still delivers, just the next calendar day instead of same day. On a file where the estimate is scheduled for the next morning, that three-hour gap is the difference between having the measured roof in hand or writing the estimate without it.
The safest habit is to stop converting mentally and instead set a local alarm for the number in the table above: 5 PM if you sit Central, 4 PM if you sit Mountain, 3 PM if you sit Pacific.
Building the cutoff into the order routine
- Set a recurring local reminder at your zone's cutoff time from the table, not at 6 PM
The reminder should match your clock, not the published Eastern number, or it will read as still having time when the window has already closed.
- Order roofs first on multi-property claim days
If you are working several addresses in one day, place roof report orders early rather than last, so a late afternoon delay somewhere else does not push you past your local cutoff time.
- Confirm the property address before submitting
An order submitted with the wrong address or an unclear pin still has to be corrected before it can be built, and that correction can consume the window that was left before cutoff.
- Check the delivery email time zone label if a report seems to have missed the cutoff
Delivery timestamps are typically shown in the zone the order was placed from; comparing it to Eastern directly can make an on-time delivery look late.
What happens if you miss it
Missing the cutoff does not cost anything extra and does not require re-ordering. The published terms describe same-day delivery for orders placed before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff and next-day delivery for orders placed after it, with no expedite fee either way. If a report is needed same day and the cutoff has already passed, the practical options are to place the order anyway for next-day delivery and sequence the estimate around it, or to move the address to the top of tomorrow's order list.
There is no faster tier to pay for. Planning around the cutoff, not paying past it, is the only lever.
Ordering ahead of the cutoff
The order itself takes the same few minutes regardless of time zone: enter the property address, pick the format the estimate needs (ESX, XML, or PDF), and submit. You can place the order from the sponsor's order a roof report by address page. Verisk™ desks using scheduling or diary workflows can route through Xactimate® Integration instead of the standalone order form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 6 PM cutoff always Eastern time, or does it shift for my region?
Does the cutoff change with daylight saving time?
Is there a fee to guarantee same-day delivery?
What happens to an order placed a minute after the cutoff?
Sources
- Same calendar day delivery for orders before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff, no expedite fee: Sketch My Roof service facts page (as of August 2026)
- Order by property address; no subscription; no minimum: Sketch My Roof residential order page (as of August 2026)
