What do xactimate estimating services include?
Xactimate estimating services turn a scope of loss or drawing set into priced line items: measured quantities from the sketch and room dimensions, unit costs from the applicable price list, and a worksheet showing labor, material, equipment and depreciation so the contractor can check every number before submission.
Our Professional Xactimate Estimating Services
Xactimate estimates are built from line items, and every line item rests on a quantity, a unit of measure and a price list unit cost. Our xactimate estimating services start from the scope of loss or the contractor's own scope, measure the work room by room, and price each line against the carrier or contractor price list you specify. You get an Excel workbook, a PDF summary and marked-up drawing or sketch pages showing where each quantity came from.
The work is not limited to one trade. A single file can carry drywall, flooring, roofing, cabinetry, water mitigation and debris removal, each on its own line with its own unit. Where a subcontractor quote exists, we enter it as a line and keep the quote reference beside the quantity so the number can be traced back. Contractors who also price design-build work often pair this file with our accubid and trimble electrical estimates support so the electrical scope is priced on the same basis.
We do not state a delivery time until we have seen the plans and the scope, because the volume of line items drives the effort. The fee is quoted per project after that review.
Quantities from sketch and drawings
We measure quantities from the sketch and dimensions or from the drawings: square feet of drywall by room and board thickness, roofing squares by slope and facet, linear feet of baseboard and countertop, square yards of carpet with seam layout noted. Waste is added at typical trade ranges and shown as its own line so you can see the rule applied. Each material line carries the unit of measure the price list expects, which is where most import errors start.
Trade labor rates by unit
Labor is broken out by trade and priced on the unit the work is sold in: square feet of shingle, linear feet of pipe, cubic yards of concrete, hours for drying equipment monitoring. Trade labor rates are checked against published U.S. wage data and adjusted where the local market differs. Overhead and profit are carried as separate lines rather than folded into unit prices, so an adjuster can see them.
Line-item scope of loss comparison
For contractors bidding restoration and rebuild work, we produce a line-item estimate that can be compared directly against a carrier's scope of loss. The workbook lists quantities, unit prices, extended totals, sales tax and code upgrade items, with the arithmetic visible on every row. Send your plans and the scope to start; see the estimating software we work in for the file formats we can exchange.
What Is Included in Our Xactimate Estimates?
Every estimate is organized so a reviewer can follow one line from the drawing to the quantity to the unit price. Our xactimate estimating services keep that chain intact: the marked-up page shows the measurement, the workbook shows the arithmetic, and the PDF summary shows the totals by trade and by room. Where a carrier or contractor already has a sketch, we recheck the dimensions against the plan set using bluebeam takeoff services before any quantity is carried forward. When a reviewer wants a second cost basis for the same quantities, we can cross-check the labor and material lines against rsmeans cost estimating data.
The scope of loss or contractor scope is the spine of the file. Nothing is added that the scope does not call for, and nothing in the scope is left unpriced without a note explaining why.
Drywall, roofing, flooring, water mitigation and debris removal
The component list follows the trade mix in the scope of loss. Typical items we carry:
- Drywall: hang, tape, finish level, texture, insulation, corner bead
- Roofing: shingle, underlayment, ice and water shield, ridge vent, drip edge, flashing
- Flooring: carpet, pad, tile, luxury vinyl, transitions, tack strip
- Water mitigation: extraction, air movers, dehumidifiers, antimicrobial, demo, drying days
- Debris removal: dumpster count, haul-off, disposal fees
- Finishes: paint coats, trim, doors, hardware, cabinetry
Room measurements, roofing squares and equipment counts
Quantities are calculated per room and per elevation so a disputed line can be rechecked in isolation. We record:
- Room dimensions in feet and inches, with ceiling height
- Wall and ceiling square footage net of openings
- Roofing squares by facet, with pitch and waste
- Linear feet of perimeter, baseboard and countertop
- Equipment counts and drying days for mitigation
- Demo quantities in square feet or cubic yards
Materials, labor, equipment and cost breakdowns
Each line separates material, labor and equipment where the price list allows it, with the unit of measure stated. Extended totals are calculated from quantity times unit price and checked before the file is released. Sales tax, overhead and profit, and code upgrade items sit on their own lines. A depreciation and recoverable depreciation worksheet can be attached so replacement cost value and actual cash value are shown side by side, and the same xactimate estimating services apply to a single-trade repair or a full claim file.
Who Needs Our Xactimate Estimating Services?
The estimate is used by people who have to defend a number: to an adjuster, a carrier reviewer, a lender or a client. Our xactimate estimating services are built for that review, with the measurement rule and the source of every unit price visible in the file.
Restoration and specialty subcontractors
Roofing, drywall, flooring and water mitigation subcontractors use the file to price their portion of a claim and to check a carrier's insurance claim quantity takeoff against their own measurements. A shingle line that comes up short by a few squares, or a drying equipment count that omits a day, shows up immediately when both files sit side by side. The subcontractor can then respond with quantities rather than opinion.
General contractors and home builders
General contractors use the estimate to reconcile a trade subcontractor's scope against the claim file, and builders use it to price rebuilds after a loss. The unit price on each line is traceable to a price list or a quote, which matters when the carrier asks for backup. Overhead and profit and sales tax are carried separately so the contract sum can be assembled without rework.
Developers, architects and suppliers
Adjusters and claims consultants request an independent quantity check when a scope of loss is disputed. Property owners use the same file to understand what replacement cost value and actual cash value mean for their settlement. Send your plans or the scope of loss to get a quote on the review.
Types of Xactimate Projects We Estimate
The xactimate sketch and dimensions change with building type, and so does the price list that applies. We confirm which price list, sales tax rate and code year apply before any line is priced. Our xactimate estimating services start from that check, so the unit price on every line has a stated basis.
Residential projects
Single-family and multifamily losses are measured room by room from the sketch, with roofing squares by facet and pitch. Underlayment, ice and water shield and flashing are priced against the local code edition, and the adjuster can trace each line to a marked-up page. Interior finishes, cabinetry and flooring follow the same room-by-room logic. See our construction estimating services for the broader residential scope.
Commercial buildings
Commercial losses bring larger open floor plates, different roof systems and mechanical, electrical and plumbing scope that the residential price list does not cover well. We measure by grid or by drawing dimension, separate tenant improvements from base building work, and carry code upgrade items where a jurisdiction requires them. Confirm the local code edition with the building department before relying on those lines.
Industrial and infrastructure projects
Industrial work moves away from the standard price list toward quoted equipment, specialty labor and heavy debris removal. We price those lines from subcontractor and supplier quotes, keep the quote reference on the line, and note where a published unit cost was used instead. Our stack and on-screen takeoff services cover the measurement side when the drawings are large-format, and the second pass of our xactimate estimating services reconciles those quantities to the sketch.
Our Xactimate Estimating Process
Every estimate follows the same three stages, and each stage leaves a record you can check. The focus of the work is the line item: one unit of measure, one quantity, one unit price, one extension. A water mitigation drying estimate needs the same discipline as a full roof replacement — drying equipment counts are driven by room dimensions and affected square footage, not by a lump-sum allowance. The measurement method is the same one we apply in our planswift takeoff work and in stack and on-screen takeoff, so a quantity can be reproduced from the drawing page.
We do not publish a delivery time because the schedule depends on drawing completeness, the number of structures and the response cycle with the adjuster. The date is agreed in writing after we review the upload, and it moves only if scope is added.
Submit drawings and specifications
Send the scope of loss, adjuster sketch or measured drawing set, photos, and any carrier estimate already in the claim file. Elevation certificates, code letters and the policy's coverage form matter as much as the plans, because they decide whether code upgrade items and ordinance-and-law lines belong in the file. Use the upload page to send your plans with a short note on the loss type and the structure count.
Plan review and digital takeoff
We review the set for missing dimensions before measuring anything, then run a quantity takeoff on screen with a scale check on each page. Room measurements are recorded wall by wall so drywall, base, paint and flooring trace back to the same perimeter. Roofing is taken off in squares with pitch and waste factors stated, and drying equipment is counted against the affected area rather than estimated.
Cost calculation, quality checks and delivery
Quantities are priced against the applicable price list and trade labor rates, then a second estimator checks unit of measure, waste factors, sales tax and overhead and profit treatment. Depreciation is separated from replacement cost so the insurance carrier can see the recoverable portion. The workbook, PDF summary and marked-up pages are released together, and any line you question is traced back to the drawing page and measurement rule that produced it. Our xactimate estimating services follow this same three-stage record, so every line item in the claim file can be audited against the source drawing.
Sample Xactimate Estimate and Deliverables
The table below is an illustrative roof replacement claim estimate for a single-family house, built to show how quantities, units and unit costs appear in a deliverable. Assumptions: 28 squares of architectural shingle roof (24 squares field plus a stated waste allowance), 6:12 pitch, one-layer tear-off, 4 roof penetrations, and a price list range rather than a single locked price. The arithmetic is checked line by line; your project will use its own measured quantities and the price list for its ZIP code.
A sketch with dimensions drives the roof areas and the wall quantities in the same file, so the adjuster can compare measured scope against the carrier's original. Recoverable depreciation is shown as a separate column from actual cash value so the supplement request is a calculation, not an argument.
| Line item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost range | Extended range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tear-off, one layer, comp. shingle | 28 | SQ | $95 – $130 | $2,660 – $3,640 |
| Roofing underlayment, synthetic | 28 | SQ | $28 – $40 | $784 – $1,120 |
| Architectural shingle, 6:12 pitch | 28 | SQ | $310 – $420 | $8,680 – $11,760 |
| Ridge cap shingles | 62 | LF | $6 – $9 | $372 – $558 |
| Roof penetration flashing | 4 | EA | $85 – $140 | $340 – $560 |
| Debris removal and dumpster | 1 | LS | $650 – $950 | $650 – $950 |
| Total before O&P and tax | — | — | — | $13,486 – $18,588 |
Excel quantity takeoff sheet
The workbook carries one row per line item with quantity, unit of measure, unit cost, extension and a source column naming the drawing page or photo. Waste factors, sales tax and overhead and profit are separate input cells, so a reviewer can change one assumption and see the total move. This is the sheet a restoration contractor forwards to the carrier with the supplement.
Marked-up drawings
The roof plan and floor plan come back annotated with the sketch dimensions, roof area per plane, penetration counts and the demo and debris removal extents. Each markup carries the same line number as the workbook row, which shortens the adjuster review and reduces back-and-forth on scope disputes.
Itemized cost estimate
The PDF summary lists line items in trade order with quantities, units and unit costs, followed by subtotals, overhead and profit, and the depreciation split. Recoverable depreciation appears as its own section so the release of held funds is easy to track. For broader scope outside the claim, the same line-item structure feeds into our construction cost estimates.
Software and Pricing Data We Use
Pricing is only as good as its inputs, so we keep the source of every unit cost visible in the workbook. Line items are priced against the applicable xactimate price list unit costs for the loss location, then checked against trade labor rates and material movement. Where a line has no published price, we say so and show the basis used instead of burying an allowance in a subtotal. The same discipline carries into the construction estimates we prepare outside the claim file, where each quantity traces back to a drawing page and a measurement rule.
The chart below shows the Producer Price Index series for the materials that dominate this scope, rebased to 100 so the direction of movement is readable across series. The wage table below lists the trade rates behind labor lines. Neither is a substitute for a local quote, but both keep the estimate current when a claim sits open for months.
Takeoff and estimating software
We work in three tool categories: PDF and on-screen takeoff for measuring dimensions and marking up pages, spreadsheet estimating for the line-item build and audit trail, and published cost databases for unit costs. The marked-up pages and the workbook travel together, so a reviewer can re-measure any line. If your team standardizes on a particular platform, our estimating software we work in page explains how files are handed over.
Regional material and labor pricing method
National average unit costs are adjusted for location, prevailing wage requirements and project conditions such as occupied space, access and height. Trade labor is priced from BLS wage data by trade and then adjusted, while material lines follow the PPI movement shown in the chart below. The wage table below shows the median hourly rates we start from. Actual cash value and depreciation are then applied to the replacement cost result, never to the adjusted labor rate alone. For mitigation scope, drying equipment days and monitoring visits are priced as separate line items rather than folded into a lump sum.
Material price movement, Oct 2023 to Sep 2026
| Occupation | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 |
| Carpenters | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 |
| Electricians | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $24.13 | $30.67 | $40.92 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers | $22.60 | $27.41 | $32.15 |
| First-line supervisors, construction trades | $30.48 | $38.42 | $48.78 |
| Cost estimators | $29.40 | $37.86 | $48.97 |
Base wages before payroll taxes, insurance and benefits. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national, all industries.
Why Contractors Choose Our Estimating Services
The reason to send us a claim file is traceability, not volume. Every line can be defended in front of an adjuster because the quantity, unit and measurement rule sit next to it. That matters most in restoration contractor estimate support, where a supplement is only as strong as the room measurements behind it.
We also keep the distinction between replacement cost value and actual cash value explicit, so depreciation and recoverable depreciation are never blended into one number. Demo and debris removal are measured, not allowed as a percentage. Where a carrier's price list unit costs look thin against current trade labor, we show the variance rather than absorbing it, the same discipline we apply in professional construction estimating services and in rsmeans cost estimating.
Trade-specific expertise
Roofing is taken off in squares with pitch, waste and penetration counts stated; drywall is measured by wall area net of openings with the opening rule written down; water mitigation is counted by affected area, equipment days and monitoring visits. Each trade has its own unit of measure and its own failure mode, and the estimator assigned to the line knows which is which.
Quality control and clear assumptions
A second estimator checks unit of measure, extension arithmetic, waste factors, sales tax and overhead and profit treatment before release. Assumptions are written on the sheet: what was measured from a sketch, what came from a photo, and what is an allowance. If a dimension is missing, you see the gap rather than a silent guess.
Turnaround, communication and revisions
The delivery date is agreed after we review the scope of loss and the drawing set, and it is confirmed in writing. Questions go to one named contact, and revisions are handled against the original line numbers so the change history stays readable. If the adjuster returns a revised scope, we re-price only the affected lines and show what moved. Start with request a quote or send your plans for a fee quoted per project.
Xactimate Estimating Services Pricing
The fee for our Xactimate estimating services is quoted per project after we review the plans, the scope of loss and the carrier's price list requirements. There is no published rate card, because a two-trade water mitigation file and a full roof replacement claim estimate with code upgrade line items do not carry the same work. We read the drawings, the adjuster's scope and any addenda first, then return a fixed fee tied to the line items we will build. Every number in the finished workbook traces to a unit, a measurement rule and a public data source.
Our pricing runs on national average unit costs adjusted with published U.S. wage and price data, then reviewed by an estimator. That review is where a depreciation and recoverable depreciation worksheet gets checked against the replacement cost value, and where overhead and profit is applied only where the claim structure allows it. The calculator below is a slab tool, not a claim tool: enter length, width, thickness and a waste percentage and it returns area, cubic feet, net cubic yards and order quantity, which is useful for garage slabs and pad work that sits inside a larger claim file.
How quotes are calculated
We count the sheets, list the trades, and note alternates and addenda before quoting. A file with drywall, paint, flooring and debris removal across three floors prices differently from a single-trade roof replacement claim estimate, and we say so in the quote. Line-item density drives the number: a room-by-room sketch and dimensions set with separate material, labor and equipment lines takes more review than a lump-sum summary. The fee is fixed once quoted, and the date is confirmed with it.
What affects price and delivery time
Sheet count, trade count, addenda volume and the bid date move both the fee and the schedule. A claim file with a complete scope of loss and legible dimensions is faster than one where we must reconstruct room measurements from photographs. Addenda issued close to a bid date compress review time, and we will say when a date cannot be met rather than quote one we cannot hold. Delivery time is confirmed with the quote; we do not publish hours or days in advance. If your team works in another platform, see the estimating software we work in for how exports and formats are handled.
Slab quantity takeoff
- Area
- 2,400 sq ft
- Volume
- 800 cu ft
- Net concrete
- 29.63 cu yd
- Order quantity
- 31.11 cu yd
Formula: length × width × (thickness ÷ 12) ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Thickened edges, footings and pump waste are taken off separately.
Xactimate Estimating Services Across the US
Unit costs move by region, and the line items have to follow. Trade labor rates differ between markets, public work can carry prevailing wage requirements, and material delivery adds cost where suppliers are distant. Climate changes the assembly itself: freeze protection, ice barrier underlayment and different drying equipment counts in cold markets, and longer water mitigation drying cycles in humid ones. Local code editions change what a code upgrade line item covers, so confirm the edition with the building department before the file is priced.
We serve all U.S. states from one team, so the same measurement rules apply everywhere while the unit costs are adjusted to the project's price list and location. Sales tax is applied where the carrier's price list calls for it and excluded where materials are tax-exempt. An xactimate estimate review and audit of an existing file often turns on exactly these regional inputs, and we flag them rather than absorbing them silently. A general contractor sending a full rebuild scope gets the same traceable sheet as a restoration firm sending a single-room mitigation file, and our professional quantity takeoff services keep the room dimensions and assembly counts consistent across both. Start with send your plans and we will confirm what the file needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a xactimate estimate cost?
The fee is quoted per project after we review the plans, sketch or scope of loss, because the work depends on the number of rooms and elevations, the number of trades in the claim, and whether you need a full rebuild or a review of an existing file. Send the drawings and the carrier's scope, and the quote states the fee and the delivery date together.
How long does a xactimate takeoff take?
Delivery is set per project and confirmed with the quote, not quoted as a standard turnaround. The date depends on how many line items the scope of loss carries, whether dimensions come from a sketch you supply or from plans we must scale, and how many price lists and trades the file spans. We confirm the date in writing before starting.
Do you estimate labor and material costs?
Yes. Every line item carries a quantity, a unit of measure, a unit price and a labor component, whether the price comes from a published price list or from our own national average unit costs adjusted with BLS wage and PPI data. Material waste and sales tax are shown as separate lines so the arithmetic can be followed.
What drawings do you need?
Send the floor plan or Xactimate sketch with room dimensions, elevations for roof and siding scopes, and the carrier's scope of loss or adjuster report if one exists. Photographs with measurements help where plans are thin. If only a sketch exists, we scale it and note the assumed dimensions on the marked-up pages.
Can you use my estimate template?
Send the template with the plans and we confirm whether the estimate can be delivered in it. Excel workbooks are the usual output, so a template with defined columns, line item codes and tax lines is normally workable. We confirm before plan review rather than after the takeoff is done.
Do you sign NDAs?
Clients can request one before sending drawings, and the terms are agreed before plan review begins. Send the draft with your plans and we confirm the terms first, so nothing is transmitted before the paperwork is settled. We do not publish a standard NDA policy.
Can you review an estimate another party prepared?
Yes. Send the estimate file and the scope of loss, and we check quantities against the sketch, confirm units of measure, flag missing lines such as debris removal, code upgrade or permit fees, and test the depreciation and recoverable depreciation arithmetic. The output is a marked-up review with each discrepancy tied to a page and line.
How do you handle water mitigation drying estimates?
Drying is built from equipment counts and days, not from a lump sum. We list air movers, dehumidifiers, negative air machines and moisture meters by quantity and daily rate, add the monitored days from your readings, and separate extraction, demolition and debris removal. Daily rates come from the price list you specify.
Do you calculate depreciation and recoverable depreciation?
Yes. We show replacement cost value, depreciation, actual cash value and the recoverable depreciation holdback as separate columns, with the depreciation basis stated. That lets the adjuster follow the release after the work is invoiced and shows where a supplement is needed on a roof replacement claim.
How do you price roofing and shingle line items?
Roofing is measured in squares, with shingle, underlayment, drip edge, ridge cap, valley metal and ice barrier as separate lines. We count squares from the roof plan or sketch, add typical waste on hips and valleys, and list tear-off, disposal and any decking replacement by area. Steep-slope and height charges are noted where the price list allows.
Do you work from a carrier price list or your own unit costs?
Both. If the claim specifies a price list and region, we use it so the file reconciles with the adjuster's version. Where you need a market check, we price the same quantities against national average unit costs adjusted with published BLS wage and PPI data, and the workbook shows which basis each line uses.
Which trades can you cover in one claim file?
All trades a typical restoration file carries: drywall, paint, flooring, cabinetry, roofing, siding, framing, insulation, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, plus general conditions such as supervision, overhead and profit. Quantities are taken once and allocated across trades, so a wall assembly does not get counted twice.
What does a xactimate line item takeoff deliverable look like?
You receive an Excel workbook with one row per line item, a PDF summary and marked-up drawing pages showing where each quantity was measured. Our xactimate estimating services keep the unit, measurement rule and data source visible on every row, so a reviewer can retrace any number to the page it came from.