THE SHORT ANSWER
An Xactimate estimate lists repair work, quantities, and costs. A useful one lets you trace each part of the scope to the job. Start with the damage and the repairs needed, then check the measurements, prices, and records that support them.
1. Follow the work around the property
Start with the areas that need repair. A roof job may also involve gutters, siding, or a stained ceiling. A water loss may cross more than one room. List the work by area and trade so someone who has never seen the property can follow it.
Read each line as a task. Does it describe the repair needed here? A familiar item from the last job still needs a reason to be in this one.
2. Give the numbers a source
Keep the plans, sketches, and field measurements with the file. Check the units: feet, square feet, and square yards are easy to confuse in a long list. If a plan and a site note disagree, find out why.
A marked sketch can do more for a quantity than a long explanation. Label the area and show where the measurement came from.
3. Check the price list and the job
Xactimate uses regional price lists. Verisk’s pricing research draws on local costs and completed estimates. Its guidance also notes that a job’s size, access, and complexity can affect the price.
Check the price list’s region and date. Then review the actual work and any supplier quotes or site limits. A price list gives you a basis for the estimate; the job may need more detail. Keep a source for any price change you propose.
4. Take the photo that explains the close-up
A close-up can show a crack. A wider shot shows which wall it belongs to. Keep both, and label the room or roof area. The reader should not have to call the field crew to place every photo.
For product instructions or building requirements, keep the actual source. Explain which part applies to the proposed repair. Check the job’s rules before adding a generic note.
5. Read it once as the next person
Set the estimate beside the photos and measurements. Look for missing areas, duplicate tasks, unexplained quantities, and work you have left out. Flag open questions so they can be settled before the file moves on.
The estimate describes the proposed repairs and costs. It does not decide insurance coverage or promise payment. If you are revising an existing carrier estimate, make the changes easy to find.
Xactimate estimating
Put photos, measurements, and repair notes into a line-by-line estimate your team can review.
See Hiraya’s Xactimate estimating