When a property is damaged by fire, water, wind, or hail, every hour spent waiting on an accurate estimate can delay insurance approvals, postpone repairs, and increase restoration costs. Contractors must inspect the damage, document repair requirements, prepare a detailed estimate, and submit the necessary information to the insurance company so work can begin without unnecessary delays. Inaccurate or incomplete estimates can slow approvals, create disputes, and impact project timelines.
This is where Xactimate makes a difference.
If you’ve ever wondered what Xactimate is, you’re not alone. Thousands of contractors, public adjusters, restoration companies, and insurance professionals rely on this industry-standard estimating software every day to create detailed, insurance-ready estimates for property damage claims.
In this guide, you’ll learn what Xactimate is, how it works, why it has become the industry standard for restoration estimating, and how professional Xactimate estimating services help contractors save time, improve estimate accuracy, streamline insurance claims, and win more profitable restoration projects.
What Is Xactimate?
Xactimate is the leading estimating software built for property damage restoration and insurance claims. It helps contractors, restoration companies, public adjusters, insurance carriers, and independent adjusters create detailed repair estimates for damaged homes and commercial buildings.
Unlike spreadsheets or manual methods, Xactimate combines current material prices, labor costs, equipment rates, and regional cost databases in a single platform. This lets users build detailed, standardized estimates that are accepted across the insurance industry.
Today, millions of Xactimate restoration estimates are created each year, making it one of the most trusted estimating tools available.
Why Is Xactimate Important for Contractors?
The need for estimating accuracy continues to grow as weather-related property losses increase across the U.S. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the United States experienced 27 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2024, the second-highest annual total on record. Each event generated thousands of residential and commercial insurance claims, making fast, standardized estimating essential for restoration contractors.
Contractors often work under tight deadlines while juggling project management, customer expectations, and insurance paperwork. Preparing an estimate by hand takes a lot of time and makes it easy to miss labor, materials, or repair items.
Xactimate gives contractors several clear advantages:
Faster estimate preparation
Standardized pricing
Detailed line-item estimates
Better accuracy
Clearer communication with insurance adjusters
Fewer disputes during claim reviews
Faster project approvals
Because many insurance carriers already use Xactimate, contractors who submit estimates in the same format usually get a smoother review.
How Does Xactimate Software Work?
The process starts with documenting the damage. Contractors inspect the property, measure the damaged areas, list the needed repairs, and enter the details into Xactimate. The software then calculates the costs using regional pricing databases and standard repair methods.
A typical Xactimate estimate includes:
Material costs
Labor costs
Equipment expenses
Demolition costs
Cleaning costs
Drying equipment (for water damage)
Roofing repairs
Structural repairs
Finish materials
Project totals
The result is a complete estimate that clearly lays out the full scope of the restoration work.
What Types of Projects Use Xactimate?
Xactimate is used on nearly every kind of insurance restoration project. Here are some common examples.
Water Damage Restoration
Water damage estimates may include:
Water extraction
Structural drying
Drywall replacement
Flooring repairs
Cabinet replacement
Mold remediation
Fire Damage Restoration
Fire restoration estimates often cover:
Smoke damage cleanup
Structural repairs
Brick restoration
Roof repairs
Painting
Odor removal
Storm Damage
Storm-related estimates commonly include:
Roofing
Gutters
Siding
Windows
Exterior masonry
Structural framing
Commercial Property Restoration
Commercial estimates may involve:
Warehouses
Hotels
Apartment communities
Retail centers
Office buildings
Healthcare facilities
Manufacturing plants
These projects require detailed damage estimates to accurately capture repair costs before work begins.
Why Insurance Companies Prefer Xactimate Estimates
Insurance companies need consistent documentation to review claims quickly. A professional Xactimate estimate follows standard pricing and repair methods, which makes it easier for adjusters to review the damage.
This consistency helps:
Speed up claim reviews
Reduce pricing disagreements
Improve documentation
Cut down on revisions
Increase transparency
For these reasons, Xactimate has become the standard for insurance claims across much of the restoration industry.
Benefits of Xactimate Estimating for Contractors
Accurate estimates have a direct effect on profit. Professional Xactimate estimating helps contractors in several ways.
Save time: Instead of calculating every repair item by hand, contractors can build organized estimates much faster.
Improve accuracy: Regional pricing databases reduce pricing errors and keep labor and material costs up to date.
Win more bids: Well-prepared estimates build trust with insurance companies and property owners.
Reduce change orders: Detailed estimates catch items that are often missed, which prevents costly revisions during construction.
Improve cash flow: Faster approvals often mean faster project starts and quicker payments.
What Is Included in a Professional Xactimate Estimate?
A professional Xactimate estimate gives you much more than a single total. It usually includes:
A complete scope of work
Detailed line-item pricing
Labor calculations
Material quantities
Equipment costs
Demolition requirements
Waste removal
Regional pricing adjustments
Room-by-room documentation
Total restoration costs
This level of detail improves communication between contractors, adjusters, and property owners.
Why Many Contractors Outsource Xactimate Estimating
Learning Xactimate takes training and experience. Many contractors choose to outsource their estimating so they can focus on inspections, customer service, and project management rather than spending hours preparing estimates.
A professional estimating team can:
Deliver faster turnaround times
Improve accuracy
Increase bidding capacity
Reduce administrative work
Support insurance documentation
Help maximize claim value
Outsourcing also removes the need to hire a full-time estimator while still giving contractors access to experienced professionals whenever they need help.
Restoration Estimating Beyond Insurance Claims
Xactimate is best known for insurance work, but restoration estimating is useful for many other projects too. Contractors also use professional estimates for:
Budget planning
Commercial renovations
Disaster recovery
Property maintenance
Cost forecasting
Competitive bidding
Accurate restoration estimating helps businesses plan projects more efficiently and reduces financial uncertainty.
How United Estimating Helps Contractors
Preparing accurate estimates takes time, experience, and a solid understanding of restoration pricing. United Estimating provides professional Xactimate estimating services that help contractors produce detailed, insurance-ready estimates without adding more work to their in-house teams.
Whether you are handling water damage, fire restoration, storm losses, commercial repairs, or complex property damage, our experienced estimators prepare reliable Xactimate estimates that support insurance claims, improve project planning, and help you bid with confidence.
By partnering with United Estimating, contractors gain access to skilled estimating professionals, faster turnaround times, and dependable documentation that keeps restoration projects moving forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Xactimate?
Xactimate is professional estimating software used by contractors, restoration companies, public adjusters, and insurance carriers to prepare detailed repair estimates for property damage projects.
What is included in an Xactimate estimate?
An Xactimate estimate usually includes labor costs, material quantities, equipment expenses, demolition, repairs, regional pricing, and a complete scope of work for the project.
Who uses Xactimate software?
Xactimate is commonly used by restoration contractors, roofing contractors, insurance adjusters, public adjusters, insurance carriers, mitigation companies, and estimating professionals.
Why is Xactimate important for insurance claims?
Xactimate uses standardized pricing and documentation, which makes it easier for insurance companies to review repair costs and process claims efficiently.
Can contractors outsource Xactimate estimating services?
Yes. Many contractors outsource their estimating to experienced estimators. This helps them improve accuracy, save time, increase bid capacity, and focus on completing projects.
Conclusion
Understanding what Xactimate is can help contractors improve the way they prepare restoration estimates and manage insurance-related projects. By using an industry-standard estimating platform, contractors can produce accurate, well-documented estimates that simplify communication with insurance carriers and support faster claim reviews.
Whether you’re restoring damage caused by water, fire, storms, or other disasters, having reliable estimating processes in place can reduce costly errors, improve project planning, and keep restoration work moving forward with confidence.
For contractors who want to save time and focus on growing their business, partnering with an experienced estimating team can provide the expertise needed to deliver consistent, insurance-ready estimates while increasing efficiency and bidding success.
Get Professional Xactimate Estimating Services
Looking for dependable Xactimate estimating services? United Estimating helps contractors, restoration companies, public adjusters, and insurance professionals prepare accurate Xactimate estimates for insurance restoration projects. From insurance restoration estimating and property damage estimating to complete restoration cost analysis, our experienced team delivers detailed estimates that help you bid confidently, streamline claims, and keep projects moving forward.
Contact United Estimating today to learn how our professional estimating solutions can support your next restoration project.