Flood Estimators

Drywall

The Xactimate default for drywall is 1/2 inch thick, smooth finish.
Drywall is generally removed where wet in the ceilings or walls. Drywall in ceilings is often 5/8 inch thick, but not always. The thickness is important to the build back values only. Please indicate if the drywall removed was a “flood cut” up to 2 ft., 4 ft., or 4 inches. This means that only the bottom 2 ft, 4 ft, or 4 inches was removed. Since this pays a higher rate for removal and/or replacement, it is to your advantage to record your information that way. The quantity must be included unless dimensions are included with instructions like “the whole room or the whole basement”. When the drywall removed is “flood cut” then we measure the lineal feet. If a wet ceiling or other wall area is removed, please measure and supply the square footage. Also texture is an additional charge so please indicate if there is a need to add popcorn, orange peel, light hand, or heavy hand texture. *If a drywall repair is being done you will need the room size for measurements of many related activities, so always measure every affected room. Small drawings are good too when the room is not rectangular. Just find the rectangles and provide 2 measurements for each.

Casing

The Xactimate default for casing is 2 inch painted.
Like baseboard, most people think casing describes all you need to know. Send somebody to Home Depot with no more description than casing and they will probably bring back the cheap 2 inch paintable. And if you only estimate for that you have a problem if the casing is 4 inch oak, times 12 doorways, both sides. That’s an additional material charge of $803. Best to see that coming and note it on your inspection and scope notes.

FLOORCOVERING

CARPET, PAD, VINYL, VINYL TILE, CERAMIC, LAMINATE, REAL WOOD

All floorcovering is best described as being average, better, or premium. The insurance companies often use ITEL for setting prices for these. ITEL will investigate a sample and render an opinion that is the last word, probably. Reasonable requests based on truth in your estimate, may stop that extra wait from happening. In other words, exaggeration is wrong and slows the process. Honesty is the only right path. Drying companies don’t need qualities to describe tear out. Restoration companies need to describe carefully. We use a 15% waste factor as a default for carpet and sheet goods, and 10% waste for tile. Wood pricing includes average waste.

Cabinets and Countertops

For drying companies, cabinets can be detached for saving and reinstalling later. Or they might be torn out. Often the cabinets are removed carefully, to be later deemed ruined, and disposed of. Drying companies need to refer to the activity performed as cabinets removed by the lineal feet, and further described as base cabinets, upper, full height, or vanity. For the build back the estimate shall need to refer to the cabinets as average, better, best, or custom. It’s a real plus if you can furnish a total square footage for end panels. These are pricey extra items that you will have to buy and install. As with other products, sometimes cabinets can only be priced by professionals and the bid incorporated into the estimate as a bid item. *A handy use for Xactimate is to establish the budget for all repairs, then offering work to sub-contractors on the basis of “the budget”. Countertops have a huge impact and must be described by both drying contractor and restoration contractor. When countertops are disturbed then often the backsplash is ruined. Be sure to indicate if the activity is detach and reset, or remove, or replace. And
certainly remember to mention that it is Formica, or Ceramic, or Granite. Huge variety here. Naturally, adjusters will want you to try and salvage a granite countertop, which is not just a complication, but often times, is impossibility.

Drying Equipment

The equipment that is used most is probably rated by its manufacturer as a regular, large, xlarge and xxlarge.  It is important to list these correctly. It is important to keep moisture readings that help verify that you were justified in leaving the equipment for X number of days. The moisture readings are not part of the Xactimate. Invoice but are usually submitted separately if at all. Short durations with few pieces are less scrutinized than many, many days with many, many pieces. Moisture readings can justify most situations where time seemed excessive to others. The usual equipment is included in the form. All other equipment can be added in the other equipment section.

Insulation

The Xactimate defaults for insulation are: walls is 4 inch batt, for ceilings it is 6 inch batt and attics use 10 inch blown in.
Removal of wet insulation is typical of a drying demo. Usually, interior walls are not insulated. We need your information to be correct regarding where, how much, and what type of insulation was removed. You don’t need to describe insulation on a drying estimate, but the BUILD BACK will need it. Our defaults are 4 inch batts on walls, and 10 inch blown-in or 6 inch Batt on ceilings. And working in a crawlspace is at a higher price.

Baseboards

The Xactimate default for baseboard is 3 inch painted pine
For the drying only company, baseboards are just removed by the lineal feet. They may detach and save only or simply tear out. The scope may include quarter round only or in addition. To the restoration company, the correct price can best be calculated if we have the quality, width, finish, and quantity. The quality can be paint quality pine, stain and finish quality pine, specific wood types painted or finished. How wide is an important fact and should not be overlooked. And don’t forget the quarter round. If the contractor is to reset old baseboards, then does the base also need to be refinished or painted?

Doors

The Xactimate default interior door is lauan painted.
To drying companies, the door slab may be detached for future reset by others, or the whole door unit may be demolished. Other combinations are possible and need described, especially as to why in case of disagreements. The restoration company will need to allow for type and quality and note the slab only activity separately from the whole door unit activity. Doors are described by good, better, premium type adjectives and by wood type when appropriate. Special doors, like sliding and bi-fold need described as such. Sometimes the door is metal and painted at the factory. Always mention if the new door will require paint or finish. And the jamb and casing, too.

Subfloors and Underlayments

Drying companies may tear out floors all the way down to the joists. This may include additional layers and each layer can be any thickness. Please describe the material by type and thickness and of course how many square feet. Cleaning, disinfecting, sealing, and sanding joists are possible other activities after tearing up a subfloor. Don’t forget to list all activities in any category.

Paint

If you repair a ceiling, the only painting allowance by the insurance company, might be to seal the repair and paint the ceiling 1 coat. If the repair was at the edge of the ceiling, then the drywall repair included taping and the wall is now affected. The allowance should include painting at least the affected wall. Most insurance companies will allow the whole room to be painted, or allow to a natural stopping point. *Don’t forget, that when painting must continue because, for instance, the ceiling continues without break into another room, then you need the square footage of that other room also.

Cleaning

Did you clean? Include it on the form.

• • Carpet
  • Subfloor
  • Walls
  • Wall Studs
  • Floor Joists
  • Ceiling Joists
  • Cabinets
  • Plumbing fixtures
  • Stairs

Contents Manipulation

Average rooms can be just by size on a small, med, large, xlarge basis. But when the job was beyond the average, like a basement full of stuff, hours can be listed. Be fair with your numbers and truthful always.

Lights Fans and Registers

The activity may be detach and reset, remove and replace, or just clean.