How to read an Xactimate estimate (in plain English)

Xactimate is the estimating software that nearly every U.S. property insurance carrier uses. If you've filed a roof claim, the document your adjuster sent you was probably generated by it. It looks like this:

RFG SHINGLE-ARCH    Composition Shingles (Architectural)    22.00 SQ    265.00    5,830.00
RFG IWS             Ice & Water Shield                       3.00 SQ    78.00     234.00
RFG VENT            Ridge Vent (continuous), Detach & Reset  35.00 LF   3.20      112.00

If you've never seen one before, it looks like nonsense. Once you know the pattern, it's the same as reading a restaurant check. Here's the decoder.

The four columns of every line item

Every line follows the same structure:

1. Code — short identifier (e.g. RFG SHINGLE-ARCH). RFG means "roofing."
2. Description — what the work is and what action is being taken
3. Quantity + Unit — e.g. 22.00 SQ means 22 squares (1 square = 100 sq ft of roof)
4. Unit Price + Total — what the adjuster is paying per unit, and what that multiplies out to

The action codes that matter

Every line item has an implied action. The big ones:

• R&R (Remove & Replace) — full replacement. This is what most accessory items should be.
• D&R or DTRS (Detach & Reset) — remove the item, set it aside, reinstall it. Pays less labor and zero material. Adjusters love this code because it saves money. It's wrong on most accessories during a re-roof because the salvaged item can't be reinstalled.
• NEW — install new. Used when something didn't exist on the original roof.
• REM — remove only.

The summary section

At the end of the line items you'll see something like this:

Replacement Cost Value:            $7,902.00
Less Non-Recoverable Depreciation: $1,200.00
Actual Cash Value:                 $6,702.00
Less Deductible:                   $1,000.00
Net Claim:                         $5,702.00

Translation:

• RCV (Replacement Cost Value) — what it actually costs to do the work today, at full price. This is the total of all the line items.
• ACV (Actual Cash Value) — RCV minus depreciation (the loss in value from age). Most policies pay this upfront and "release" the depreciation after you actually complete the repairs.
• Deductible — what you pay out of pocket. Don't be surprised; it's in your policy.
• Net Claim — what the insurer will write you a check for.

Where to look for trouble

Three places, every time.

1. The line items themselves. Is drip edge there? Is starter course there? Is ice & water shield there at the appropriate quantity? (For a 22-square roof, you'd expect at least 2–4 SQ of IWS.) Anything missing is a supplement candidate. See our 8 line items adjusters always forget.

2. The action codes. Every accessory line item should be R&R, not D&R. If you see "Drip Edge, Detach & Reset" — that's wrong.

3. The unit prices. Are the prices reasonable for your area? Architectural shingles installed should run $260–$330 per square in most U.S. metros, higher on the coasts. Tear-off labor should run $55–$85 per square. If your adjuster is materially below those numbers, your local contractor will struggle to do the work for that amount — meaning either you eat the difference or the work gets done with cut corners.

The fastest way to check all three

Upload your estimate to our free Claim Detective. It reads every line, checks every code requirement, compares every unit price to regional fair-market rates, and produces a supplement letter automatically. No phone number, no email until you want the letter sent to you, no upsell.