Following a hailstorm or other weather event, a roofer is one of the first people out talking with the homeowner, vying for their business.
Many roofing companies use the software Xactimate for scoping and costing out the work to be done. While Xactware didn’t create a specific Xactimate for Roofers, the software is what most of the major insurance carriers use to calculate repair costs and is used for determining the amount of reimbursement to the homeowner.
What are the advantages for roofers in knowing how to use Xactimate?
- The first is consistency. When you price out a roof in the same method as the adjuster you can address line items in their report in the same way they look at them. For example, you would be able to show that the roof has 35 feet of valley with a 10% waste factor that isn’t in their estimate.
When you use the same systems to create an estimate, it’s easy to see the similarities or differences. This may be a bit of a change in how roofers create their bids. Through Xactimate, you’re able to change line item amounts for specific items, if needed, based on first hand knowledge of current pricing. Xactimate does provide up-to-date local pricing with their software, but not everything is perfect.
The first rule of customer service is to keep people involved and informed. They want YOU to do your job, but they also want the assurance that you are the professional you claim to be. When you use Xactimate to create your estimate, it’s easier for the homeowner to follow along with the differences or similarities of the estimates. Less confusion is always beneficial when interaction with three parties is involved.
- Xactimate will help you become a better estimator. Once you’ve learned the software, you can begin to let it work for you. Xactimate is easy to use and allows you to set up default items on a roof so you won’t be spending your time looking up specific items.
You can set up a default macro that will drop pipe jacks and roof vents on the roof along with the tar paper and shingles. The tar paper and shingles will automatically calculate based on the measurements of the roof. You then set your waste factor for each. After that, you can adjust the quantities of the roof items such as roof vents or simply delete them if none are present.
Third party services, such as EagleView, import roof images directly into Xactimate from their aerial images. This will automatically give you pictures and a roof sketch of the entire roof, including all slopes and pitches. Currently this costs about $65 per house to order from them, but it may make sense in your business when you have an extremely cut up roof.
Using Sketch in Xactimate is going to be the most common way to estimate a roof. Most roofs are simple to draw and the software makes it easier. Once the roof is drawn in Sketch with a few simple measurements taken from the actual roof, you simply add the items you need such as drip edge, decking, tar paper, and shingles.
2021Training offers a current Xactimate class, which has helped roofers begin to speak the language of adjusters everywhere. Xactimate for roofers will open up a whole new level of professionalism. The reports for the homeowner are beautiful and professional.
Take time to invest in yourself and your business. Get more details about and sign up for our Xactimate course here.
