Scope sheet

More estimating & workflow terms

• Scope creep

  Work that grows beyond the approved estimate without a written change order or carrier approval. It is how contractors end up doing extra work they never get paid for. Every addition needs documentation and a signature before the work happens.

• Scope of work

  The detailed list of repairs and materials needed to restore the property, written either by the insurer's estimator or as the contractor's proposal. A thin scope of work means supplements later, which slows payment. Missing items are the most common source of dispute.

• Selector code

  The short code that names a specific line item inside its Xactimate category - you need both halves to identify the product, such as DRY WTRX, not WTRX alone. A right-sounding description on the wrong selector puts the wrong product at the wrong price, and it is a frequent cause of supplement disputes.

• Sketch

  The scaled drawing of the structure in Xactimate that generates measurements and quantities.

• Sketch (Xactimate)

  The drawing tool where you lay out the roof and building so the software calculates every measurement it uses. Errors in the sketch flow into every line item that depends on it. Pitch, valleys, and waste belong in the sketch, not in later guesswork.

• Steep slope

  A roof steeper than about 6/12. Steep slopes are harder and more dangerous to work, so Xactimate adds a steep charge to labor and materials.

Common questions