THE ESTIMATE HANDOFF
What should your outsourced estimator deliver?
An outsourced estimate should arrive in the formats agreed for the assignment, with a scope your team can trace to its field records. SaguaroScope writing includes an editable Xactimate ESX and review PDF. Roofing and reconstruction Estimate Only also includes the corresponding sketch. Accepted F9 notes travel with the estimate; limited mitigation review has a different output. Confirm those distinctions before work begins.
SaguaroScope · Editorial guide reviewed
Match the deliverable to the service
| Assignment | Expected handoff |
|---|---|
| Roofing or reconstruction Estimate Only | Project estimate, corresponding sketch, editable ESX and review PDF. No F9 notes or technical coordination. |
| Writing with accepted F9 documentation | Written estimate with the agreed notes inside the relevant line items, plus the included ESX/PDF and supporting materials specified for that assignment. |
| Mitigation writing | ESX and review PDF for the accepted scope, room/quantity organization, documented equipment reconciliation, factual source notes, source register and exceptions. |
| Limited mitigation review | Marked review PDF or issue register and a writing recommendation. No rewritten ESX. |
For mitigation, basic room grouping and quantity entry are included. Creating a missing Xactimate sketch can be a separately priced option when adequate measurements are supplied. A usable existing ESX sketch does not incur that add-on.
Keep the editable project and the review copy
Xactimate desktop exports its projects as ESX files. That is the working project format to request when an editable Xactimate handoff is included. A PDF lets your team read the estimate without opening that project, but a PDF alone is not the native editable estimate.
Check that both files identify the same property and revision. Open the ESX in your compatible Xactimate environment and compare the PDF to the version you are reviewing. Keep earlier versions clearly marked so the wrong file is not submitted.
Check the scope behind the total
A usable handoff makes the accepted work understandable. Review the repair operations and quantities against the records your company supplied. An estimate total cannot resolve a missing dimension, concealed condition or unanswered scope decision.
- Location and version: correct property, rooms or roof areas, date and revision.
- Quantities and sketch: dimensions, areas and affected locations agree with the accepted measurements and scope.
- Operations and materials: inclusions, exclusions, finishes and sequencing reflect the work your company intends to perform.
- Open questions: assumptions, conflicts and missing facts are identifiable before your team approves the file.
- Mitigation records: equipment locations, placement/removal intervals and quantities can be checked against the field logs; overlap with reconstruction is addressed.
Your company remains responsible for field verification and final scope approval. Remote estimate preparation does not establish concealed conditions, inspect the property or certify completed work.
Know where the documentation belongs
F9 is Xactimate’s line-item notes function. When your SaguaroScope assignment includes F9 documentation, review the accepted explanations in the relevant estimate items. Their later billing milestone does not mean those notes arrive after the estimate.
A sketch, a note, an embedded photo report and a technical research package are different deliverables. Estimate Only does not include F9, manufacturer documentation, code arguments or a photo report. A selected service should identify which supporting materials are included; it should not leave your team expecting every possible attachment.
Agree on revisions, release and next steps
Confirm the revision terms in the accepted order. Send one clear list tied to an area, page or estimate line, and distinguish a correction from newly supplied facts or added scope. Do not assume every revision, later supplement or carrier response is included in the original writing price.
Mitigation writing has its published same-scope revision terms; those do not automatically apply to roofing or reconstruction. Standard writing accounts pay the base fee before final ESX/PDF release at handoff. Approved periodic accounts keep their agreed billing and release terms.
Your company reviews and approves the technical work and controls its use and submission. Separately authorized Carrier Technical Coordination can transmit and explain client-approved materials. It does not include insured representation, coverage decisions, settlement negotiation or a guarantee of carrier approval.
Questions contractors ask
Should I receive an ESX or just a PDF?
Confirm both in the order when you need an editable estimate. SaguaroScope writing includes an ESX and review PDF. A limited mitigation review instead returns its marked PDF or issue register and does not include an ESX rewrite.
Does estimate writing include a sketch?
Roofing and reconstruction Estimate Only includes the corresponding sketch from adequate supplied measurements. Mitigation has separate sketch options: basic grouping is included, while creating a missing Xactimate sketch can be an additional accepted service.
Will F9 notes be in the estimate when it is delivered?
Yes, when F9 is part of the accepted assignment. The notes are written into the relevant line items and accompany the estimate. Base estimating and the later F9 percentage or minimum fee remain separate.
What should I do if the estimate contains an open question?
Resolve the field fact or scope decision with your team and identify the affected area or line. Ask how the answer changes the draft before approving it. A missing fact should not be treated as established merely because a draft estimate exists.
Are later revisions and carrier responses included?
Only as stated in the accepted service. Confirm the revision scope and timing; new facts or added work may require a change order. Carrier Technical Coordination is separately authorized and is not included in Estimate Only.
Does receiving the finished estimate mean it is approved by the carrier?
No. Delivery means the agreed estimate or review output is available for your company’s review. Your team verifies field facts and approves its use; SaguaroScope does not guarantee an insurer’s approval or decide coverage.
Related services and guides
Define the handoff before the work starts.
Send your scope and records, and identify the result your team needs. We confirm the service, deliverables, price and delivery target.
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