FLOOR PLANS & SKETCH INPUTS
Turn a measured plan into a defined estimating file.
A legible, dimensioned floor plan or sketch can support Xactimate estimate writing when it is paired with the contractor’s repair scope, affected-area boundaries and supporting photos. SaguaroScope checks the dimensions and scope before confirming the assignment. A plan shows the layout; it does not tell the estimator which surfaces need work or what materials and operations your company intends to use.
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Start with a plan the estimator can read
Provide the clearest available plan or sketch, showing the property, level, room names, dimensions and units. A hand sketch may be useful if its labels and measurements are clear enough for the assignment. An old listing plan or schematic drawing needs contractor verification against the current site.
Xactimate can use a reference image as an underlay for tracing. Xactware’s instructions set the scale from a line whose dimension is known. That capability does not turn an undimensioned image into reliable measurements or automatically select estimate operations.
Mark the parts of each room that need work
| Identify | Make it specific |
|---|---|
| Room and level | Use the same names on the plan, photos and scope. |
| Ceiling and wall dimensions | Include heights and changes in shape or level where relevant. |
| Affected surfaces | Distinguish floors, ceilings and particular walls; mark partial repair limits. |
| Openings and fixed features | Record relevant doors, windows, closets, cabinets or other features that affect the accepted work. |
| Operations and materials | Describe removal, replacement, finishing and exclusions using the facts your team has confirmed. |
Keep damage boundaries separate from room boundaries
A whole room on a plan is not automatically a whole-room repair. Tell us whether the assignment includes a measured section, one surface, an entire room or a broader contractor-defined scope. Identify how the affected area connects to the photos.
For example, a measured living room may contain a limited ceiling opening and a different finishing area. The estimator needs the documented boundary for each operation. The plan’s total floor area alone does not establish those quantities.
For mitigation, the layout helps identify rooms and drying zones, but actual equipment intervals, moisture readings and work performed come from the field records. Keep the mitigation and reconstruction operations identifiable so they can be checked for overlap.
Flag gaps instead of filling them with guesses
If a dimension, ceiling height or room connection is missing, label it as unconfirmed. Staff reviews whether the file is sufficient and asks your contact for the specific fact needed. Photographs can show context, but they do not establish every hidden condition or scale.
Include an existing ESX when available and identify its version. Xactware treats project imports, sketch templates and underlay images as different file types; a PDF or screenshot is a reference, not automatically an editable estimate. Staff confirms what preparation the accepted assignment requires.
What the accepted assignment produces
SaguaroScope reviews the plan, scope and records, confirms the service, price and delivery target, then prepares the accepted estimate and corresponding sketch. The included ESX/PDF files let your team review the result. Remote work is subject to file fit and service-area availability.
Roofing and reconstruction Estimate Only includes the corresponding sketch and excludes F9 notes. Mitigation has separate writing and sketch-preparation terms; do not assume the roof/reconstruction inclusions or a supplied picture remove all mitigation preparation work. The current Pricing page sets out those distinctions.
Standard writing fees are paid at handoff before final release; approved periodic clients follow their agreed terms. F9, when included with roofing or reconstruction writing, is delivered in the estimate but billed separately after the reported final outcome and verification. The base estimate payment is not an F9 credit.
Your company verifies the field facts and approves the scope and finished work under the accepted PSO or applicable standing annual terms. It retains submission control. SaguaroScope does not determine coverage, represent the insured, negotiate a settlement or guarantee approval.
Questions contractors ask
Can you use a hand-drawn sketch for a Xactimate estimate?
A clear hand sketch can support the fit review when room labels, measurements and scope are usable. Staff confirms whether more detail or preparation is needed before accepting the work.
What if my plan has no dimensions?
Identify what measurements are missing. A known reference dimension can support scaling in a suitable underlay workflow, but the contractor must still confirm the dimensions and information needed for the actual assignment.
Should I mark the damaged area or the whole room?
Show both the room layout and the actual repair boundary for each affected surface. A room’s full area does not automatically establish the extent of removal, replacement or finishing.
Does a floor plan replace photos?
No. The plan explains geometry; photos and field records explain conditions, materials and the work. Send the useful records together and identify any missing evidence.
Does supplying a plan eliminate the sketch fee?
The answer depends on the service and whether the input is usable. Roof/reconstruction Estimate Only includes a corresponding sketch; mitigation has separate published sketch-preparation terms. Staff confirms the accepted fee.
Will the final file be editable in Xactimate?
The accepted writing service identifies the included ESX/PDF deliverables. A limited mitigation review has a different output and does not include a rewritten ESX.
Related services and guides
Primary references
Send the plan, then define the work.
Include dimensions, room labels, affected-area boundaries and supporting photos. We confirm what can be written from the file.
Send your plan and scope