PDF ESTIMATES & MISSING ESX FILES
Only have the PDF? Send the complete version.
A readable PDF can support an estimating inquiry even when the original ESX is unavailable. It provides a reference for the written scope, quantities and totals shown, but it is not the editable Xactimate project. SaguaroScope checks the complete PDF alongside your field records and confirms whether the accepted work requires writing, rebuilding or a different service route.
SaguaroScope · Editorial guide reviewed
Use the PDF as a reference, not a project file
Xactware identifies ESX as an importable project format and lists PDF for document uses. Having the printed estimate does not mean you have the underlying project, editable sketch or calculation settings. Renaming a PDF to ESX does not create them.
A readable PDF may show line items, quantities, notes, summaries and a printed sketch. Staff still needs to identify what is missing and confirm the contractor’s intended scope. A screenshot of the grand total is not the same as the complete estimate.
| Input | Useful for | Still needs confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Complete estimate PDF | Reading the displayed scope, notes and totals. | Current version, missing pages, field facts and accepted work. |
| Scanned or photographed pages | A reference when text and figures remain readable. | Unclear text, clipped columns and transcription accuracy. |
| Printed sketch | Understanding the displayed layout and dimensions. | Scale, omitted areas and any dimensions not shown. |
| Original ESX, if later available | Supplying editable project information for staff to check. | Version, contents and whether it matches the intended scope. |
Send enough context to avoid rebuilding the wrong file
- Include every page of the current PDF, including line items, summaries, notes and any sketch pages.
- Identify whether it is a carrier estimate, your company’s estimate or another contractor’s document.
- State the version or issue date and explain any earlier version needed for comparison.
- Add your repair scope, measurements, photos and supporting records for the work you want included.
- Tell us whether the goal is a new estimate, revised scope or an assessment of an existing file.
If the ESX can be obtained from an authorized source, it may supply useful project information. If it cannot, say so; staff can assess the PDF and records without promising an automatic or exact conversion.
Confirm the service before rebuilding anything
For roofing and reconstruction, existing-estimate inquiries route into the established writing service and, where eligible and selected, the F9 Documentation add-on. This page does not offer a separate paid PDF review or conversion product.
For mitigation, a contractor’s existing estimate may qualify for the separate limited file review under its published scope, paid before review begins for ordinary accounts. That review returns findings or a marked PDF and a writing recommendation; it does not include a rewritten ESX. A writing assignment is a separate accepted step.
If rebuilding is part of an accepted writing assignment, staff confirms the information, workload and price first. Missing dimensions, unreadable pages or a materially changed scope must be resolved rather than filled with invented data.
Check quantities and assumptions, not just the total
Matching a PDF’s bottom line does not prove the same scope was written. During an accepted rebuild, displayed operations, quantities, notes and relevant pricing assumptions need checking against the source and your company’s instructions.
A printed sketch may need to be recreated from the dimensions available. Where an underlay is used, Xactware’s workflow sets scale from a known line length; the picture alone does not supply every missing measurement. Your field contact resolves gaps or conflicts.
Your team reviews the prepared estimate for materials, quantities and repair boundaries. Explain any requested scope or version changes so the final file can be distinguished from the reference PDF.
Know what the accepted handoff includes
SaguaroScope provides contractor-side remote estimating across its approved service area. The PSO or applicable standing annual agreement defines the accepted assignment and included deliverables. Roofing and reconstruction Estimate Only includes the corresponding sketch; mitigation has separate sketch-preparation terms.
For ordinary writing accounts, payment is due at handoff before final ESX/PDF release; approved periodic accounts follow their agreed terms. Selected F9 notes are included in the estimate SaguaroScope writes, while the later verified-outcome F9 fee remains separate from the base estimate fee, with no estimate-fee credit.
Your company supplies and verifies the scope, approves the work and controls submission. SaguaroScope does not determine coverage, represent the insured, negotiate a settlement or guarantee approval.
Questions contractors ask
Can you work from a PDF if I do not have the ESX?
A complete readable PDF can be assessed with your scope and records. Staff confirms whether the accepted service involves writing or rebuilding and identifies missing information before production.
Can I convert the PDF into an ESX by changing its extension?
No. A PDF document is not the editable Xactimate project. Renaming it does not create the project data, sketch or estimate settings.
Will the rebuilt estimate match the PDF total exactly?
An exact match is not promised. The accepted scope, quantities, pricing assumptions and source quality must be checked. Differences should be identified and reviewed rather than forcing an unsupported total.
Is a scanned PDF usable?
It may be, if the complete text, figures and sketches are readable. Send the clearest version available; staff will flag unreadable or missing information instead of guessing.
Does a PDF review include a rewritten ESX?
The limited mitigation review does not. Roofing and reconstruction inquiries route into the established writing and eligible F9 services. The accepted assignment defines whether an ESX will be prepared.
What if I obtain the ESX after work begins?
Send the correct version through the agreed project workflow and notify your contact. Staff checks it against the accepted scope and work already prepared before deciding whether any change is needed.
Related services and guides
Primary references
Start with the file you actually have.
Send the complete PDF and explain the outcome your team needs. We will confirm the appropriate service and missing records.
Start with your PDF