Most “cheat sheets” online ship wrong list years, invented codes, and prices that aren’t yours. This page is a map of what to look for in your installed price list—category by category—not a code table.
Descriptions and selectors change with every price-list version. Use the stable prefixes (WTR, DRY, DEM, CLN) and the item-type language below to search your list. Pair it with the strategy posts at the bottom for supplements, audits, and X1 workflow.
Before you estimate: Open Xactimate, confirm your active regional price-list version, and search there. Every quantity, unit, and dollar value on a claim must come from that list and your documented scope—not from a blog post.
Water extraction and remediation WTR
What this category covers
Standing water, saturated assemblies, and first-pass mitigation labor: extraction, pump-out, pad removal, weighted or subsurface passes, and treatment lines some lists place here or under CLN—search both if results look thin.
Item types estimators reach for
- Standing-water extraction (light/heavy tiers vary by list)
- Carpet, pad, and hard-surface extraction; repeat passes when documented
- Pump-out labor or equipment hours when billed separately
- Initial antimicrobial or biocide when scoped in mitigation (check WTR vs CLN)
- Containment or negative air when your regional list places them under water groups
Units to double-check
Often per square foot of flooring, but some lines are per room, hour, or visit. Read the unit column before you copy an old job—floor SF and wall SF are not interchangeable.
Gotchas: Missing line-item notes that tie extraction passes to documented water class or depth. Photos that show dry carpet while the estimate bills heavy extraction for the same room. Using a “whole house” quantity when sketch only supports one level or one wing—adjusters map quantities to the diagram.
Drying and equipment DRY
What this category covers
Mechanical dry-out: air movers, dehumidifiers, scrubbers, mats, and monitoring. Day counts here must match logs and photos or the whole mitigation block gets trimmed on review.
Item types estimators reach for
- Air movers and dehumidifiers (match size tier: standard vs LGR/desiccant)
- Air scrubbers or HEPA negative air per day
- Floor mats, injection drying, setup/breakdown when listed
- Monitoring visits or psychrometric readings as separate lines when carriers allow
Units to double-check
Equipment is almost always per day per unit or per day with quantity equal to machine count. Monitoring may be per visit, per day, or per hour. Double-check whether the list expects each machine as quantity × days or a single line with combined math in notes—carriers parse these differently on audit.
Gotchas: Equipment days on the estimate that exceed documented on-site days. Blank dehumidifier size tier (picking a generic line when photos show LGR units). Forgetting to align missed drying and monitoring lines when the first submission used a flat “mitigation allowance” mental model instead of line-by-line equipment.
Demolition DEM
What this category covers
Selective tear-out for restoration—flood cuts, wet drywall, trim, floors, cabinet detach—not rebuild removal. Disposal may sit here or under general conditions depending on the list.
Item types estimators reach for
- Flood-cut drywall by height band; wet insulation in cavities
- Baseboard, trim, and floor covering tear-out
- Detach cabinets or vanities for access; haul-off when split from demo labor
Units to double-check
Per square foot or linear foot for cuts and trim; cabinets often each. Flood-cut height in the description must match photos before you paste sketch quantities.
Gotchas: Demo quantities that don’t match flood-cut photos or moisture map. Billing full room drywall removal when only a flood cut is documented. Mixing rebuild removal with mitigation demo without clarifying phase—see mitigation vs rebuild separation when warehouse or job costing blurs the two.
Cleaning CLN
What this category covers
Structural cleaning, HEPA vacuum, deodorization, and antimicrobials when the list files them here. Fire and odor jobs pull heavily from CLN plus fire/smoke groups.
Item types estimators reach for
- HEPA vacuum and wet cleaning by surface type (floor, wall, ceiling, exposed framing)
- Deodorization equipment and fogging where scope and safety notes support it
- Antimicrobial application; final or post-mitigation cleans when carriers expect them apart from WTR
Units to double-check
Structural cleaning is often per square foot of surface area; deodorization equipment may be per day or per room. HEPA vacuum lines may bill by SF of floor vs SF of affected wall—descriptions differ. Double-check “exposed” vs “finished” surface wording so you’re not under- or over-stating square footage.
Gotchas: Deodorization lines with no narrative for occupant safety, clearance, or length of treatment. Applying smoke-cleaning SF to rooms that photos show were sealed off or untouched. Duplicate cleaning lines that overlap with contents pack-out cleaning elsewhere on the estimate.
Fire and smoke
What this category covers
Char removal, soot clean, sealers, board-up, and kitchen/protein variants live in fire/smoke groupings—names vary. Search “fire,” “smoke,” “soot,” and “char,” not one assumed prefix.
Item types estimators reach for
- Board-up and emergency secure
- Smoke/soot clean and seal phases; protein-fire variants when grease residue applies
- HVAC duct or register cleaning when accessed; char demo overlapping DEM—note phase in line comments
Units to double-check
SF, per room, or LF for trim; HVAC by register, duct LF, or each component. Board-up is opening SF or each opening—not whole-wall SF.
Gotchas: Whole-house smoke clean when investigation shows isolated rooms. Sealer lines without evidence of persistent odor or visual smoke on framing. Missing correlation between demo, clean, and seal phases—adjusters expect logical order and matching quantities.
Mold remediation
What this category covers
Mold scope spans mold-specific categories and overlaps DEM, CLN, and containment. Search “mold,” “contain,” and “antimicrobial” together—placement varies by region.
Item types estimators reach for
- Containment, negative air, and removal of affected materials
- Abrasive clean on framing; HEPA vacuum and antimicrobial post-treatment
- Clearance or verification labor only when authorized and listable on the claim
Units to double-check
Containment may be per square foot of barrier, per room, or each setup. Removal lines mirror DEM units. Treatment of framing is often per square foot of surface. Do not reuse water-loss flood-cut quantities if mold scope extends higher or includes ceiling plenums.
Gotchas: Mold lines on estimates with no moisture source correction documented. Confusing “clean” with “remove”—carriers deny removal disguised as clean. Missing photos inside containment before tear-out and after treatment.
Contents: pack-out, cleaning, and storage
What this category covers
Pack-out, cleaning, storage, and reset—often skipped on structure-only water estimates until the adjuster asks for inventory photos you don’t have.
Item types estimators reach for
- On-site manipulation, pack-out, inventory, and transport
- Off-site storage by month; contents cleaning by method (textile, hard goods, upholstery)
- Reset furniture; trash-out for non-salvageable contents separate from structural debris
Units to double-check
Storage is commonly per month with quantity tied to vault count or volume. Cleaning may be each item, per pound for textiles, or per hour for labor pools. Manipulation is often per hour or per room—confirm whether minimum hours apply in the description footnotes.
Gotchas: Storage months that extend beyond documented customer authorization. Cleaning lines for items never photographed or listed on inventory. Billing full pack-out when only on-site move and cover was performed.
General conditions and fees
What this category covers
Mobilization, trips, supervision, disposal fees, and temp job-site costs when the carrier allows them as lines instead of rolled overhead.
Item types estimators reach for
- Emergency mobilization, trips, and mileage when permitted
- Supervision or PM hours; dumpster and disposal fees
- Temp services (power, toilet) and listable documentation labor when carrier guidelines allow
Units to double-check
Trips and calls: each or per mile. Supervision: per hour with daily caps in notes. Dumpsters: each haul or per pick-up. Always cross-check carrier guidelines—general conditions are the first cut on desk review when documentation is thin.
Gotchas: Stacking multiple mobilization lines for the same visit. Project management hours that don’t align with job complexity or visit log. Dumpster counts that don’t match demo volume and haul receipts.
How to search the price list fast
Keyword search, not memory
Type plain fragments—“extract,” “dehumidifier,” “flood cut,” “HEPA,” “pack out”—and filter by prefix when results clutter. Re-validate favorites after each list update; old description strings don’t guarantee the same line today.
Saved lists and favorites
Group favorites by loss type (water, fire, mold, contents). Name them from the official description text so exports read clearly to desk reviewers.
Assemblies
Use assemblies when defaults match the room; edit components when equipment counts or flood-cut height differ. On disputed files, explode to individual lines before export. Keep sketch aligned—see sketch and mobile workflow.
Macros and templates
Macros speed multi-unit work but duplicate rooms if you don’t audit the drop. Run as draft, then walk this sheet against photos—macros never replace moisture logs.
Deep reads (strategy companions)
Go deeper after you map the lines
Where to look is above; these posts cover reviews and supplements:
- Xactimate Strategy for Restoration Contractors: 2026 Guide — carrier-facing workflow, export discipline, and estimate structure.
- 10 Forgotten Line Items — common omissions that pass field smell-test but fail desk audit.
- Water Damage Supplement: 8 Missed Line Items — water-specific supplement targets tied to documentation.
- Supplement Audit: 7 Missed Water Mitigation Items — audit-style pass on mitigation files before you submit.
Platform and phase context: Xactimate X1 Platform Guide · Mitigation and rebuild are not two pins at the same warehouse
FAQ
Why do Xactimate line items get denied on restoration jobs?
Denials usually trace to documentation gaps, wrong units of measure, or line items that don’t match what photos and notes prove. Adjusters compare the estimate to the file: if equipment days aren’t logged, antimicrobial scope isn’t explained, or quantities don’t tie to sketch or floor dimensions, individual lines get cut—not because the price list lacks the item, but because the estimate didn’t support it.
Do I need to match my carrier’s exact Xactimate price-list version?
Yes. Codes, descriptions, and default pricing roll with the price list installed in your Xactimate environment and the list your carrier or TPA expects on export. Building from an outdated or mismatched list creates description mismatches and rejected imports. Before you supplement, confirm which list version the claim file uses and search that list—not a PDF cheat sheet from the internet.
When should I use assemblies instead of individual line items?
Assemblies speed repetitive rooms and standard mitigation packages when the bundled scope truly matches field conditions. They break down when you need different unit counts, extra equipment days, or line-specific notes for audit. For disputed or heavily documented jobs, individual lines with clear quantities often survive review better than a generic assembly that hides what you actually did.
How should I document dehumidifier and air mover days in the estimate?
Equipment lines need daily counts that align with moisture logs, visit notes, and photos—not a lump sum at job end. Enter per-day or per-unit-per-day items the way your price list expresses them, and mirror the same counts in your internal drying report. If the estimate shows five dehumidifier days but documentation shows three, that line is an easy target for reduction.
How does regional pricing affect which line items I pick?
Regional price lists change unit costs and sometimes which variants appear in search results. The item types—extraction, containment, HEPA vacuuming—stay familiar; the active list for your state or metro does not. Filter your search to the correct regional list before you favorite items, and re-check favorites after every price-list update so you’re not quoting retired descriptions.
What’s the safest way to supplement line items missed on the first estimate?
Add only items you can support with dated photos, readings, invoices, or change-in-scope notes—not everything you wish had been on v1. Group supplements by discovery date and tie each line to a specific condition (hidden wet drywall, additional containment, extra contents manipulation). Cross-check against a supplement audit mindset so you’re not re-submitting lines already implied by approved scope.
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