How to Read a Water Damage Restoration Estimate (and Spot the Things Your Adjuster Left Out)

Most homeowners get a restoration estimate, see a big number, and either sign it or panic. Here is how to actually read one, line by line, so you know what you are paying for and what the insurance company is trying to skip.

Why the estimate looks the way it does

Insurance restoration estimates in Massachusetts are almost always written in Xactimate, the software carriers use to price claims. Every line is a code, a quantity, a unit price, and a total. That is why it reads like a parts list instead of a proposal. The good news is that it is consistent: your adjuster's estimate and ours use the same line items, so you can compare them directly.

The sections you will see

Mitigation. Water extraction, equipment (air movers, dehumidifiers) billed per day, antimicrobial treatment, and moisture monitoring. This is the drying phase. If the equipment days look high, ask for the drying log; it shows the readings that justify them.

Demolition. Removal of drywall, insulation, flooring, baseboard, cabinets. Measured in square feet or linear feet. Look for "detach and reset" items: that means the contractor is saving something (a vanity, a toilet) instead of replacing it, which keeps the number down.

Rebuild. Everything that goes back: drywall hung and finished, paint, flooring, trim, cabinets. This is where estimates get cut short.

Contents and cleaning. Moving furniture, cleaning, storage if needed.

Overhead and profit. Usually 10 and 10. It is standard on any claim with three or more trades. If your adjuster's estimate does not include it, that is a conversation.

What gets left out

• Hidden damage. Water travels inside walls and under floors. An adjuster who scoped from the visible stain will miss the wet subfloor three feet away.
• Matching. Massachusetts regulations require the insurer to pay for a reasonable match. If half a hardwood floor is damaged, you may be owed a whole-floor refinish, not a patch.
• Code upgrades. Opening a wall can trigger required electrical or insulation upgrades. There is a line item for it.
• Containment and air filtration on any job with mold or Category 3 water.
• Permit fees and debris disposal. Small, but they add up and they are legitimate.

What to do with a short estimate

Do not argue in general terms. Send the carrier a supplement: the specific line items that are missing, with photos and moisture readings that prove them. That is the document we write on every insurance job, and it is the reason our claims come in whole instead of short.