Accurate, Documented, Defensible Property Damage Estimates
We prepare professional property damage estimates that reflect the true cost of repairs, documented line by line with photographs and measurements.
Why a Professional Estimate Changes Your Settlement
The insurance company estimate determines what they pay. If the estimate is incomplete, uses incorrect unit costs, or omits required code upgrades, you receive less than you are owed. A professional counter-estimate prepared to the same standard and using the same software gives you the evidence you need to negotiate a fair settlement.
We prepare estimates using Xactimate, the industry-standard software. Every line item is documented with photographs, measurements, and written justification. We include all required code upgrades, overhead and profit, and matching requirements. We do not guess. We measure and calculate.
DCS has been Level 2 Xactimate certified, with personnel whose background in construction and remodeling reaches back decades. The combination of technical estimating expertise and hands-on construction knowledge produces estimates that are accurate and defensible.
Xactimate and Why Level 2 Certification Matters
Xactimate is the estimating platform that most insurance companies, independent adjusters, and restoration contractors use to value property claims. When the carrier sends you an estimate, it is almost certainly an Xactimate estimate, priced from Xactimate’s regularly updated regional price lists. The most effective way to challenge that estimate is to meet it on its own terms: a counter-estimate built in the same software, using the same regional price list, so the two documents can be compared line for line.
Xactimate certification is tiered. Level 1 verifies fundamental knowledge of the software. Level 2 verifies the ability to build a complete, accurate estimate, from sketch to scope to pricing, to professional standards. A Level 2 estimator can produce a document that an insurance company estimator recognizes immediately and has to engage with on the merits, rather than dismiss as a generic contractor bid. DCS has been Xactimate Level 2 certified.
Sketch
The structure is drawn to scale so room dimensions, surface areas, and roof geometry are captured accurately. The math behind every line item flows from the sketch, so accurate measurement is the foundation.
Scope
Each repair task becomes a line item: tear-off, disposal, materials, labor, detach-and-reset, code upgrades, and matching. Completeness of scope is where most underpayment is won or lost.
Pricing
The correct regional price list is applied so each line item carries the right material-plus-labor unit cost for the area and time period, the same published pricing the carrier draws from.
Because both sides draw from the same published regional pricing, a dispute over an Xactimate estimate is usually a dispute about scope, what work is included, not about the unit price itself. That is exactly where thorough documentation wins.
How We Build Your Estimate, Step by Step
A defensible estimate is not produced from a desk and a guess. It follows a disciplined process that ties every figure back to a measurement, a photograph, or a published price.
Field inspection and measurement
We inspect every affected area and take real measurements, supported by photographs and, where warranted, moisture readings and thermal imaging to find concealed damage in decking, subfloors, and wall cavities.
Sketch and scope
We sketch the structure to scale in Xactimate and build the full scope of repair, including tear-off and disposal, detach-and-reset, code upgrades, and matching, not just the visible surface work.
Pricing and adjustments
We apply the correct regional price list, document overhead and profit where multiple trades require a general contractor, and show replacement cost, depreciation, and actual cash value clearly.
Documentation and justification
Each line item is backed by photographs, measurements, and written justification, and code-upgrade and matching items are tied to the applicable requirement so the estimate stands up in negotiation, proof of loss, or appraisal.
Our Estimating Services
Xactimate Estimates
Full property damage estimates prepared in Xactimate, the industry-standard software used by insurance companies.
Field Measurements
On-site measurements of all damaged areas to ensure the estimate reflects actual conditions.
Insurance Estimate Review
Line-by-line review of insurance company estimates to identify missing items and incorrect costs.
Supplemental Estimates
Supplemental estimates for damage discovered after the initial settlement.
Code Upgrade Documentation
Documentation of code-required upgrades for Ordinance or Law coverage claims.
Contractor Estimating Support
Xactimate estimating services for contractors handling insurance repair projects.
The Anatomy of a Professional Estimate
Line-by-Line Accuracy
Unlike generic contractor bids that combine costs into lump sums, our estimates are itemized down to the individual materials and hourly labor rates. This granular approach matches the exact format insurance adjusters require, significantly reducing friction during negotiations.
Code Upgrades & Compliance
Repairs often trigger modern building code requirements. We proactively identify and document necessary upgrades — such as updated electrical panels or increased insulation — ensuring these costs are covered if your policy includes Ordinance or Law provisions.
Overhead and Profit (O&P)
When a claim requires multiple trades (e.g., roofing, drywall, flooring), a general contractor is required to coordinate the repairs. We rigorously document and justify the inclusion of 10% Overhead and 10% Profit, a standard that is frequently disputed or excluded by insurance companies.
Matching and Uniformity
If damage forces you to replace half a roof or part of a floor, you shouldn't be left with mismatched materials. We build estimates that include the cost of replacing undamaged adjacent or continuous materials to achieve a reasonably uniform appearance, as required by law in many states.
Common Items Carriers Underpay or Miss
A carrier estimate that misses any of these can shave tens of thousands of dollars off the settlement. We document each one when it applies, with the photographs, measurements, and pricing references that make the line item defensible.
Tear-off and disposal
Carrier estimates frequently include the cost of new materials but underprice or omit the labor to remove and dispose of damaged materials. On a roof, this is double or triple layers of shingles, underlayment, drip edge, and metal flashings. On interior work, it includes drywall, insulation, flooring, and contents.
Code-required upgrades (Ordinance or Law)
When a covered loss triggers code-required work (decking, fasteners, ventilation, electrical, framing), Ordinance or Law coverage may apply. Carriers commonly omit the code-upgrade scope from the initial estimate. We document the applicable code requirements and price the upgrades into the supplemental claim.
Overhead and Profit (O&P)
When a claim involves three or more trades, a general contractor is typically required to coordinate the work. Industry-standard O&P (commonly 10% overhead and 10% profit) covers the GC role. Carriers frequently exclude or underpay O&P. We document the trades involved and justify the O&P inclusion.
Matching and uniform appearance
When a partial loss requires replacement that will not match the rest of the surface, the policy may require additional replacement to achieve a uniform appearance. Florida Statute §626.9744 specifically codifies this. In Texas, the analysis runs through the policy’s own “like kind and quality” or uniform-appearance language. We document matching issues thoroughly in every applicable claim.
Detach and reset
Many repairs require detaching adjacent components to access the damaged area, then resetting them. Examples: detach gutters and downspouts to replace fascia; detach ceiling fans, lights, and outlet covers to replace drywall; detach base shoe to replace flooring. Carriers routinely omit detach-and-reset line items.
Subfloor, framing, and concealed damage
A water loss visible at the surface often extends into subflooring, framing, and wall cavities. A roof loss often involves decking damage that is not visible until the shingles come off. Carrier estimates that scope only what is visible at inspection routinely miss the concealed damage. We document with moisture meters, thermal imaging, and selective tear-off where warranted.
Personal property and contents
Contents claims are frequently undervalued. We build a written and photographic inventory of every damaged item, identify the correct replacement-cost or actual-cash-value treatment under the policy, and document each item with model numbers, age, and condition where available.
Additional Living Expenses (ALE) / Loss of Use
When a covered loss makes the home uninhabitable, ALE pays the difference between your normal cost of living and the increased cost of living away from home (hotel, short-term rental, increased food, extra commuting, pet boarding). ALE is one of the most overlooked coverages. We track every eligible expense from day one.
Texas-First Statutory Framework Behind the Estimate
Estimating is grounded in policy language and statutory framework. Texas (DCS home base) and Florida statutes that touch property estimating, prompt-pay, public adjusting, matching, and the residual-market entities.
Texas (Home Base)
DCS Firm License #3134924
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 4102. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 10% of recovery for public adjusting work. Requires written contract on TDI-approved form. Three-business-day cancellation right.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 542. Prompt Payment of Claims Act. Acknowledge / decide / pay deadlines, 18% statutory interest plus attorney fees on violations.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 542A. Pre-suit notice for weather-related property claims. Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 2210 (TWIA). Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Statutory wind/hail insurer of last resort for 14 designated coastal counties and parts of Harris County.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 2211 (TFPA). Texas FAIR Plan Association. Statutory residential insurer of last resort, statewide availability for policyholders unable to obtain voluntary-market coverage.
- TX Ins. Code §541. Unfair Settlement Practices. Statutory cause of action; attorney work.
- License authority: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
- Statute of limitations: Generally 2 years for property claims (varies by policy and loss type).
Florida
DCS Firm License #W820363
- Fla. Stat. §626.854. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 20% of recovery for most claims, reduced to 10% during the first year following a state-declared emergency.
- Fla. Stat. §626.9744. Matching uniform appearance. Carriers must match the rest of the line, side, room, or other continuous area when repairing or replacing damaged property.
- Fla. Stat. §627.70131. Prompt-pay statute. Following 2022 reforms, the deadline to pay or deny most residential property claims was reduced to 60 days.
- Fla. Stat. §627.70132. Supplemental and reopened claims. Three years from date of loss; longer for hurricane claims.
- Fla. Stat. §627.7015. Mandatory mediation precondition for some residential property disputes.
- Fla. Stat. §624.155. Civil Remedy Notice (CRN). Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
- 2022 reforms (SB 2-D, SB 2-A). Eliminated one-way attorney fees for property claims; restricted Assignment of Benefits.
- License authority: Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Important. This summary is general educational information, not legal advice. The application of any statute to a specific claim, the determination of whether a denial supports a statutory cause of action, and any pre-suit or litigation strategy are legal questions for a licensed attorney in your state. DCS Public Insurance Adjusters read and apply policy language in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope), but do not provide legal advice or pursue statutory remedies.
Get an Estimate That Reflects What Repairs Actually Cost.
Contact us to discuss your estimating needs.
Who Needs a Professional Estimate
A documented Xactimate estimate serves two very different audiences, and we build for both.
Policyholders
If your claim has been underpaid, denied, or closed for less than the cost to repair, an independent estimate gives you the evidence to push back. The carrier estimate sets what they pay; a counter-estimate to the same standard shows what the repair actually costs and supports your proof of loss, your negotiation, and, if needed, the appraisal process.
- Counter a low carrier estimate line by line
- Support a sworn proof of loss with documented figures
- Quantify the gap before deciding whether to invoke appraisal
- Capture concealed damage and code upgrades the carrier missed
Contractors and Restorers
If you repair insurance losses, the scope you write has to match what the carrier will recognize and pay. We provide Xactimate estimating and supplement support so your scope is complete, correctly priced, and defensible, reducing friction and uncovered work. The policyholder remains the contracting party of record, and we do not engage in fee-splitting or any arrangement that would violate Texas or Florida public-adjusting law.
- Estimates in the same software and price list the carrier uses
- Supplement development for concealed and code-driven scope
- Justification for overhead and profit on multi-trade jobs
- Documentation that holds up against a desk review
