Services
Commercial Estimating
Desk
A commercial estimating desk handles the larger, more complex claim files that residential-scale supplement writing isn't built for: multi-building properties, large membrane roof systems, and the layered documentation carriers expect on a large-loss file. We build these estimates against the actual scope of the property, not a scaled-up residential template.
By Kyle Hamrick, Founder
Why Commercial Claims Need a Different Process
Commercial roof claims are not just bigger versions of residential ones. A single commercial property can involve multiple roof sections with different systems (TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, metal), different ages, and different damage patterns across each section. The carrier's adjuster is evaluating square footage and system types that a residential-focused estimate simply isn't built to capture correctly.
Commercial claims also draw more scrutiny. Larger dollar amounts mean carriers assign more senior adjusters, sometimes bring in independent engineers, and review files more closely before approving anything. An estimate that would sail through on a residential claim gets picked apart on a commercial one if it isn't built with that level of documentation from the start.
What the Commercial Desk Handles
Multi-section scope mapping
We break the property into its actual roof sections and build the estimate against each section's specific system and condition, rather than treating the whole roof as one uniform scope.
System-specific line items
TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, and metal systems each carry different Xactimate line items, different manufacturer installation requirements, and different code considerations. We write to the system that's actually there.
Large-loss documentation
Commercial files typically need more extensive photo documentation, often including drone or aerial imagery for large roof areas, plus engineering or manufacturer specification references that residential files rarely require.
Code and ordinance items
Commercial code requirements (fire rating, wind uplift, insulation R-value upgrades tied to code) come up more often on commercial re-roofs than on residential ones, and they're commonly missed in a first adjuster estimate.
Carrier and adjuster coordination
Larger claims often route through a different adjuster tier or a specialized large-loss unit. We submit to the correct desk and track the file through a process that typically involves more review cycles than a standard residential claim.
How It Works
Send us the carrier's estimate, your inspection photos and any aerial imagery, and a description of the property (number of buildings, roof systems, square footage if known). We map the scope section by section and build the estimate against each system's actual requirements. Written same-day or next-day for straightforward single-system properties; multi-building or multi-system properties commonly need 1-3 extra days given the added documentation and scope mapping involved, and we'll tell you specifically what to expect once we see the file.
What We Need From You to Start
The carrier's estimate, property inspection photos (aerial imagery if available), and any existing roof system documentation (age, system type, prior repair history). Our roof claim inspection checklist covers the fundamentals of what to document on any roof claim; commercial properties generally need that same documentation multiplied across each roof section on the property.
Who This Is For
Commercial roofing contractors handling multi-tenant buildings, industrial properties, retail centers, or any property with more than one roof section or system. Property management companies coordinating a roof claim across a commercial portfolio. General contractors who've picked up a commercial re-roof project where the insurance claim wasn't fully scoped before work started.
This is a distinct service from our residential supplement desk because commercial claims genuinely require different documentation depth and a different level of carrier coordination. If you're not sure which fits your file, tell us the property type and square footage and we'll point you to the right process.
Why the Estimate Has to Match the File Size
A commercial adjuster expects a level of documentation detail that a routine residential file never has to carry. An estimate that would be perfectly acceptable on a small residential file reads as thin and unsupported on a commercial one, and thin estimates on large files get sent back for revision or denied outright far more often than well-documented ones. We build every commercial file to the standard the claim size actually demands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from your residential process?
Commercial claims involve multiple roof systems, larger and more varied documentation requirements, and typically route through different carrier review tiers. The estimating principles are the same; the depth and structure of the work are not.
Do you handle multi-building properties in one file?
Yes, and we map each building's roof sections individually within the single claim file so the scope is clear to the adjuster reviewing it.
What if I don't have aerial imagery yet?
Tell us when you submit. We'll advise on what documentation is realistic to gather for the specific property and claim type before we finalize scope.
Can this work alongside a public adjuster or engineer already on the file?
Yes. We build the estimate to complement, not duplicate, work already being done by other professionals on a large-loss claim.
Related Reading
See our roofing supplements and Xactimate supplement services pages for the estimating fundamentals behind this work. For depreciation questions on a commercial ACV claim, see depreciation recovery. Start a file at order or read more on our blog.
Send the file. We'll map the scope and write the estimate.
Carrier's estimate, inspection photos, aerial imagery if you have it. We'll come back with an estimate built against the actual property, same-day or next-day for single-system properties.