Xactimate Guide

Xactimate Roofing Line Items: Complete Guide

Understanding Xactimate roofing codes is how roofers and public adjusters find the money insurance companies leave out of estimates.

Xactimate is the estimating software used by most insurance companies. For roofing, adjusters frequently use under-priced codes, miss required items, or fail to apply mandatory adders. This guide covers the most important roofing line items and where supplementing is most commonly necessary.

Shingle Line Items

The shingle line items form the core of any roofing estimate. The Xactimate code determines the base price per square — and there are significant differences between codes.

Code	Description	Unit	Notes
RFG 240	Roofing — arch comp shingles (30yr)	SQ	Most common code. Verify the grade matches existing materials.
RFG 242	Roofing — arch comp shingles (40-50yr)	SQ	Supplement from RFG 240 if existing shingles were premium grade.
RFG 226	Starter — comp shingles	LF	Required at eaves and rakes. Frequently omitted from adjuster estimates.
RFG 252	Ridge cap — comp shingles	LF	Separate from field shingles. Measure from sketch — often under-counted.

Tear-Off and Disposal

Tear-off and disposal are separate line items. Document layer count — multiple layers require different codes.

Code	Description	Unit	Notes
RFG 180	Remove roofing — comp shingles (1 layer)	SQ	Standard single-layer tear-off.
RFG 181	Remove roofing — comp shingles (2 layers)	SQ	Higher labor for multi-layer removal. Document layer count in photos.
RFG 188	Haul debris	SQ	Disposal separate from removal in most markets.

Underlayment and Moisture Barriers

Among the most frequently missed items. Modern codes require synthetic underlayment — upgrading from felt paper is a code upgrade item.

Code	Description	Unit	Notes
RFG 356	Synthetic underlayment	SQ	Current standard. Code upgrade if existing was felt paper.
RFG 358	Ice & water shield	SQ	Required at eaves, valleys, skylights per local code.
RFG 270	Drip edge — aluminum	LF	All eaves and rakes. Code requirement. Measure total LF from sketch.

Flashing and Penetrations

Flashing items are individually scoped and among the most under-counted items. Count each occurrence from documentation.

Code	Description	Unit	Notes
RFG 281	Flashing — step flashing	LF	All wall intersections. Count from site photos.
RFG 290	Pipe flashing — lead or rubber	EA	Each pipe penetration. Count from photos — frequently under-counted.
RFG 310	Ridge vent	LF	Required by most shingle manufacturers for warranty.

Pitch and Complexity Adders

Xactimate applies pitch adders automatically when the correct pitch is entered. If the adjuster entered the wrong pitch, all labor items will be under-priced.

Code	Description	Unit	Notes
PITCH ADDER	Steep slope adder (7/12–9/12)	%	Applied to all labor items. Verify pitch measurement is in estimate.
PITCH ADDER	Very steep slope adder (10/12+)	%	Higher adder for steep pitches. Confirm with actual site measurement.
STORY ADDER	Additional story height adder	%	For 2-story+ structures. Verify correct story count.

Most commonly missed roofing line items

Starter shingles (RFG 226) — frequently omitted entirely

Drip edge (RFG 270) — code requirement often excluded

Ice & water shield — under-measured or omitted

Synthetic underlayment code upgrade from felt paper

Pipe boot replacements — under-counted

Steep slope adders — wrong pitch entered in sketch

Supplement tips for roofing

Always verify shingle code matches the grade of existing materials

Check that starter shingles are a separate line item

Confirm drip edge is included on all eaves and rakes

Verify ice & water shield coverage matches local code

Count pipe penetrations in photos and compare to estimate

Verify pitch adder is applied at the correct pitch

Compare estimates line by line with Appraisly

Appraisly

Appraisly identifies missing Xactimate line items and scope discrepancies automatically — so you can supplement with confidence and get paid in full.

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Related resources

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