Override Pricing
Override pricing is the process of replacing an Xactimate default unit price with a custom price supported by documentation, typically when actual market costs exceed the regional price list.
When Xactimate Prices Do Not Match Reality
Override pricing allows an estimator to replace the default Xactimate unit price on a line item with a documented actual cost when the regional price list does not reflect current market conditions. Xactimate prices are regional averages updated monthly. In between updates, or in markets experiencing unusual demand, actual costs can exceed the listed price. Override pricing is the mechanism for capturing that difference in the estimate.
This is not about inflating prices. It is about making the estimate reflect what the work actually costs.
How to Apply an Override
In Xactimate, select the line item, override the unit price, and enter the actual cost. The system flags the override so reviewers can see it was manually adjusted. Every override needs supporting documentation attached to the estimate: a supplier invoice showing the actual material cost, a distributor price sheet with the current date, or payroll records demonstrating the actual labor rate paid.
Overrides without documentation get rejected. Overrides with clean, dated documentation from legitimate sources get approved at a much higher rate.
Common Override Scenarios
The most frequent override situations include material price spikes after major storms when demand outstrips supply, specialty materials like copper flashing or custom-color shingles that are not accurately priced in the standard list, and labor premiums in markets with acute workforce shortages. In each case, the gap between the Xactimate price and the actual cost is real and documentable. Contractors who track their actual costs against Xactimate pricing can identify override opportunities on every estimate and recover revenue that would otherwise be lost to outdated pricing.
Frequently asked questions
A price override is justified when documented actual costs exceed the Xactimate regional price list. Common situations include material price spikes after storms, labor shortages in the local market, and specialty materials not accurately reflected in the price list.
Supplier invoices, distributor price sheets, payroll records, or written quotes that show the actual cost exceeds the Xactimate price. The stronger the paper trail, the more likely the override will be approved.
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