Price Override
Manually adjusting the default Xactimate unit price for a line item to reflect actual documented costs. Used when regional database pricing does not match the contractor's supplier costs, labor rates, or specialty material pricing.
A price override is a manual adjustment to the default Xactimate unit price for a specific line item. It lets estimators reflect actual documented costs when the regional database pricing does not match a specific project's real costs.
When Overrides Make Sense
Price overrides are appropriate when specific project costs differ significantly from the Xactimate default. Specialty materials, custom fabrications, supplier agreements that price above or below market averages, and specialty labor trades in markets with limited availability are common reasons. Using overrides for ordinary materials where no special circumstance exists is harder to justify and more likely to be disputed.
Documentation Requirements
A documented override beats an undocumented one every time. Supplier invoices, formal quotes, labor cost sheets, or manufacturer price lists all support an override. The documentation should clearly show the cost being paid and relate it to the specific line item in the estimate. Attaching evidence to the estimate file makes the override defensible during carrier review.
Overrides and Supplements
Price overrides frequently show up in supplement disputes. When the carrier's original estimate used default pricing that does not reflect the contractor's actual costs, the supplement documents the real pricing with evidence and requests an adjustment. Well-documented overrides with invoices attached are difficult for carriers to reject because they are grounded in demonstrable facts rather than estimator judgment.
Frequently asked questions
When you have documented evidence that actual costs differ from the Xactimate default. Common triggers include specialty materials not captured in the default pricing, supplier pricing meaningfully above or below regional averages, and specialty labor rates for trades with limited local availability. Always document the override with supporting evidence.
Attach supplier invoices, quotes, or labor cost documentation to the estimate. The documentation should show the actual cost being paid and relate it to the specific line item being overridden. Carriers generally accept documented overrides; undocumented overrides are often disputed.
Typically yes, when the override is documented with supporting evidence. Carriers are more skeptical of large overrides, overrides without documentation, and overrides that inflate estimates beyond market conditions. Strong documentation is the difference between accepted and disputed overrides.
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