Fire, Water and Mold: Loss Coverage in Restoration Estimating Software
Restoration companies rarely do just one kind of work. In a single week, the same team might extract a burst-pipe kitchen, clean soot from a smoke-damaged hallway and set up containment for a mold job. So when you evaluate restoration estimating software, the first question is simple: does it handle the losses you actually see?
This guide walks through what each loss type demands from an estimating tool and how to test coverage before you commit. As a working example, we reference Axiom, a restoration estimating platform that drafts Xactimate estimates from jobsite photos, measurements and notes, with loss type set as part of the job details.
Why loss type matters so much
Loss type shapes almost every line item. A water loss leans on extraction, drying equipment and drying days. A fire loss leans on cleaning, deodorisation and replacement of charred materials. Mold work leans on containment and careful removal. An estimate that starts from the wrong loss type starts wrong.
That is why Axiom asks for job details up front, including loss type and date of loss, before drafting anything.
Water losses
What the estimate needs
Water mitigation scope should follow the category and class of water described in the IICRC standards, specifically S500. Drying days and equipment counts must match moisture logs. Flood cuts, baseboard, pad and carpet decisions all need photo support.
What to test
Water is the most common place to start. Axiom's walkthrough demo used an ~$8,000 water loss, which generated in a little over one minute with 33 line items before the ESX opened in Xactimate. Run your own recent water file through any tool you are considering and compare the draft against what you actually billed.
Fire losses
What the estimate needs
Fire estimates often involve many small cleaning items across many rooms, plus replacement of materials that cannot be saved. Photos need to show soot patterns, affected contents areas and every ceiling.
docusketch alternativeWhat to test
Ask how the software handles rooms with light smoke versus heavy damage, and whether it asks for clarification when photos are ambiguous. Axiom's scope assistant asks a question instead of guessing when photos do not settle an item, which is useful on fire jobs where damage is hard to judge from a picture.
Mold losses
What the estimate needs
Mold jobs depend on containment, protection and careful removal scope. The documentation needs to show the affected area clearly and the boundary of the work.
What to test
Give the tool a mold file and see whether the draft reflects containment and removal in a way your estimator would defend. Confirm coverage for your typical mold scopes directly with any vendor before relying on it.
Mitigation and reconstruction in restoration estimating software
Most losses have two phases: stop the damage, then put the home back. A good tool should handle both. Axiom covers mitigation and reconstruction, with job types for mitigation, put-back and exterior. The draft is organised by room with Xactimate codes, line items and editable quantities.
What stays the same across every loss
- Inputs: photos by upload, the iOS app, or a CompanyCam, Google Drive or DocuSketch link; measurements from a 3D scan, an existing ESX, a 2D PDF or typed rooms.
- Output: a native .esx file that opens directly in Xactimate and reprices on your own price list.
- Review: nothing is final until an estimator reviews and approves it room by room.
A simple coverage test
- Pick one recent water, fire and mold file each.
- Run each through the tool with the same photos your crew took.
- Have your estimator mark what they would add, remove or change.
- Compare review effort across the three loss types.
At the time of writing (October 2026), Axiom's plans start at $899 per month, and new accounts get one free PDF-to-ESX conversion. A coverage test on your own files will tell you more than any feature list.