If you run a restoration or mitigation company, you live in Xactimate. Every claim starts with a sketch, and every sketch starts with someone walking a damaged property with a tape measure or a laser, drawing rooms by hand, and then rebuilding them in Xactimate back at the office. It's slow, it's error-prone, and when an adjuster disagrees with a measurement, it becomes an argument.
There's a faster workflow that many Arizona restoration contractors haven't adopted yet: lidar scanning with a direct ESX export into Xactimate.
What an ESX file is, and why it matters
ESX is Xactimate's native project file format. When a property is scanned with an iGUIDE system, the floor plan can be exported as an ESX file that opens in Xactimate with rooms, walls and openings already drawn. Instead of sketching the loss site by hand, your estimator starts with an accurate sketch and moves straight to scoping the damage.
Accuracy that shortens disputes
iGUIDE's laser measurement is built for accuracy, and iGUIDE rates its floor plan measurements at better than 99 percent. For restoration work, that means square footage and wall lengths an adjuster can check against the scan, rather than a hand sketch that invites a second opinion.
Documentation beyond the sketch
Every scan also produces a full 3D tour of the property in its current condition. For a loss, that's pre-mitigation documentation: an adjuster, a property manager or a homeowner can walk the site remotely, see the damage as it was found, and revisit it after the dry-out and rebuild. It's also a clear record if a claim is ever questioned later.
How the workflow runs
- Scan the loss site. The property is scanned room by room, typically in a single visit.
- Receive the files. You get the ESX file for Xactimate, measured floor plans and the 3D tour.
- Scope and estimate. Your estimator opens the ESX file with the sketch already built and focuses on the damage.
- Share with the adjuster. The tour and plans go to the carrier alongside the estimate.
Who handles this work
Restoration, mitigation and insurance documentation is handled by our sister studio, RevealBuilt, which specializes in documentation-grade capture for contractors, builders and property managers, including ESX, CAD and Revit deliverables. RevealBuilt quotes scans and data packages, with volume pricing for companies that scan regularly.
If what you need is marketing photography for a finished, restored home going to market, that's The Listing Bees: see our real estate photography and 3D tours.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to buy an iGUIDE camera?
No. RevealBuilt scans the property and delivers the files, so there's no equipment or training on your side.
Does the ESX file replace my estimator?
No. It replaces the hand sketch. Your estimator still scopes the damage and builds the estimate, just from an accurate starting point.
Can the scan be done on an active loss?
Usually, yes, as long as the site is safe to enter. Scanning early gives you the best record of the damage as found.