Stop hunting through 10,000+ line items every time you write a roof estimate. This cheat sheet covers the 15 Xactimate line item codes that appear on nearly every residential roofing claim — tear-off, shingles, underlayment, flashing, steep charges, and more — plus the units they're measured in, the ones carriers most often leave off, and how to turn this list into estimates that build themselves.

The architectural vs. 3-tab question comes up on nearly every residential job — and the answer roofers give shapes their margins, callbacks, and reputation for years. This guide breaks down the real differences in construction, wind ratings, lifespan, warranty, and cost; where 3-tab still legitimately makes sense; how to handle the conversation on insurance claims; and how to price and estimate each one correctly.

Xactimate macros are the single biggest speed and accuracy upgrade available to roofers — yet most estimators have never built one. This guide explains what macros are, how they work, how to create and insert them, and why a good macro library is the real difference between a 90-minute estimate and a 25-minute one that never forgets a line item.