MODULE 2: XACTIMATE FOR MOLD
High-Value Mold Items
The Line Items Contractors Miss
The Money You're Missing
$2,000 - $5,000
left on the table on every mold job
Not billing incorrectly - missing items that are legitimate, expected, and sitting right there in Xactimate
Find Your Missing Revenue
After this, you'll have a checklist to review before finalizing any mold estimate.
- Missed containment items
- Missed air quality items
- Missed PPE items
- Missed cleaning & disposal items
- The "stacking" concept
CONTAINMENT
More Billable Than You Realize
Most contractors throw up some poly and call it containment.
Proper containment has multiple billable components that are often missed
CONTAINMENT
Framing & Decon Chamber
Critical Barrier Framing
2x4s to create a sturdy frame that holds poly taut and creates proper seal
If you built framing, bill for it
Decontamination Chamber
Transition space between containment and clean area
Separate materials and labor
Miss it = $200-$400 gone
CONTAINMENT
More Missed Items
- HVAC Isolation - seal every vent inside containment (separate from general containment)
- Window Sealing - windows inside containment need sealing (separate line item)
- Multi-Layer Floor Protection - poly on floor + RAM board for traffic areas (each layer billable)
CONTAINMENT
What You're Missing
Most bill the poly and maybe the tape...
They miss framing, decon chamber, HVAC sealing, window sealing, floor layers
$500 - $1,500
left on the table before the job even starts
AIR QUALITY
Where the Biggest Dollars Hide
Air quality equipment is where some of the biggest dollars are missed.
AIR QUALITY
Quantities & Setup Charges
Adequate Quantities
Most contractors put one unit in and call it good
Larger containment might need 3-4 air scrubbers, not 1
Billing appropriate quantities isn't padding - it's correct
Setup Charges
Every piece of equipment has a setup charge separate from daily rental
Labor to position, setup, and start each unit
Many contractors skip this entirely
AIR QUALITY
Filter Changes & Ducting
Filter Changes
Heavy contamination or longer jobs = filter changes
Every change is billable - filter + labor
Changed filters but didn't bill? Money gone.
Ducting & Pre-Filters
Ducting - billed by linear foot. 30ft of duct = bill 30ft
Pre-filters - changed more frequently than HEPA filters. If you change them, bill them.
AIR QUALITY
What You're Missing
Proper quantities + setup charges + filter changes + ducting
$800 - $2,000
difference between what most bill and what they should
PPE
Almost Always Underbilled
The biggest miss: suits and equipment per DAY, not per job
PPE
Think Through Actual Consumption
4-day job with 2 workers = minimum 8 Tyvek suits
But workers often change suits during the day:
Heavy demo = suits get contaminated
Lunch break = exit and re-enter
That might be 12 or 16 suits, not 8
How many times did workers enter and exit containment?
Each entry potentially requires fresh PPE.
PPE
Cartridges & Decon Supplies
Respirator Cartridges
Changed at least daily, sometimes more
2 workers x 4 days x 2 cartridges/day = 16 sets
Most bill 2 (one per worker for whole job)
Decontamination Supplies
Hand wash solutions
Boot wash pans
Disposal bags for contaminated PPE
All billable
PPE
What You're Missing
PPE is required, consumed, and costs money.
Bill for what you actually used, not a minimized guess.
$300 - $800
typically missed on PPE
CLEANING
Hidden Value in Cleaning
Detailed vs. Standard HEPA vacuuming
After mold removal, you're vacuuming exposed framing, irregular surfaces, cavities, crevices.
That's detailed work. Bill it as detailed.
CLEANING
More Cleaning Items
- Multiple cleaning passes - HEPA vacuum, damp wipe, HEPA again = each pass billable
- Contents manipulation - moving items in/out of containment (billable labor)
- Damp wiping - separate line item from vacuuming (both get done, both get billed)
Cleaning should be 4-6 line items minimum on most jobs.
One cleaning line item? You're missing money.
CLEANING
What You're Missing
$500 - $1,500
typically missed on cleaning items
DISPOSAL
More Than Throwing Stuff in the Truck
- Double bagging - mold materials are double bagged. Twice the bags, twice the labor.
- Moving bags within property - from containment to truck/dumpster (separate from haul-off)
- Multiple trips - couldn't fit in one load? Each trip is billable
- Disposal facility fees - pay by the ton? Keep weight tickets. Fees are billable.
DISPOSAL
What You're Missing
$300 - $700
typically missed on disposal
Understanding "Stacking"
Many line items apply to the same area. That's not double billing - that's proper billing.
One wall section with mold = 6+ line items:
Demo the drywall | HEPA vacuum the cavity | Treat with antimicrobial
Worker wears PPE | Debris goes in bags | Air scrubbers run during this
That's not padding. That's the actual work required.
Every Verb = Potential Billing
"I removed the wall" is NOT one billable item.
Cut
Remove
Bag
Haul
Vacuum
Treat
Each verb is potentially a separate billable line item.
Think of your estimate as a mirror of the protocol.
Recap: What's Being Missed
Containment
Decon chamber, HVAC sealing, framing, multi-layer floor
$500-$1,500
Air Quality
Adequate quantities, setup charges, filter changes, ducting
$800-$2,000
PPE
Suits per day, cartridge changes, decon supplies
$300-$800
Cleaning
Detailed vs standard, multiple passes, damp wiping, contents
$500-$1,500
Disposal
Double bagging, multiple trips, facility fees
$300-$700
Total Impact Per Job
$2,500 - $6,500
missed on a typical mold job
This is legitimate revenue for work you're already doing.
You're just not capturing it in your estimate.
Annual Impact
On 10 mold jobs a year...
$25,000 - $65,000
you're giving away
Coming Up Next
Avoiding Red Flags
Billing patterns that trigger scrutiny and how to avoid them.
Billing correctly is important, but you also need to document properly so your billing gets approved.
ACTION ITEM
Your Next Step
Download the High-Value Items Checklist from the resources section.
Use it to review your next mold estimate before you submit.
Check every category. Capture every legitimate item.
See you in the next lesson.