MODULE 3: PROTOCOLS & ESTIMATES
Reading & Billing Protocols
Translate Protocol Language Into Line Items
The Protocol Controls Everything
In mold remediation, you don't decide what work to do.
The protocol does.
Every line item on your estimate needs to trace back to something in that protocol.
Different from Water Mitigation
Water Mitigation
You assess the situation
You determine the scope
You decide what work to do
Mold Remediation
A third party determines the scope
Your job: execute precisely
Your job: bill accurately
Master This Skill
How to read a protocol document and translate it into a complete, accurate estimate.
Master this and you'll capture every dollar of legitimate revenue.
Miss it and you'll leave money on the table - or bill for things that get denied.
Protocol Structure
- Header - Property address, inspection date, inspector credentials
- Finding Summary - What the inspector found, justifies remediation
- Affected Areas - Exact locations and measurements
- Remediation Procedures - YOUR GOLDMINE
- Containment Requirements - What type, what materials, negative air
- Removal Specifications - What to remove, how far beyond visible
- Cleaning/Treatment - HEPA, damp wipe, antimicrobial
- PPE Requirements - Worker protection specifications
The Remediation Procedures Section
This tells you exactly what work the protocol requires.
Read every word carefully.
Each procedure mentioned becomes a line item or set of line items.
Read the entire document before you start your estimate.
Look for Action Verbs
Every action mentioned is potentially billable work.
Establish
Remove
Vacuum
Wipe
Treat
Dispose
Maintain
Every verb becomes line items.
Verb to Line Items
"Establish containment"
↓
Poly sheeting + Framing + Tape + Decon chamber + Setup labor
"Maintain negative pressure"
↓
Negative air setup + Daily rental + Ducting
"Remove affected drywall"
↓
Demo labor + Bagging + Haul off + Disposal
"HEPA vacuum all surfaces"
↓
Equipment + Labor by SF (walls + ceiling + floor)
More Translations
"Apply antimicrobial treatment"
↓
Product + Application labor by SF
"Workers shall wear appropriate PPE"
↓
Tyvek suits + Respirators + Cartridges + Gloves + Boot covers
After a few jobs, these translations become automatic.
Example: One Paragraph
"Establish full containment of the affected bathroom using minimum 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. Containment shall include a decontamination chamber at the entry point. Maintain negative pressure throughout remediation using a HEPA-filtered negative air machine exhausted to the exterior."
From that one paragraph:
Poly by SF + Framing + Tape + Decon chamber + Negative air setup + Daily rental + Ducting
One paragraph = 6+ line items
Systematic Translation Process
- List every action verb - Make an actual list: establish, remove, vacuum, wipe, treat, dispose
- Match to Xactimate line items - Each action maps to specific codes
- Calculate quantities - Use protocol specs: "floor to 4 feet along 12-foot wall" = 48 SF
- Add supporting items - Removal needs disposal. Cleaning needs equipment. Work needs PPE.
Common Protocol Phrases
"HEPA vacuum all affected surfaces"
Equipment + Labor by SF
Include walls + ceiling + floor, not just floor
"Establish containment with negative air"
Poly + Framing + Setup + Negative air setup + Daily + Ducting
"Remove and dispose of affected materials"
Demo labor + Bagging labor + Bags + Haul off + Disposal fees
"Workers shall wear Tyvek suits and respiratory protection"
Suits per person per day + Respirators + Cartridges + Gloves + Boot covers
What If You Discover More Mold?
STOP.
- Stop work in that area - Don't proceed and add it to your estimate later
- Document what you found - Photos, descriptions, measurements
- Contact the IEP who wrote the protocol - Explain what you discovered
- Get a protocol amendment in writing - IEP confirms findings, issues amendment
- Now proceed with additional work and bill according to amended protocol
No Amendment = No Payment
You do extra work without an amendment...
Adjuster says: "This wasn't in the protocol. Denied."
Without third-party verification, you're asking insurance to take your word for it.
They won't.
The amendment process takes a day or two. It's worth it.
Recap
- Protocol has a standard structure - learn it
- Remediation Procedures section is your goldmine
- Find billable items by looking for action verbs
- Each verb = multiple potential line items
- Translate systematically: verbs → line items → quantities → supporting items
- Discover beyond protocol? STOP - Document - Get amendment
Coming Up Next
Working Within Coverage Limits
What to do when protocol scope exceeds the coverage limit.
Strategies for working within limits while still getting paid
ACTION ITEM
Your Next Step
Get a copy of a recent protocol from one of your jobs.
Go through it using this process:
Highlight every action verb → List corresponding line items → See if your original estimate captured everything
See you in the next lesson.