I really need to vent about a very annoying surprise that Xactimate hides in the program.

Let's say if you have a fountain that is cemented down or somehow fixed in place. Most adjusters would correctly  consider that "other structures" kjust like a fence, a permanently installed basketball hoop, etc.

Watch out!  If you choose the fountain line item, you will discover the hard way, after you print the estimate and check it, that Xactimate has decided you fountain is CONTENTS! and separated it out as a different part of the estimate.

Thanks, Xactimate, for trying to be the adjuster!  Since there's no way to shove the fountain line item back in with the rest of the building property where it belongs I must resort to the tried and true software fudge- go to a known line item that is surely building property and overwrite the description.

Like an idiot I choose a masonry line item, never expecting that the pricing is so low compared to my fountain price, that the nice computer won't let me put in the depreciation.

Off I go to another line item, under "pools and spas"..  Ahhh, that does the trick, I can override the description, its a property line item, and the price is high enogh that the program doesn't fight me when I enter the depreciation. Of course I have to enter the depreciation as a set dollar amount, otherwise Xactimate will apply a percentage to the material costs hidden inside the spa line item when I actually have a fountain line item that is 100% material. (In California we can only apply depreciation to material).

So finally I relax and print my estimate.  But no, Xactimate pulls the same stunt with the labor I entered for installing the fountain.

After five tries I get it done.

Please Xactimate, if you have an item that is contents:

1) let us know. It is very frustrating to find out that the software considers the item to be contents AFTER the estimate is all done.

2) Or, let us choose whether we want the item considered as contents.

Some examples of "contents" that might be considered building property, depending on the policy and whether they are attached:

TVs, fountains, freestanding refridgerators, pictures screwed to the wall in a restaurant, etc etc.

Conversely there's probably some building property items that an adjuster might want to adjust as contents in certain situations. I could think of some examples.

Why can't we click the mouse to change items from contents to building or vice versa? Or can we already and I don't know how?

Thanks for the warning.  I noticed they slipped in some "content" stuff with Xact-24 but hadn't been bit yet.  Yeah, I think my favorite version of Xactimate was in 1993, the DOS version 5.8 before they added too many "features". 

If this happened to me - I think I would have stopped the bleeding after the 2nd attempt, and just entered a "MISC" item under the building category that I wanted (masonry, concrete, whatever).  Put the right dollar amount, tweak the labor-materials as needed to get it right, depreciate it.

Then enter a NOTE explaining that this was a LKQ price quote from "patio outlet" and their phone number.  Bita-Bing, Bita-Bang.

I recently did this when our insured drove into someone's unique pair of 9' wrought-iron gates to a driveway.  Do it all the time.  Find something similar on the internet, or local supplier.  It ain't in the database - or in your case they call it contents.

I know a lot of managers frown on any deviation from the database - and it will get "flagged" with an asterisk as a non-normal item.  But screw it, your note explains why.  And when I put in a local supplier with their phone #, I feel like I have covered my ass with armor plate.  Kinda cold in the winter, but oh so comfortable when the file goes into litigation.

Leland,

What version of xactimate are you using? I just opened XM8 25 and there are two fountains (SPE FNTN4) Landscape fountain 4' diameter and (SPE FNTN8) Landscape fountain 8' Diameter. Are these the line item entry's you were using.

In XM8 25 both line items are listed under building coverage by default. In XM8 25 you can change it to other structure with the coverage drop down menu which is located under age and depreciation on line item entry window. If you are using a different version of XM8 it appears XM8 25 might have fixed this issue, Although, that doesn't really help if you're not using that version.

Not sure that it is a secret anymore. I was released from clean up back in July so it was just under 2 years, can't complain though.   

I took a little time off to work on projects around the house, now I am getting back into preparing for the next storm season and came across your postings sounds like you  have been busy. read your posting on the cali fires good exchange of info I printed some out to use as a check list. 

I just loaded XM8 25 about a month ago and have been doing practice estimates during the down time to stay sharp. I was in this forum searching for tips and tricks when I saw your post. thought I would just respond.

It is good to see that your still hanging in there and keeping busy.  As far as who pays for dinner on the next CAT that will have to depend on who gets deployed first.