The Number That Doesn’t Add Up
Your adjuster came through. They looked at the damage, took some notes, and issued an estimate. Then you compared that number to what your restoration company is telling you the job will cost — and there’s a gap.
Maybe it’s a few hundred dollars. Maybe it’s a few thousand. Either way, you’re staring at two numbers that don’t match and wondering who’s right.
I’m Phil Sheridan. I own 4D Restoration in Edmond, Oklahoma. I deal with this situation regularly — not because adjusters are dishonest, but because the process has structural reasons why estimates sometimes come in low. Let me explain what’s happening and how we fix it.
Why Adjuster Estimates Come In Low
I want to be clear about something: most adjusters are professionals doing their best with the information they have at the time. A low estimate usually isn’t malice. It’s one of these four things:
1. Timing Mismatch
The adjuster walks through your house on Day 2. At that point, maybe the only visible damage is wet carpet in the living room and some buckled baseboards. They scope what they see.
But I’m in your house on Day 1 through Day 5. By Day 3, my moisture readings show that the water migrated through a shared wall into the guest bedroom — damage that wasn’t visible during the adjuster’s walkthrough. The gap isn’t about disagreement. It’s about what was detectable when.
2. Scope Assumptions
Adjusters sometimes estimate based on typical scenarios rather than the specific conditions of your house. A standard supply line break in a single room might cost $2,000 to dry. But if your house has engineered hardwood on a concrete slab — one of the most common flooring situations in Oklahoma City — the drying protocol is different, the timeline is longer, and the cost is higher.
The adjuster may not have tested the slab moisture before scoping. I did. That data changes the scope.
3. Regional Pricing Variances
Xactimate has regional price lists, but they don’t always reflect local labor rates and material costs accurately. An adjuster working from a national carrier’s pricing database might approve rates that are below what Oklahoma City restoration companies can actually deliver the work for. This isn’t a markup issue — it’s a market reality issue.
4. Conservative Initial Estimates
Insurance companies manage risk through initial cost containment. Some carriers issue a first-pass estimate that covers what they consider the minimum scope, with the understanding that supplements will follow if additional damage is discovered. This is functionally how the process works — but homeowners who don’t know about supplements think the initial estimate is the final number.
What a Lowball Estimate Looks Like
Here’s a real scenario — redacted details, rounded numbers:
A homeowner in the OKC metro had a washing machine supply line failure. Water ran for approximately 3 hours before discovery. The adjuster visited on Day 2.
Adjuster’s initial estimate: $4,200
- Extraction for kitchen and utility room
- 3 days of drying equipment
- Carpet pad replacement in kitchen
- Baseboard reinstallation
My scope after full assessment: $7,800
- Everything in the adjuster’s estimate, PLUS:
- Drying of shared wall cavity between utility room and master closet (moisture readings confirmed migration)
- Removal and replacement of bottom 24 inches of drywall in master closet
- Extended drying timeline (5 days, not 3) — Oklahoma humidity during August required additional equipment days
- Antimicrobial treatment in wall cavity (Cat 1 water reclassified to Cat 2 at 48 hours due to dwell time)
The $3,600 gap wasn’t padding. It was the difference between what was visible on Day 2 and what the moisture readings showed over five days.
The Supplement Process: How We Close the Gap
When my scope exceeds the adjuster’s estimate, I don’t argue. I don’t call the insurance company and complain. I submit documentation.
Here’s exactly what that process looks like:
Step 1: Write the Complete Xactimate Scope
My scope is line-item, room-by-room, in the same Xactimate format the adjuster uses. Every service has a specific code. Every material has a quantity. Nothing is lumped together or vague.
Step 2: Attach Supporting Documentation
For every line item that exceeds the adjuster’s estimate, I attach:
- Moisture readings — showing the affected area that wasn’t in the original scope
- Photos — before demolition, during, and after
- Equipment logs — showing what was deployed, where, and for how long
- Drying progression — daily readings showing the moisture curve over time
Step 3: Submit the Supplement
I package the scope and documentation and send it directly to the adjuster. Not through the homeowner. Not through the insurer’s general claims line. Directly to the assigned adjuster with the claim number, the original estimate for reference, and a clear line-item comparison showing what was added and why.
Step 4: Professional Conversation
The adjuster reviews the supplement. In most cases, they approve it — because the documentation makes the case clearly. If they have questions about specific items, we discuss them. These conversations are between two professionals looking at the same data.
What we’re NOT doing: calling the homeowner, asking you to fight with your adjuster, or telling you to accept less work than your house needs because the insurance payment is taking longer than expected.
What You Should Do If Your Estimate Seems Low
If you’ve already received an estimate from your insurance company and it feels low, here’s how to evaluate it:
1. Ask your restoration company for a line-item comparison. They should be able to put their scope next to the adjuster’s estimate, line by line, and show you exactly where the gap is. If they can’t do this — if their estimate is also a lump sum with no detail — that’s a separate problem.
2. Look for missing rooms. The most common gap is rooms or areas the adjuster didn’t include because the damage wasn’t visible during their walkthrough. Check: did the adjuster include the wall cavities? The subfloor? Adjacent rooms where moisture migrated?
3. Check the equipment days. Adjusters sometimes approve 3 days of drying equipment when the moisture readings show the structure needed 5. Ask your restoration company: “How many days were the dehumidifiers and air movers actually running, and what do the moisture logs show?”
4. Understand that supplements are normal. A supplement is not a red flag. It’s a standard part of the process. It means the restoration company found damage that wasn’t in the initial scope and is requesting coverage for the additional work. If your restoration company never submits supplements, that might mean they’re not looking hard enough.
The Emotional Weight of a Low Number
I want to acknowledge something that the technical explanation doesn’t cover.
When you’re already dealing with water damage — your bedroom smells like wet carpet, your belongings are piled in the garage, you haven’t slept well in three nights — getting a low estimate from insurance feels like a second punch.
It feels personal. It feels like they don’t believe you. It feels like you’re going to have to fight for money that should obviously be yours.
The supplement process exists specifically so you don’t have to fight. That’s my job. I document the damage, I write the scope, I submit the numbers, and I handle the conversation with the adjuster. You handle your family. You handle your job. You handle the stress of living through a restoration.
The process works. The documentation does the talking. And most supplements get approved because the evidence is clear.
Don’t Accept Less Than Your House Needs
If you’re in the OKC metro and you think your insurance estimate doesn’t cover the actual damage, call 405-896-9088. I’ll look at the adjuster’s estimate, compare it to the moisture readings and visible damage, and tell you whether a supplement is warranted.
If it is, I’ll write it, document it, and submit it. If the estimate actually does cover the scope, I’ll tell you that too.
Phil Sheridan. Owner, 4D Restoration. IICRC Certified. 405-896-9088.