Job costing for restoration and remediation contractors

Restoration jobs start in an emergency and get paid after an adjuster’s review, so you need both speed and a clear record. JobMargin tracks equipment, labor, and materials against each loss, and the daily log keeps the notes and photos that support the bill.

What restoration contractors track in JobMargin

• Equipment days. Drying equipment gets its own budget, so an extra day of drying is visible, and billable, right away.
• Containment and chemicals. Containment, antimicrobials, and disposal each get their own line.
• Daily logs with photos. Techs log each day’s work, readings, and photos from their phones, the record an adjuster asks for.
• Crews on call. Techs clock in at the loss on their phones, and nights and weekends go in by pay type.

JobMargin doesn’t write Xactimate estimates; it tracks what each job actually costs against the estimate you wrote.

Set up for restoration from the first day

When you pick Restoration & Remediation as your trade, JobMargin loads these cost categories for budgets, receipts, and job costs. You can rename or add your own at any time.

• Labor
• Equipment Rental
• Materials & Supplies
• Chemicals & Antimicrobial
• Containment
• Disposal
• Fuel
• Lodging
• Subcontractor
• Other

Bid line items use the units restoration actually bid in: square feet (SF), linear feet (LF), each (EA), hours (HR), and lump sum (LS).

Example: what a restoration job looks like mid-way

A supply line failed overnight: extraction, drying, and tear-out of wet drywall and carpet on two floors. The drying is done; the rebuild is a separate job.

Mitigation is wrapping up, and most lines finished close to budget. Equipment ran 112%, about $1,300 over, because drying took a day longer than planned. If the crew logged the moisture readings in the daily log each day, that’s the documentation the adjuster will want before paying for the extra day.

Guides and tools for restoration contractors