In a property damage claim, an estimate is not supposed to be a negotiation anchor. It is supposed to be evidence. That distinction matters. When a covered roof replacement is required, the reasonable cost of repair is not limited to the visible shingle field. A proper roof estimate must account for the work, materials, labor, disposal, and job conditions reasonably necessary to do the repair in the real world. That includes roof waste. It also includes removing, loading, hauling, and disposing of the damaged roofing materials.

Those items are not "extras" just because they increase the estimate. If they are reasonably necessary to complete the covered repair, they belong in the estimate. The issue is not whether a carrier, contractor, public adjuster, or appraiser prefers a lower number. The issue is whether the estimate reflects the reasonable cost of the necessary repair, and whether the file contains evidence supporting that scope. (A note up front: I am not an Xactimate trainer, and this article is general commentary on estimating and evidence, not software training.)

The claimant's burden is proof, not magic words

Texas case law on repair costs provides a useful framework for evaluating estimating disputes. In an insurance claim, the policy language controls what the carrier owes, but the evidence questions are much the same: what repair is needed, and what does it reasonably cost?

The Texas Supreme Court has said that "[a] party seeking to recover remedial damages must prove that the damages sought are reasonable and necessary." McGinty v. Hennen, 372 S.W.3d 625, 627 (Tex. 2012) (per curiam).

But Texas law does not require a claimant to recite the words "reasonable" and "necessary" like a formal incantation. In Hernandez v. Lautensack, a roofing case, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals explained that "it is not necessary for a claimant to use the words 'reasonable' and 'necessary'; a claimant need only present sufficient evidence to justify a jury's finding that the costs were reasonable and the repairs necessary." Hernandez v. Lautensack, 201 S.W.3d 771, 776-77 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2006, pet. denied) (citing Ebby Halliday Real Estate, Inc. v. Murnan, 916 S.W.2d 585, 589 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 1996, writ denied); Ron Craft Chevrolet, Inc. v. Davis, 836 S.W.2d 672, 677 (Tex. App.—El Paso 1992, writ denied)).

That rule matters in roof estimating disputes. The question is not whether an estimate has the phrase "reasonable and necessary" next to every line item. The question is whether the estimate, testimony, photographs, measurements, pricing support, and job conditions give a sufficient evidentiary basis to conclude that the work is needed and the cost is reasonable.

What Texas courts say about repair estimates as evidence

The Texas Supreme Court addressed repair estimates in Bennett v. McDaniel, 295 S.W.3d 644 (Tex. 2009) (per curiam), a roof-repair case. The Court disagreed with the court of appeals' statement that an estimate, without the testimony of the person who prepared it or other expert testimony, is no evidence. The Court noted that such an estimate might ordinarily be excluded as hearsay, but no hearsay objection was made. Even so, the Court held the damages evidence legally insufficient because the homeowner merely stated an estimated price and did not testify that the estimate was reasonable. The Court sent the case back for a new trial.

That distinction is important. Bennett does not mean any number labeled "estimate" automatically proves damages. It stands for a more practical point: an estimate is not categorically worthless just because the estimator does not testify, but someone still has to connect it to reasonableness. And be ready for a hearsay objection.

Other Texas courts have applied similar reasoning. In Bernstein v. Thomas, a foundation-repair case, the Dallas Court of Appeals said that "[a]n objective valuation of services, such as a bill, receipt or, as in this case, an estimate, is evidence from which a jury can infer reasonable cost of repair." Bernstein v. Thomas, 298 S.W.3d 817 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2009). In Seasha Pools, Inc. v. Hardister, 391 S.W.3d 635 (Tex. App.—Austin 2012, no pet.), the Austin Court of Appeals recognized that a repair estimate, such as a bid, is some evidence of repair cost, and that property owners may testify about repair costs based on estimates they obtain from third parties. (In that case, the pool builder had stipulated that the bids were reasonable.)

The other side of the coin matters just as much for this article. In McGinty, the homeowner's witness derived his repair costs from an "Exactimate" program "that's used widely in the insurance industry." The Texas Supreme Court held that this was not enough on its own to prove the costs were reasonable, and it rendered judgment against the homeowner on that claim. McGinty, 372 S.W.3d at 627-28. In other words, a number coming out of estimating software is not self-proving, whether it is the carrier's number or the policyholder's.

The practical rule is straightforward: a repair estimate is not just a number. Properly supported, it is evidence. Unsupported, it may not be enough.

Roof waste is a function of the repair, not a windfall

Roof waste is often disputed because it is easy to mischaracterize. It is sometimes called "padding," "profit," or "contractor fluff." Those descriptions are inaccurate.

Waste is a material requirement created by installation. Shingles are not installed by digitally stretching them across the measured roof surface. They are cut, lapped, offset, started, capped, and fitted around roof geometry. Hips, valleys, rakes, ridges, dormers, penetrations, transitions, and roof-to-wall conditions all affect how much material is reasonably required to complete the installation.

A simple two-plane gable roof and a cut-up hip roof do not present the same waste issue. A low-slope roof and a steep, complex roof do not present the same installation conditions. A roof with multiple valleys, dormers, ridge changes, and intersecting planes will generally require more cutting and fitting than a simple roof. Those differences matter.

A roof estimate that calculates only the surface area and then refuses to account for installation waste is not conservative. It is incomplete. The proper sequence is measurement first, waste second. IKO's guide Estimating How Much Roofing Is Required explains that roofs can be broken into simple geometric shapes, that projected horizontal area is converted to actual roof area using a factor based on roof slope, and that an allowance for waste is then added. In the guide's worked example, the actual roof area is 2,347 square feet, and a 10% waste allowance (235 square feet) brings the material requirement to 2,582 square feet.

That example illustrates the correct order. Waste is not a substitute for measurement. Measurement is not a substitute for waste. Both are part of a complete roof material calculation.

The right waste factor depends on the roof

No serious estimator should claim that every roof requires the same waste factor. And no serious estimator should claim that a roof requires no waste at all. The proper inquiry is roof-specific. The relevant considerations include the number of roof planes, pitch, hips, valleys, dormers, roof-to-wall transitions, penetrations, rake conditions, starter and ridge requirements, shingle type, installation method, layout restrictions, and whether specialty, laminated, or designer shingles are being installed.

Industry guidance is consistent with that approach. Roofr defines the roof waste factor as the extra material needed to account for cuts, overlaps, and mistakes during installation, and lists roof complexity (valleys, hips, dormers), material type, slope, installer experience, and weather as factors that affect waste. Roofr describes roughly 10% to 15% as a common starting estimate, and says the figure goes up or down depending on those factors. Treat numbers like that for what they are: industry rules of thumb, not a published standard or a rule of law.

That is why a flat percentage applied without explanation is vulnerable. But deleting waste without explanation is equally vulnerable.

The most defensible estimate states its assumptions. If an estimate applies 10%, 12%, 15%, or another waste factor, the file should explain why that factor fits that roof. A clean roof diagram, pitch documentation, photographs, material selection, and notes on hips, valleys, dormers, and layout conditions can turn a disputed waste item into a supported part of the repair estimate.

The same principle cuts both ways. A contractor should not add a high waste percentage just to get more money. An insurer should not delete waste just to get a lower estimate. Both positions miss the point. The question is evidentiary: what waste factor is reasonable for this roof, under these conditions, and what evidence supports it?

Disposal is a separate cost created by tear-off

The same analysis applies to dump fees. When an estimate pays to remove damaged shingles, the debris does not disappear at the roof edge. It must be removed from the property. That can involve labor, loading, a dump trailer, a roll-off container, a landfill or transfer station, weight limits, local disposal charges, minimum fees, and possibly multiple trips.

Disposal is not theoretical. It is a required consequence of tear-off. The number of layers matters. The type of shingle matters. The weight of the debris matters. Local landfill pricing matters. Access matters. Whether a contractor can place a dumpster on site matters. Whether debris must be hand-carried to a trailer matters. Whether the load exceeds the included tonnage matters.

An estimate that includes roof tear-off but leaves out the reasonable cost of disposing of the torn-off material is missing part of the repair cost.

Weight is a big part of this. GAF notes that choosing the right dumpster size helps avoid unwanted delays and that exceeding a dumpster's weight limit can result in hefty fees. IKO likewise explains that dumpster sizing for roofing is not just about roof size; it also depends on the type and weight of the shingle debris and the rental company's weight limit. IKO adds that asphalt shingles are among the heavier materials dumpster companies accept and that, generally, you can't fill a dumpster to the brim with asphalt shingles without exceeding the weight limit.

For that reason, a proper roof estimate should tie the disposal charge to the actual job conditions. It should not just insert a generic dump fee. And it should not delete the fee by assuming disposal is free.

Local disposal pricing is evidence

Dump fees are local costs. A disposal rate in Travis County is not necessarily the same as one in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, or El Paso. The estimate should account for where the work is performed and the facility, hauler, or vendor that will receive the debris.

Where available, the estimate should be supported by published landfill rates, vendor invoices, dumpster quotes, receipts, or contractor pricing tied to the actual job. That kind of support moves the dispute from opinion to proof.

For example, Waste Connections publishes gate-rate information for the Travis County Landfill near Austin. When I checked that page, it listed a per-ton gate rate for construction-and-demolition debris, a two-ton minimum load charge, and add-on fees for items such as hard-to-handle loads, dig-outs, and reloads. Rates change, so pull the current schedule for the facility your job will actually use.

That kind of local pricing is relevant because disposal charges are not abstract. They are actual project costs incurred at actual facilities under actual pricing schedules. The same is true of minimum charges. Many facilities do not charge only by the pound. Depending on the facility, pricing may involve minimum load charges, vehicle-based rates, volume-based rates, material-specific rates, tonnage rates, or other facility-specific charges. A small roof can still trigger a minimum disposal charge. A large roof can trigger overweight fees or require a larger container.

The proper question is not whether an adjuster personally thinks the dump fee "seems high." The proper question is whether the amount is supported by the disposal method, the debris generated, the project location, and the pricing available for that job.

Don't mix shingle waste with other debris without accounting for pricing differences

There is another reason to evaluate dump fees carefully: not all construction debris is priced or handled the same way. A roofing tear-off may generate asphalt shingles, underlayment, nails, drip edge, flashing, vents, ridge materials, rotten decking, fascia, soffit, drywall from interior access, insulation, pressure-treated wood, or other construction debris. Depending on the facility, those materials may not carry the same disposal rate, may not be accepted in the same way, and may not fall under the same pricing category.

That matters because a shingle disposal charge is not necessarily interchangeable with a mixed construction-and-demolition charge. Some facilities or recyclers may price or handle asphalt shingles differently from mixed construction debris. Pressure-treated wood may raise different disposal considerations than ordinary lumber. Drywall may be subject to different handling, recycling, contamination, or landfill rules depending on the facility.

A load that qualifies for one rate can become a different load, at a different price, if it is mixed with other materials. This is not an academic issue. The Travis County Landfill page, for example, lists the categories of material it accepts, including construction debris, concrete and asphalt, yard waste, clean fill, contaminated soil, and treated lumber. The receiving facility's acceptance rules and pricing categories are material to the estimate.

The estimating consequence is simple: the estimate should identify the debris stream. If the roof scope involves asphalt shingle tear-off only, the disposal analysis may focus on the shingle debris, the number of layers, the estimated weight, the container size, the landfill or transfer station, and the applicable rate.

But if the repair also includes rotten decking, pressure-treated wood, drywall, insulation, fascia, soffit, siding, or other materials, the estimator must consider whether those materials change the disposal method or pricing category, and whether a separate container is needed.

That may require separating the debris streams. It may require separate line items. It may require a mixed construction-and-demolition rate instead of a shingle-specific rate. It may require a larger container, multiple containers, multiple trips, or different facility charges. It may also affect whether the load is accepted at all under the intended pricing category.

The point is not that every job needs multiple dumpsters. The point is that the estimate should not hide the issue. A defensible estimate should identify what is being disposed of, where, and whether the debris is being priced as shingles, mixed construction-and-demolition debris, special waste, or another category. Where materials are mixed, the estimate should explain why the selected disposal rate applies. Where materials must be separated, the estimate should account for the labor, container, hauling, and facility charges required.

This is especially important in insurance estimating because roof claims often expand beyond shingles. A roof replacement may involve damaged decking. A storm claim may involve interior drywall repairs. A water intrusion claim may involve framing, sheathing, treated lumber, insulation, and gypsum products. Lumping those materials into one generic "dump fee" may understate or overstate the actual cost, depending on the facility's pricing rules.

The better practice is to treat disposal as a scoped item, not a miscellaneous charge. The estimator should ask:

• What materials are being removed?
• Are shingles being disposed of separately?
• Is the load mixed with other construction debris?
• Does the facility price shingles differently from mixed construction-and-demolition debris?
• Does pressure-treated wood or drywall affect the disposal category?
• Do minimum charges or contamination charges apply?
• Does the selected Xactimate line item match the actual disposal condition?

If the debris stream changes, the price may change. That is why shingle waste should not be casually mixed with pressure-treated wood, drywall, or other construction debris and then priced as though all waste is the same. In a disputed estimate, saying "debris disposal is included" is not enough. The question is whether the disposal cost is supported by the actual debris generated, the facility that will receive it, and the pricing category that applies to that material.

Roofers are the roofing experts, and Xactimate is not their license

This raises a practical question: if roofers are the professionals who actually build roofs, why do they spend so much time arguing as though the carrier's Xactimate estimate is the default truth?

A roofer is not hired because he knows how to click line items in Xactimate. A roofer is hired because he knows how to build a roof. Roofers know whether a roof can be repaired or must be replaced. They know how shingles are installed, how valleys are cut, when starter is required, and how ridge cap is installed. They know when decking is rotten, whether a tear-off is one layer or several, whether the driveway can take a dumpster, whether debris has to be hand-carried, and whether the tear-off is shingle-only or mixed debris. They know whether the job can actually be completed for the amount written on the carrier's estimate.

That does not mean every roofer's estimate is automatically reasonable. It does mean the roofer should not let the dispute be framed as though roofing expertise is subordinate to the carrier's estimating software.

A roofer does not have to justify his price solely by forcing it through Xactimate. Texas courts ask whether there is evidence of the reasonable cost of necessary repairs. See McGinty, 372 S.W.3d at 627-28; Hernandez, 201 S.W.3d at 776-77; Bennett, 295 S.W.3d 644; Bernstein, 298 S.W.3d 817; Seasha Pools, 391 S.W.3d 635. That evidence may include an estimate, bid, invoice, supplier quote, labor scope, measurement report, photographs, job-site conditions, landfill rates, contractor testimony, and owner testimony about the estimate.

Xactimate can be part of that proof. It is not the only way to prove it, and as McGinty shows, it is not proof by itself. A roofer's price may be supported by market pricing, supplier invoices, subcontractor quotes, labor availability, crew requirements, access conditions, disposal charges, landfill rates, warranty requirements, manufacturer specifications, building-code requirements, and the roofer's own cost structure. If that evidence supports the price, the fact that a carrier's Xactimate estimate produces a lower number does not end the analysis.

The question is not whether the roofer can make his estimate match the carrier's preferred Xactimate output. The question is whether the claimed amount represents the reasonable cost of the necessary repair. That changes the posture of the dispute.

If a roofer claims 15% waste, he should be ready to explain why that roof requires it. If the roofer charges a separate dump fee, he should be ready to explain the debris stream, disposal method, facility pricing, container size, weight limits, and whether the load is shingle-only or mixed. If the roofer's price is higher than the carrier's Xactimate estimate, he should be ready to explain the scope, material cost, labor market, access, schedule, supervision, overhead, profit, risk, warranty, and job conditions.

But that is proof, not permission. The roofer is not asking the carrier for permission to know roofing. The roofer is presenting evidence of what the roof requires and what it reasonably costs to do the work.

Roofers should stop arguing from the premise that the carrier's estimate is presumptively correct simply because it was written in Xactimate. Verisk markets Xactimate as property claims estimating software, with regional pricing data. It is a tool. It is not the Texas Pattern Jury Charge. It is not Chapter 542A of the Texas Insurance Code. It is not a substitute for a roofer's training and experience, or for a competent roofer's supported estimate.

The better approach is to present the roofing scope as roofing evidence: This is the roof. This is the damage. This is the required repair. This is the material. This is the waste. This is the tear-off. This is the debris. This is the disposal method. This is the price. This is why it is reasonable. That is how a roofing expert should frame the dispute. The roofer's job is not to reverse-engineer the carrier's number. The roofer's job is to state and support the cost to do the work correctly.

A practical checklist for roof waste

In a disputed roof estimate, waste should be evaluated through evidence, not habit. A proper file should address:

• Measured roof area and pitch-adjusted roof area.
• A roof diagram or measurement report.
• Roof complexity, including the number of hips, valleys, rakes, and ridges.
• Shingle type and installation method.
• Starter and ridge material.
• The selected waste factor, and the reason it fits this roof.

If the estimate has a waste factor but no explanation, it may need better support. If it has no waste factor at all, it may need a better scope. The question should not be whether waste can be removed from the estimate. It should be whether the claimed waste is reasonably necessary for the roof being installed.

A practical checklist for dump fees

Disposal should be evaluated the same way. A proper file should address:

• The number of layers being removed and the type of roofing material.
• Approximate debris weight.
• The method of debris removal, and whether a dumpster or dump trailer is required.
• Container size, included weight limit, and the possibility of overweight charges.
• The landfill, transfer station, or disposal vendor, and its local rate and minimum charge.
• A quote, invoice, or receipt supporting the amount.
• Whether the debris is being disposed of as shingles, mixed construction-and-demolition debris, or another category.

A line item for tear-off does not necessarily mean disposal has been fully accounted for. If the torn-off material has to be hauled and dumped, that cost must be addressed somewhere in the estimate. And if the debris includes more than shingles, the disposal analysis must account for that.

A shingle-only disposal charge may not fit a mixed load. A mixed-load charge may not fit a shingle-only tear-off. A generic debris charge may not be adequate where the facility prices shingles, construction-and-demolition debris, pressure-treated wood, drywall, or special waste differently. Disposal is not just a quantity issue. It is a material-classification issue.

The issue is not "more money." The issue is proof.

Roof waste and dump fees should not be added casually. They should be supported. But they also should not be deleted casually. They should be evaluated. That is the difference between adjusting a claim and cutting numbers.

Under Texas case law, the party seeking repair costs must present evidence from which a factfinder can determine the reasonable cost of necessary repairs. McGinty, 372 S.W.3d at 627; Hernandez, 201 S.W.3d at 776-77. A properly supported repair estimate can be part of that proof. See Bennett, 295 S.W.3d 644; Bernstein, 298 S.W.3d 817; Seasha Pools, 391 S.W.3d 635.

For roofing claims, that proof should include the material reasonably required to install the roof and the cost reasonably required to dispose of the torn-off materials. It should also account for whether the debris is shingle-only or mixed construction debris subject to different pricing.

The better estimating question is not: "Can we remove waste and dump fees?"

The better question is: "What waste and disposal costs are reasonably necessary for this roof, at this property, under these job conditions, and what evidence supports them?" That question is harder to answer. It is also the right one.

Before becoming an attorney, Michael Bowman worked for years as a licensed contractor, roofing contractor, home inspector and insurance adjuster in Florida; those licenses are no longer active.

Key takeaways

• In Texas, the party seeking repair costs must offer evidence that the repairs are necessary and the costs reasonable, but no "magic words" are required.
• Texas courts have treated estimates and bids as evidence of repair cost, but an estimate still has to be tied to reasonableness; in McGinty v. Hennen, software-generated figures alone were not enough.
• Roof waste comes from cutting and fitting materials to the roof's geometry. Common percentages such as 10% to 15% are rules of thumb; the file should explain why a given factor fits a given roof.
• Disposal is a real cost of tear-off. Tie dump fees to debris weight, container size, facility rates, and minimum charges.
• Identify the debris stream. Mixed loads, treated wood, and drywall can change how a facility prices or accepts a load.
• Xactimate is a tool, not the standard of proof. A roofer's supported estimate can be evidence of reasonable cost.

If you are a policyholder with a disputed roof estimate on a Texas property insurance claim, contact The Claim Attorney for a free case review. Attorneys interested in co-counsel are also welcome to reach out.

Related reading

• Better Claim Documentation Means Faster Texas Settlements
• Estimating Building Permit Costs in Texas
• Actual Cash Value and Depreciation in Texas Home Insurance Claims

Originally published on LinkedIn on June 16, 2026. Reviewed and updated September 2026.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change, and results depend on the facts of each case and the language of each policy. Michael P. Bowman is licensed to practice law in Texas and Alabama only. Responsible attorney: Michael P. Bowman, Law Office of Michael P. Bowman PLLC, Austin, Texas.