Quick answer: Review an AI estimate against the original job record in four passes: included work, quantities and units, pricing, and customer-facing wording. A tidy total is not proof of a complete scope. Keep the draft editable until those checks are finished.

For a small restoration or remodel crew, the useful role of AI is doing the write-up while the contractor retains the decisions. The review should catch both omissions and confident additions. Adding a task that was never discussed can be just as costly as missing one.

Pass one: trace every line back to the site

Open the notes and photos beside the draft. Check one location at a time. Each line should correspond to a recorded task or a deliberate decision by the estimator. Ask what evidence supports the material, action and work boundary. “Replace the ceiling” is not supported merely because a note says “stain on ceiling.”

Then reverse the check: read each note and find its estimate line. This second direction catches missed tasks that a line-by-line read of the draft can never reveal. Keep optional work outside the base scope.

Pass two: check the quantity and its meaning

Match the room and assembly, not only the number.
Confirm square feet, linear feet, each, hours and other units.
Separate measured quantities from allowances and provisional figures.
Check whether removal, installation and finish quantities use different boundaries.
Resolve conflicting measurements before choosing a final value.

A note that says “12” without a unit needs clarification. Software should not turn that ambiguity into a final quantity. Check critical dimensions on site before using them for ordering or fabrication.

Pass three: verify where the price came from

Use current company rates, supplier quotes and subcontractor proposals. If a line uses a suggested price, identify what it assumes and replace it where needed. Confirm whether a stored rate represents cost or selling price before applying markup.

Check the complete total after changing quantities or rates. Review allowances, options and any applicable tax treatment rather than assuming that the bottom number tells the whole story.

Pass four: read it as the customer

Look for wording that overstates certainty. “Match existing finish exactly” may be a promise you cannot support. “Existing finish match subject to sample approval” describes a decision that still needs to happen. Replace technical shorthand with plain descriptions where it helps the customer understand the work.

Example correction log
Draft issue	Correction	Why
Uninspected substrate described as sound	Mark concealed condition unverified	The site record does not establish it
Both alternatives included in the total	Separate base and optional scope	Customer has not chosen both
Suggested labor price retained	Check against the company's rate basis	Fallback price is not a verified business rate

Turn recurring corrections into better inputs

If you keep changing the same room names or exclusions, improve the capture template. If rates keep being replaced, update the rate source. Keep a short correction log across representative jobs. It shows whether the time is being spent on missing inputs, pricing or draft behavior.

SnapDamage creates editable line-item estimate drafts from scope notes and measurements. Review those drafts before sending. Pair this checklist with the voice-note script and own-rate pricing guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I approve an estimate by checking only the total?

No. The same total can conceal different scope, quantity and pricing errors. Check the line items and the source record.

Should I delete every AI suggestion?

Evaluate each suggestion. Keep it only when you intentionally add it to the scope and can justify the quantity and price.

What makes a draft ready to send?

The authorized reviewer has verified the scope and pricing, unresolved conditions are clearly labeled, and the customer output reflects the intended version.