Quick answerThe Break tool in an Xactimate® roof sketch splits an existing roof line at a chosen point so you can extend a plane, insert a new ridge, or start an overbuild section without redrawing the whole roof. Squaring off a corner, layering a second roof level, and drawing a dormer all use the same break-then-extend sequence described below. Menu names and click paths vary by Xactimate® version, so verify the exact tool location in your build against Xactware's own documentation before relying on any written click path. When a measured roof report is imported into the estimate, most of this manual sketching is replaced by the delivered file.

What the Break tool actually does

A roof sketch is built from connected lines that define facets, ridges, hips, and valleys. The Break tool inserts a new point on an existing line so that line can be split into two segments, each of which can then be moved, extended, or used as the starting edge for a new facet. It does not delete or redraw the surrounding roof; it opens a seam in the geometry at the point you choose.

That is why Break is the tool adjusters reach for when a plane was drawn short, when a corner will not square off cleanly, or when a new facet (an overbuild, a second story, a dormer) needs to start from a point on an existing line rather than from scratch. The concept is the same across recent Xactimate® builds; the exact menu label and icon have moved between versions, so confirm the current location in Xactware's help documentation before you train a team on a specific click path.

Extending a roof plane with Break, step by step

  1. Identify the line that needs to move

    Find the roof edge, ridge, or eave line that stops short of where the actual roof extends, using your field measurement or the measured report as the reference.

  2. Apply the Break at the point of change

    Place the break where the new geometry starts, for example where a shorter original plane meets the extension, or where an overbuild footprint begins.

  3. Draw the new segment from the break point

    Extend the line, or start the new facet, from the break point rather than from an existing corner. This keeps the original facet's area and pitch untouched while the new section is built independently.

  4. Reconnect ridges, hips, and valleys

    Close the new facet back into the surrounding roof so ridge and hip lines run continuously; an open line at this stage is the most common cause of a sketch that will not calculate area correctly.

  5. Check facet count and total area

    Compare the sketch's total squares and facet count against your field notes or measured report before moving to the estimate. A break that was not fully reconnected usually shows up here as a facet with zero or unexpected area.

Squaring off a corner that will not close

A corner that refuses to square off is almost always a line drawn slightly off angle rather than a tool problem. Break the offending line near the corner, then redraw the short segment at the correct angle and snap it back into the adjoining line. Resist the urge to drag the existing corner point directly; that adjustment tends to distort the pitch or area of the facet on the other side of the corner rather than fixing only the corner in question.

If the roof is genuinely irregular (an addition that meets the original structure a few degrees off square), sketch it as it is rather than forcing a 90-degree corner. Xactimate® calculates area from the drawn geometry, not from an assumption of squareness, so an honest angle produces a more accurate area than a forced right angle.

Drawing an overbuild without disturbing the roof underneath

An overbuild adds a new roof plane over, or partly over, an existing one, typically to change pitch or add a false gable. In the sketch, break the existing roofline where the overbuild footprint starts and stops, then draw the overbuild as its own set of connected facets sitting on top of that footprint rather than editing the original plane's lines.

Keep the overbuild as a distinct set of facets in the sketch even if it will be estimated together with the roof below. Separating the geometry lets you verify the overbuild's own area and pitch independently, and it keeps the underlying roof's area intact if the overbuild line item ever needs to be priced or removed on its own.

Two-level roofs and dormers

  • Sketch the lower roof level as its own complete, closed set of facets before starting the upper level

    A lower level with an open line will pass area geometry errors up into the upper level and make them harder to trace.

  • Use Break to open the lower roof where the upper level's supporting wall lands

    The upper level typically starts from a point partway across a lower facet, not from an existing corner.

  • Draw dormers as their own small facet sets with their own ridge, not as a note on the main roof plane

    A dormer has its own pitch and area; folding it into the main plane's line item understates the roof's true facet count and area.

  • Confirm each level's eave line sits at the correct elevation reference before closing the sketch

    Multi-level roof sketches that look correct from the top view can still have elevation mismatches that affect the area calculation.

Pitch multiplier reference for checking a sketched area

Whatever the sketch tool draws, the facet's area should still reconcile to footprint times pitch multiplier. The multiplier is derived from the formula multiplier = square root of (rise squared plus run squared) divided by run, using a 12-inch run. Use this to sanity-check a facet's calculated area against its footprint and stated pitch before you trust a break-and-extend result.

PitchMultiplierSquares from a 1,000 sq ft footprint
4/121.05410.54
6/121.11811.18
8/121.20212.02
10/121.30213.02
12/121.41414.14

Multiplier values are computed directly from the formula above; recalculate for any pitch not listed rather than estimating between rows.

When a measured roof report replaces the manual sketch

All of the above is manual sketch work: break, extend, reconnect, verify. On most residential files that work is replaced by importing a measured roof report as an ESX directly into the Xactimate® sketch, which arrives with facets, pitches, ridges, hips, and valleys already drawn and named. The adjuster's task shifts from building the geometry to checking it against the property and the estimate.

That shortcut is worth using on any roof with more than a simple gable or hip, and it is the standard approach on overbuilds, multi-level roofs, and dormer work where manual sketch errors are most common. Sketch My Roof delivers ESX for Xactimate®, XML for Symbility®, or PDF from a property address, with published pricing of Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only $25, and ESX plus PDF $29, same calendar day for orders placed before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff. Verisk™ desks can order the same reports through Xactimate® Integration ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Break tool delete the roof line it is applied to?
No. Break inserts a point on the existing line and splits it into two segments; it does not remove the surrounding geometry. The original facet stays intact unless you separately edit or delete it.
Is the Break tool called the same thing in every Xactimate® version?
The concept is consistent, but menu names and locations have changed across versions. Verify the current tool name and location in your build against Xactware's official documentation rather than following a screenshot from an older version.
How do I sketch an overbuild without changing the roof underneath?
Break the existing roofline at the footprint of the overbuild and draw the overbuild as its own connected set of facets on top of that footprint, rather than editing the lines of the original plane. This keeps both areas independently verifiable.
Is there a way to skip drawing a two-level roof and dormers by hand?
Yes. Importing a measured roof report as an ESX into the Xactimate® sketch delivers the facets, pitches, and connecting lines already drawn, which replaces most of the manual break-and-extend work described here.
Does a roof measurement report transfer directly into an open Xactimate® estimate?
A report delivered as an ESX is built to import into the sketch via the Sketch import option in Xactimate®; the exact menu path varies by version, so confirm the current steps in Xactware's documentation before relying on a specific click path.

Sources