Florida specific SOP, Scope, and Pre-Inspection Contract

I was hoping some of you might be willing to share your SOP’s, Scopes, and Pre-Inspection Contracts with me. I am revamping my contracts and would like some input. Thanks in advance for your willingness to help.

Hi Ed,

I use the InterNACHI templates and added some legal lingo.
Not at home right now so I can’t send you a specific.
I like the way the InterNACHI service sends it to the client and
updates you as to the status of: read, signed and not signed.
The lingo is good as well.

Just my two cents

Feel like your request is falling on deaf ears?

go to Fabi. Org and look at their SOP

I use the interNACHI online stuff and adjust it to EACH home. I just disclaim all the BS that is a waste of time or of no interest to my client.

Aren’t we supposed to be using the SOP in the Florida Statutes?
I actually put a copy of each section of the statute in the header of each section of my report.
The SOP covers the scopes fairly well.
I still don’t use a pre-inspection agreement (I’m sure I’ll be bashed for that one), but I do have a decent one put together.

It is all contained in one document which I email, as required by the Statute, prior to every inspection. It is part of my inspection report.

Good morning Eric. Eric, I have a question. You mail the agreement and SOP prior to and also include it in your final report correct? If so, how do you have them sign and return to you? Do you ask them to print and hand over to you at the inspection? What do you do with those clients that aren’t in attendance? Have the scan and email back?

I use the InterNachi online agreement but was curious how you handle it with yours.

Very nice agreement and report sample BTW. Thanks for sharing it.

Bert

Bert,
There are several ways.
I print to pdf the 9 pages and send that to them. All they have to do is sign one page and return it to me via email or they can bring it to the inspection. They can also print, sign, and scan it. I also keep a copy of the preinspection agreement on the phone which they can sign onsite if needed.

What I do when I am processing the report is, take the signed page and insert it into the report. That way, it becomes part of the report.

Eric,

Thank you very much for sharing all that information. You have a nice set up.

Eric,

I’m curious if you have ever added your specific SOP, and pre-inspection agreement into the InterNACHI online agreement system and sent it to your clients in that format? If you haven’t, is there a reason why?

No.
The reason is simple. It takes probably 2-3 minutes to put the preinspection agreement together. Remember, it is part of the master template. I have an “intake” page that isn’t part of the finished inspection report. When I book an inspection, all of the pertinent information is placed on one page then, where needed, auto-populated, elsewhere.

Take the roof permit date for example. On the intake form, it gets entered. On the roof cert, wind mit, four-point form, and roof page, it is also entered. The name and address are as well.

The big reason that I do not use the online agreement, is that I want total control of all of my inspection related items. It doesn’t make sense to me, to email a link to someone when you can just send them the document.

I have a template for pre-inspection agreement emails. All I have to do is insert the clients name and attach the agreement, then hit send.

Makes sense. My only concern is I want to make it very simple and painless for the Client. Printing, signing, and then scanning and sending back seems like a hassle for the Client. I currently bring the hard copy and have them sign just prior to starting the inspection, however, I have been advised multiple times that can be interpreted as “under duress” as the Client is under a time line and they feel pressured to sign or you walk away from the inspection and they have to start over again. I like the fact that the InterNACHI agreement seems very easy for the client to sign and it is taken care of prior to the inspection.

Most of the pre-sinspection agreements are returned via email prior to the inspection. I set up the form to accept a digital signature. The ones that aren’t can either be signed on my phone, and remember, the document was emailed prior to the inspection as per the statute, or the client can just bring the printed page and I can scan it for them.

It is my understanding that you have to give the client ample time to read the document. Sending it via email two or three days prior to the inspection, with that date on every page,creates a paper trial so if they ever were to try to use the “duress” defense, it would be difficult to prove.

What phone are you using Eric? You use an android based one?

Galaxy S4.

Thanks Eric. I got the Nexus 6 in hopes of one day using it in the field. I need the extra screen real-estate.

Bert

I have 2 S4 phones. One, which is running lolipop and the other, which only has inspection software and camera apps along with google drive. It is running one of the earlier versions of the android software. Jellybean I think. That phone has no sim card and is just used for inspections.

All the pictures go on the micro sd card, along with the finished report. I can then insert that into the card reader of my laptop to tidy up the reports, then back to the sd card and into the phone for e mailing. Fortunately, I have AT & T as well as infiniity for wifi so almost everywhere I go, I can find a wifi hotspot.

I also have Xfinity. I wasn’t aware they have hotspots around town. I knew at&t did. I also have them as my carrier.

Thanks.

Bert