Hey guys,
I performed an inspection mid winter and was unable to fully inspect the roof and other items due to heavy snow. I was also unable to inspect the garage attic since the access was blocked. This is my first time getting a call to have these items inspected now that the snow has cleared and everything is accessible. My question is how do you guys proceed with inspecting and creating a report on this? Would you consider it a follow-up inspection or a new inspection and redo it all? And how would you construct your report in this situation?
To begin with… never, ever change an already published Report!
With that being said, I would not write a new report, and definitely not a total redo!!
I would keep it simple and write an ‘Amendment to the Report’ on your company letterhead stationary (electronic) and be done with it. Include photos as needed and send it off as a PDF.
In my opinion, new report limited to items agreed upon. You’ll need a new agreement which limits the scope. I do not see any need to reference the previous report. And if you do, it is only to disclaim the fact that the current report does not rely on any previous findings.
I use this but I have modified it to fit my needs each time (such as adding room for more components) I also added “this is not a full home inspection and does not conform to our standards of practice”
I see your website is by Spectora. If you are using Spectora software, there are some built-in tools that may help you.
It will depend on how you reported on the lack of access in your original report, but using the reinspection feature could make this simple for you. Also, you can easily add addendums to your report. Feel free to reach out to me if you need any help figuring it out!
Thanks Ryan that’s very appreciated! I did look into that option but the re-inspection feature does not allow adding new deficiencies, I can only comment on existing ones. I’m looking into creating a new template, modifying the header as an amendment and adding a editable list of items that would be requested by the client to be inspected. That way I can select all applicable items to be inspected and their defects. Do you think that would work or do you recommend a different approach?
Yep, that’s exactly what I was going to recommend if the reinspection feature didn’t work for you in this scenario. You can add a new report (from the new template) using the new button. This will keep everything under one dashboard and the client will be able to access both reports from their single dashboard.
Ya know, I have to say… you are reminding me more and more of ‘Condo’ Bob Elliott (may he R.I.P.) and Home Inspector Pro! Bob was absolutely HIP’s biggest proponent and spoke about it (them) every chance he could!!
I’ll tell you why. I think Spectora gets a bad rap on the forum. Many people believe that Spectorians (yes, that’s what we call ourselves, lol) breeze through inspections staring at their phone and selecting canned comments that have no detail related to the specific home. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Other people think that Spectora is over priced and gimmicky. They say, “Hey I bought my software 20 years ago and never paid another dime, you are a sucker for paying a yearly subscription!” But they don’t realize which way the inspection industry, as it pertains to reports, is headed. And now other companies are following Spectora’s lead and trying to match their offerings. And guess what, they are charging MORE than Spectora for comparable offerings!
So yes, I do tend to promote them but only because I have been very happy with it. I don’t get paid or anything (but if they want to, they know how to get ahold of me!). I see it as more of a way to try and educate others about what Spectora really is.
In this particular case, I just checked to see if the OP might be using it because I could maybe help out a fellow Spectorian.
Very well said! Spectora has so many feature that make it easy and fast for the inspector. The price I pay for the software is nothing compared to the time it saves me. The way I see it, Spectora is not only an inspection software but also a data gathering system that keeps everything in one place. The clients also love it, it’s easy to understand and read trough!
Absolutely. I liked your observation because I have held back mentioning the S word on a few threads as even I thought it was becoming too much, lol. So you gave me a chance to explain myself and I appreciate that. I do try not to “push” people to what I use, but I have always thought there were a few misconceptions floating around and have tried to change those perspectives.
I think you did drop the ball by not making fun of our nickname though. You’re losing it!
Spring has sprung for now in MN! Don’t blink though, lol.
Re-inspections can be high-liability (ironically for a crappy amount of money) so navigate them carefully. Always, always, always work from an addendum or list. Don’t let them tell you to just go in the house and see what’s been done. You MUST have something to work from and reference in a re-inspection report. Even if you can just get an email that’s better than nothing.
As for the report itself mine is super basic and really just on my company letterhead. I’ll often refer to addendum item #s. I do a lot of “recommend the buyer obtain receipts from the contractor that performed the work for warranty information.” And I’m also quick to point limitations with new work that has been done - can’t tell if a roof repair is complete without time passing, etc. (this is where the liability comes on - everyone wants to pass the buck to you and have you guarantee the work of others). Realize there is not a person more motivated to do cheap work than a seller on their way out the door.
Overall, I HATE re-inspections and do everything I can to avoid them but some people just insist.
